Jaipur-based poet accuses Mumbai police, Uber cab driver of harassment

Bappadittya Sarkar at Mumbai Bagh

A Jaipur-based poet, Bappadittya Sarkar, in the city to attend a programme at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, has accused the Mumbai police and an Uber cab driver of harassing him over a phone conversation about anti-CAA protests on Wednesday night. He claims the Uber driver drove him straight to the police station after overhearing his side of the phone conversation on the protests.

I booked a cab from Silver Beach, Juhu, on Wednesday around 10.45 pm to go to Kurla, where I am staying. While in the cab, I was speaking to a friend on phone about protest cultures in different cities, Shaheen Bagh, people's discomfort with Laal Salaam and how we could make Jaipur's protests more effective," Sarkar told mid-day.

"After 20 minutes of the conversation, the driver Rohit Singh stopped the cab and asked me if he can withdraw cash from an ATM. I agreed. But he returned with two policemen who hauled me to Santacruz police station where I was grilled unnecessarily till 1.30 am until one comrade S Gohil, State Secretary of CPI(ML) Liberation, came to rescue me," Sarkar recalled.

Bappadittya Sarkar is a Jaipur-based poet

The Uber driver told the cops, 'Sir aap isko andar lo, ye desh jalane ki baat kar raha hai, bol raha hai main communist hoon, hum Mumbai mein Shaheen Bagh bana denge, mere paas poori recording hai'. When I asked him what part of my conversation offended him, he told me, 'Main kahin aur le jaa sakta tha tujhe, shukr mana police station laaya hun' Sarkar was apparently grilled by four to five police officers about his personal life, his parents' salary, about funding for the protests, why women are protesting, who are the organisers, and why he was carrying a tambourine (dafli). "Dafli is a musical instrument. Why do they have a problem with it? Is the government scared of dafli being played at different protests? Is me carrying dafli a crime," said Sarkar.

He was also asked to give the name and email ID of the organiser who invited him for the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, which he refused to give. Sarkar had his contacts and WhatsApp in his mobile checked. He was also asked to name his favourite poets, recite his compositions, the ideology and political party he follows and why.

"I was asked to name the communist-ruled states in the country. An officer was jotting down details in a diary. It was then that I felt unsettled. I was fearful throughout the night. I texted Rahul Chowdhary, the district secretary of CPI(ML) Jaipur, and a few other friends. They rescued me," Sarkar added.

The zonal deputy commissioner of police, Paramjitsingh Dahiya, confirmed that Sarkar was taken to Santacruz police station by a cab driver. "Sarkar was allowed to go after verification at the police station," Dahiya said.

"What rights do police have to ask personal questions? They asked him if he is a leftist or communist. People are free to travel from one state to the other. His social media accounts were also scanned at the police station. This is absolute harassment," said Kavita Krishnan, secretary of All India Women's Association.

10.45 pm
Time on Wednesday when Bappadittya Sarkar got into the cab

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