India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI, JANUARY 15— About four weeks after he was arrested by the Delhi Police from the stairs of historic Jama Masjid, Bhim Army Chief Chandra Shekhar Azad was granted bail by a court on condition that he would stay out of national capital for four weeks.
Azad was arrested in the wee hours of December 21 for allegedly inciting violence during a protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) near Delhi Gate, around two kms from Jama Masjid.
After Friday prayers on December 20, Azad had participated in the massive protest against CAA outside Jama Masjid. After the protest, thousands had marched towards the Delhi Gate. They wanted to march towards Jantar Mantar but police stopped them at Delhi Gate. In the evening, violence erupted and a private car outside the local police station was set afire. Police resorted to lathi-charge and arrested dozens of people.
Additional Sessions Judge Dr. Kamini Lau of Tis Hazari courts imposed the condition that Azad should stay out of Delhi for a month and should remain in his native place Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh during the said period, says LiveLaw.in.
On Tuesday, the judge had come down heavily on the Delhi Police while hearing the bail plea of Azad and said that his protest at Jama Masjid was within his constitutional rights to protest and dissent.
When the public prosecutor opposed the bail saying that Azad had given a call to protest near Jama Masjid against CAA and NRC through his social media posts, the judge asked, “What is wrong with dharna? What is wrong with protesting? It is one’s constitutional right to protest.”
Stating that there was nothing “violent” about the social media posts of Azad, judge further asked, “Where is the violence? What is wrong with any of these posts? Who says you cannot protest? Have you read the constitution?”
The judge went ahead and rebuking the public prosecutor said: “You are behaving as if Jama Masjid is in Pakistan. Even if it was in Pakistan, you can go there and protest. Pakistan was a part of undivided India.”
The police had said that protesting outside the religious place was not allowed.
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