Women protesters alleged that policemen forcibly taken away blankets, food and reinforcements.
AGENCIES / AMN / LUCKNOW
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday lambasted the Uttar Pradesh Police, who reportedly cracked down on women protesters by snatching their blankets, utensils and food items.
The women protesters on Saturday night alleged that the policemen deployed on the spot had forcibly taken away the blankets arranged keeping in mind the cold weather. Not only were the blankets snatched, the police also took away food and reinforcements.
The protests by women against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the pan-India implementation of the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) at the iconic Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) in old Lucknow area continued on the third day on Sunday, with the number of protesters swelling up to more than two thousand.
On the lines of Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, around 50 women along with their children squatted near Ghanta Ghar to protest against the amended citizenship law and the NRC.
“The taking away of blankets and food supplies of the peaceful protesters by the UP Police is a violation of a constitutional right. It is a symbol of the growing frustration of the BJP that is becoming increasingly unpopular,” said Yadav in a tweet.
A 27-second video clip emerged on social media, purportedly showing a policeman carrying blankets and sheets in a plastic bag. A woman could be seen in the video shouting at him and calling him “thief”, but the police personnel did not respond to it.
After criticism, the Lucknow Police issued a clarification on the incident, saying a few people had tried to put up sheets, using ropes and sheets, during the “illegal protest” at Ghanta Ghar. “A few organisations were distributing blankets near the protest spot, which attracted people who were not even a part of the protest. Police removed the people who were distributing blankets along with the blankets. Kindly don’t spread any rumours,” it said in a tweet.
Lucknow’s Police Commissioner Sujeet Pandey also dismissed the allegations levelled by the protesters.
The BJP said the protest by the women was “sponsored by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party”.