Ex-IPS officer Abdur Rehman barred from addressing anti-CAA protest at AMU

Former special inspector general of police (IGP) Abdur Rehman, who was set to address a protest at the Aligarh Muslim University against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, was detained by police here and asked to return to New Delhi.

Rehman, who had resigned from his post in December last year in protest against the CAA, was detained at Lodha Police Station in Aligarh on Sunday.

The former IPS officer from Maharashtra told reporters that he was served a written notice by police stating that his presence at the AMU could lead to a law and order problem, and hence he decided to comply with this missive "and would come back" again after he gets permission.

He said the police told him that his presence at the AMU could be misused by some people as an excuse to instigate trouble on the campus.

"I agreed to return because I am a law-abiding citizen and my purpose to visit the AMU was only to speak on the CAA and not provoke any trouble," he said before leaving Aligarh.

Rehman said he was invited at the university on Sunday by the AMU Students Co-ordination Committee to address them on the new legislation.

He had resigned from his post on December 11, 2019 in protest against the the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which later got President Ram Nath Kovind's assent, turning it into an act.

"This bill is against the religious pluralism of India. I request all justice loving people to oppose the Bill in a democratic manner. It runs against the very basic feature of the Constitution," he had said.

"The bill is against the basic feature of the Constitution. I condemn this bill. In civil disobedience, I have decided not to attend office from tomorrow. I am finally quitting the service," Rehman had said in a statement.