Mumbai: Bollywood personalities, activists and students descended on to South Mumbai’s historic August Kranti Maidan on Thursday to voice their dissent against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019. This is the same ground where Mahatma Gandhi in 1942 launched the ‘Quit India’ movement.
With banners, placards, and handbills, thousands of students from various parts of city, members of political parties, social activists, and senior citizens were seen marching towards the Maidan. Protesters were heard shouting slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah too.
Actors Farhan Akhtar; Sushant Singh, who was fired from a TV programme for taking a stand over the recent attack on college students; Javed Jaffery,; Huma Qureshi; Swara Bhaskar; along with film makers Rakesh Omprakash Mehra and Saeed Mirza were present at the Maidan.
The Mumbai police had to impose severe traffic restrictions and blocked roads to and around the ground to regulate the huge crowds that was expected to turn up for the protest. The police also deployed a huge posse of armed personnel and riot control police, which was monitoring the entire neighbourhood with CCTVs and drone cameras.
A student leader from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Fahad Ahmad, one of the invitees for the day’s demonstrations, said, “Today Mumbai students and youngsters have shown that they can take charge of their country. They cannot and will not allow black laws to be made by fascist forces. We cannot afford to stand and watch as this BJP government makes laws to break up this nation.”
Another student protesting said, “We are marking our voice through this protest. It is a peaceful protest, we want government should listen to us and do the needful for the CAA.”
Traffic between Nana Chowk to Kemps Corner was banned; traffic had to be diverted from Kennedy Bridge, Sisil Junction, Kemps Corner and Tardeo. Parking was not permitted on any of the roads surrounding the ground, said a police spokesperson.
Peaceful protests have also been held at IIT-Bombay, TISS, University of Mumbai, Pune University, FTII Pune, Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya in Wardha, Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Aurangabad, Beed, and other districts.
