A call for Bharat Bandh by some organisations against the CAA received a mixed response in the region. In the past two days, police have arrested seven people from Meerut and Baghpat districts on charges of putting up posters of the bandh and forcing people to shut their shops.
The call of Bharat Bandh on Wednesday was given by some organisations including ‘Bahujan Kranti Morcha’ whose convener, Omveer Singh, was arrested by the police along with three others on Tuesday from Meerut for putting up posters of the Bandh.
On Wednesday, three people were arrested from Baraut town of District Baghpat on charges of forcing people to shut their shops and distributing pamphlets against CAA.
Ajay Sharma, Station House Officer of Baraut police station said that Salim, Suhail, and Shamim were arrested and a case registered against them on charges of forcing people to shut down their shops and businesses to join them in protest. “They took out a march along with other supporters and forced people to join them in their protest against CAA on Wednesday,” told the SHO.
A day before in Meerut, four persons including district the convener of Bahujan Kranti Morcha, Omveer Singh were arrested for putting up posters at Begum Bridge area and were sent to jail after a case was registered against them under sections 153A, 298A and 505A of IPC at Lalkurti police station. SHO of Lalkurti police station Dinesh Sharma confirmed the arrests and said that the arrested persons have been booked on charges of hurting religious sentiments and instigating people.
Morcha and many other organisations had given the call for a bandh on social media and also by putting up posters in Saharanpur, Kandhla and Thanabhawan towns of district Shamli and at different locations in Meerut. Though the bandh got a mixed response and shops remained closed in the Muslim dominated pockets of the city. Police officials of Kotwali area held a meeting with traders of Bhagat Singh Market where Muslims kept their shops closed. They appealed to traders not to indulge in any such act which is provocative and may affect peace in the area.
“There was no impact of bandh and 18 sensitive points have been identified in Meerut,” said officials claiming that the force was on alert to control any untoward situation and two companies each of RAF and PAC have also been kept on reserve to support the cops if they require.
Police officials also summoned an advocate Rijwan Ramjani whose name was mentioned on a poster released by Ulema-E-Hind of Jaipur. Ramjani denied his association with the organisation and said he has nothing to do with the call of the bandh. He also filed a complaint against the organisation for mentioning his name on the poster.
A section of people kept their shops closed in Thana Bhawan town of Shamli and shops remained closed near Phoos Wali mosque in Baraut town of district Baghpat.