In major development, the Mumbai police on Monday evening slapped sedition charges against 51 people who allegedly raised pro-Sharjeel Imam slogans at a rally held at Azad Maidan on Saturday.
Hours after some videos of the group raising slogans in support of Sharjeel Imam at Saturday’s rally went viral, the police registered cases under section 124-A (Sedition) of the Indian Penal Code against 51 per5sons, including activist Urvashi Chudawala.
Police official spokesperson DCP Pranaya Ashok confirmed the development.
Saturday’s rally was organised by the Queer Azadi Mumbai (QAM), a collective of various LGBT groups. At the rally, some of the participants raised slogans in favour of Sharjeel Imam, who has been arrested on charges of sedition for provoking people to try to cut off north eastern states from rest of the country. The group was allegedly carrying posters of Sharjeel's pix and raised slogans promising to complete his unfulfilled task.
Earlier in the day, former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya lodged a complaint with the Azad Maidan police, demanding strong action against those involved in the anti-national activities at Azad Maidan.
In a letter written to the senior inspector of the Azad Maidan police station, Somaiya said: “It is understood that on February 1, few individuals abused country and raised anti-national slogans during a programme organised by LGBT.
The function and demonstrations were misused to support Shaheen Baug/anti CAA feelings. I would request to register FIR against the anti-nationals and take strong action”.
Somaiya threatened to stage a dharna outside the Azad Maidan Police Station if the police failed to book such persons within 72 hours.
Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Devendra Fadnavis demanded to know as to “what was going on and why the Maharashtra govt was keeping silent in the matter”.
On his part, State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had said earlier in the day that the police were examining the issue before initiating suitable action in the matter.
Meanwhile, the QAM disassociated itself from the sloganeering in support of Sharjeel Imam. “We completely dissociate ourselves from and strongly condemn the abrupt radical slogans in support of Sharjeel and/or any other slogans against the integrity of India at the gathering. QAM works on the process of consensus before executing any action, however, we would like to highlight that neither QAM nor the individuals who have signed the permissions were communicated with or kept informed of the intent and/or content of this sloganeering,” the QAM said in a statement issued here.
The QAM also claimed that it was irresponsible and potentially detrimental and none of the individuals raising these slogans were part of the organizing process or permissions process with them. “These slogans, performances and protests happened abruptly and precipitously without the consent of the organizers”, the statement read.