Ramachandra Guha detained in Bengaluru: ‘Are we a totalitarian regime?’

The protest was organised by various activists and Left-leaning groups under the banner of “Hum Bharat Ke Log”. It was initially sanctioned by Bengaluru Police, but the permission was withdrawn late on Wednesday and police imposed Section 144 of CrPC in the area.

On Thursday morning, organisers sent out messages that the protest would be held in defiance of the restrictions. “When injustice becomes the law, then resistance becomes our duty. Calling on all Bangaloreans to gather at Town Hall to voice our protest against the unconstitutional CAA as well as the unconstitutional imposition of prohibitory order under Section 144…,’’ said the messages from the organisers.

As soon as people started gathering at Town Hall around 11 am, the policemen stationed at the venue began accosting the protesters and whisking them away in police vans.

While Ramachandra Guha was detained from the townhall in Bengaluru, Yogendra Yadav was taken into custody from Red Fort in Delhi.

Guha came to the spot with a picture of B R Ambedkar. “We are protesting against this totally discriminatory Act which is against our Constitution and also against Section 144. Are we a totalitarian regime? During the British Raj, the Section 144 was used to suppress Gandhi ji’s movement. I feel sorry for the police that their masters in Delhi are making them do this,’’ he told the media.

“We believe in the values of pluralism and democracy. I am the biographer of Mahatma Gandhi and I know what Gandhiji stood for and this present government in Delhi, the BJP government, is completely antithetical to the values of our freedom struggle and the Hindu-Muslim unity which Gandhi advocated,’’ he said.

He was soon accosted by security personnel who grabbed him and took him away.

After Guha and other protesters were taken away from the protest site, more protesters started gathering at the Town Hall and raising slogans. Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad was also taken into custody.

On hearing about Guha being detained, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa asked, “Where? …without reason police should not take law into their hands, I will immediately issue instructions.”

Speaking to reporters here, he said, “Action should be taken against ‘goonda’ elements and those indulging in disturbing law and order, and no action should be taken against common people, if any such thing has happened action will be taken against officials.”