Woman booked over ‘Free Kashmir’ placard

While BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Tuesday submitted a complaint to police seeking action “against anti-national slogans”, the police claimed that they took suo motu cognizance of the slogan and booked Prabhu.

3 min readMumbaiJan 8, 2020 03:28 AM IST First published on: Jan 8, 2020 at 02:47 AM IST

Mehak Mirza Prabhu

A day after controversy erupted over a placard with ‘Free Kashmir’ message being displayed by a woman at the Gateway of India protest against the attack on students on JNU campus, the Colaba police on Tuesday booked writer Mehak Mirza Prabhu on charge of provocation with intent to cause riot under the IPC.

While BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Tuesday submitted a complaint to the police seeking action “against anti-national slogans”, the Colaba police claimed that it took took suo motu cognisance of the slogan and booked Prabhu. Prabhu (38), meanwhile, issued an apology, while claiming that the matter has been “blown out of proportion” and that she displayed the placard to protest against the Internet shutdown in the Valley.

A writer who has done theatre plays and monologues, Prabhu said she reached the protest site around 7 pm on Monday and spent two hours there. She claimed that she came across a placard with ‘Free Kashmir’ and picked it up. “I thought freedom of speech is a constitutional right and that right was being curbed in Kashmir due to Internet shutdown. It was an important thought to provide them freedom,” she said.

Prabhu returned home only to find her photograph had gone viral on social media. Many also started questioning her Kashmiri links. The Sindhudurg native said she was “shocked” over the hatred directed at her after former CM Devendra Fadnavis retweeted her photo, objecting to her ‘Free Kashmir’ message.

“I collaborate with a Kashmiri artist, and like several of us, have Kashmiri friends and are concerned… I am concerned about them too,” she said, adding she is a Maharashtrian and has lived her entire life in Mumbai.

Prabhu said she included ‘Mirza’ as her middle name inspired by Mirza Ghalib. This is the second time she has participated in a protest — her first being at Azad Maidan against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. “My only intention of displaying the placard was that if other Indians are entitled to basic rights, even Kashmiris should get them,” she added. On Tuesday, heckled by trolls on social media, Prabhu decided to switch off her cellphone. “It is scary how this issue is being blown out of proportion. As an artist, I wanted to be a part of this protest,” she said.

“If by being naive in understanding the impact it would have and in the process create this stir, I apologise. I am an artist who believes in basic human compassion. Let power of love overcome hate,” she said in a statement through activist advocate Lara Jesani. Prabhu also released a video statement, saying she she displayed the poster to demand the restoration of the basic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Jesani said the issue has flared up and there was no intention of making anti-national remarks. Bilal Khan, another activist, said they would take a call if legal aid would have to be provided to Prabhu.