CPI leader and former JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was detained in Bihar’s Champaran district on Thursday shortly before he was to take part in the anti-CAA protest at Bhitiharwa Gandhi Ashram.
His protest march coincided with the death anniversary of the Father of the Nation. Kanhaiya had specifically chosen the place to launch his agitation against CAA and NPR as it was this place in Champaran from where Mahatma Gandhi had launched his agitation against the British in 1917, which later was known as Indigo Movement.
“After paying tributes to Gandhi Ji, as I was about to begin my Jana-Gana-Man yatra against the CAA, NPR and NRC from Champaran, the district administration officials took me into custody. To protest this detention, several of my supporters are staging a peaceful dharna at Bhitiharwa Ashram,” tweeted Kanhaiya in Hindi.
According to sources, Kanhaiya, soon after garlanding the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi at the Ashram, proceeded towards Gandhi Maidan where he was scheduled to address a public meet. But the district officials informed him that the order (to address meet) had been cancelled. On public demand, Kanhaiya started his speech from the vehicle he had boarded. It was then that he was detained by the district administration.
“These officials, who will someday ask you to show papers to prove your citizenship, have so far refused to show me the detention order,” said Kanhaiya, while coming down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. “These people want to crush the voice of dissent. But they should realise that they won’t succeed in creating conflict between Hindus and Muslims,” said Kanhaiya, while he was being taken into custody.
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