Cops deliberately changed venue for anti-CAA protest, allege students

Students allege that moving the protest from Chowpatty to August Kranti Maidan is an attempt to confuse attendees and stifle dissent

Following protests at Mumbai University's Kalina campus on Monday, the city's student community has taken to social media with #MumbaiAgainstCAB to urge more youth to be part of the bigger protest to be held on Thursday. The venue of the protest has, however, been changed from Girgaum Chowpatty to August Kranti Maidan in Gowalia Tank, with the protesters alleging that it is to ensure lower participation.

A protest was also held by the Sanvidhan Sanwardhan Samiti in Mankhurd on Tuesday afternoon against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The movement against the CAA has gained momentum in the city after the violence meted out at students of Delhi's Jamia Millia University (JMU) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). Students from across the city have come out in solidarity with their counterparts in Delhi. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and the Kalina campus of Mumbai University (MU) saw hundreds of protesters on Monday with the National Action Against Citizenship Amendment giving a call for protest on Thursday.

Activists alleged that the change of venue has been done with an agenda of reducing the number of people that show up. "This seems like a strategy of the law enforcement authorities to create confusion. But this shall affect adversely; their attempts to muzzle us will only fetch more support," said Fahad Ahmad, former president of TISS Students Union.

With messages like 'Do not be Silent. Do not be Violent', 'Let's Stop Second Partition Together', the National Action Against Citizenship Amendment is creating awareness on social media.

The Sanvidhan Sanwardhan Samiti has been protesting at busy city junctions. Suresh Sawant from the organisation told mid-day, "The idea is to create awareness regarding the unconstitutional nature of the CAA. We are selecting busy junctions to protest so that onlookers and passers-by join in to listen to the issue." Sawant said the protests will continue until the CAA is squashed.

Dec 19
Day of protest in the city

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