The Delhi Police imposed Section 144 in Shaheen Bagh today morning, which means large gatherings there are deemed illegal. Shaheen Bagh has been the site of women protesting against the CAA/NRC for months now.
According to News18, this was done as the Hindu Sena had planned a protest there to clear the area, claiming the police had failed to do so.
However, despite the Sena calling off its protest, the police said Section 144 was still being imposed as a ‘precautionary measure’. Meanwhile, the Hindu Sena has claimed they were pressured to call off the protest and that their leader was ‘illegal detained’. The police have denied this claim.
12 companies, which include 2 of female forces, have been deployed there. 100 men each from four police districts have also been deployed along with the local police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) RP Meena said,
The proposed protest call was cancelled with timely intervention. But as a precautionary measure, we have made heavy police deployment here.
The move was met with skepticism by many on Twitter.
Section 144 has been imposed in Shaheen Bagh as a “precautionary measure” for the Delhi violence. 10:30 AM, 1 March.
— Radhika Radhakrishnan 🏳️🌈✊🏾 (@so_radhikal) March 1, 2020
Delhi police & Amit Shah didn’t think of “precautionary measures” when their own Hindu mobs were on a rampage killing Muslims & burning their homes?#DelhiViolence
Section 144 imposed in #ShaheenBagh
— Asma (@asmatasleem11) March 1, 2020
Connect the dots to get an answer for Delhi riots/ chronology samjhiye
Was everything planned to stop anti CAA protests?https://t.co/yHMC3EkKrp
IMP- Section 144 imposed in #ShaheenBagh and heavy police deployment for SECURITY REASONS, not for protesters.
— Mohd Nausher (@MohdNausher) March 1, 2020
Hindu Sena, other groups had given a call to march there, now cancelled.
Police: Anyone else apart from SB protesters who comes there will be detained immediately. pic.twitter.com/nLi2kEia21
Further updates to the situation are awaited.
