Dharmendra Jore dharmendra. jore@ mid- day. com On being told that they donu2019t have the permission to hold the Mumbai Bagh protest and the agitation was inconveniencing people, participants and supporters assured Home Minister Anil Deshmukh that they would discuss the matter and decide on its withdrawal.
Addressing a media conference on Monday, he said, u201c We had a very positive meeting with the organisers, MLAs and ex- MLAs. I told them that since they donu2019t have ( police) permission to hold the protest, they should call it off as soon as possible. The delegation was very positive in this regard and told me that they will return to the site and hold a discussion with other people,u201d he said.
Local MLA Amin Patel told mid- day that he wasnu2019t present in the meeting with the home minister as he was in Ajmer, but some of his colleagues told him that they would meet on Monday night to deliberate and find a way out.
When asked about Chief Minister Uddhav Thackerayu2019s stand regarding the CAA and NRC, Deshmukh said that the government will not implement anything that would trouble the stateu2019s people. u201c Nobody will lose citizenship in Maharashtra,u201d he said, adding, u201c We have said this repeatedly. People should not worry.u201d Members of the Mumbai Bagh coordination committee, who met Deshmukh, were satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. Convenor of the committee and NCP leader, Nasim Siddique, said, u201c The Morland Road protest doesnu2019t have permission but others are holding their own protests in other parts of the city without permission. Since this can become a law and order issue, we will discuss the matter with women protesters and decide the agitationu2019s future.u201d He added that the issue will be discussed in a meeting on Monday night to decide whether to shift the protest to a venue like Jhula Maidan where people wonu2019t be inconvenienced or whether it should be called off.
Former MLA and AIMIM leader, Waris Pathan, who also attended the meeting, said that they had discussed the notices issued by the Mumbai police under Section 149 of the Criminal Procedure Code with a few protesters.
u201c The notices were issued since the police are concerned about security problems. The home minister has agreed to cooperate and assured that further action will not be taken against the protesters,u201d he said.
Inputs by Arita Sarkar Will Mumbai Bagh protest be called off or shifted? As home minister tells them that they do not have police permission, organisers assure they will discuss matter and take a call The protest has been going on since January 26. FILE PIC
