Allahabad HC raps UP govt, orders removal of 'name and shame' banners

The Allahabad High Court today (March 8) in a special sitting directed the Uttar Pradesh government to remove the hoardings put up with names, addresses, and photos of protestors who were accused of violence during the agitation against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The HC had taken suo moto cognizance of the case where Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Ramesh Sinha said, the move by authorities was “highly unjust” and an absolute “encroachment” on personal liberty of the persons concerned.

District Magistrate and Divisional Police Commissioner of Lucknow were summoned by the court for the hearing.

On Thursday, the district administration put up hoardings with photos and addresses of 53 anti-CAA protesters at prominent crossings across Lucknow.

The hoardings included pictures of Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas, Darapuri and Congress leader Sadaf Jafar, all of whom were named as accused in the violence that swept the state capital on December 19 last year.

Related news: Firing among themselves, not cops killed anti-CAA protesters in UP: Adityanath

Activist Deepak Kabir has said that the hoardings put up by the government bearing names of anti-CAA protesters is creating an atmosphere of fear.

He said that people whose names are mentioned in posters can be lynched anywhere.

“It is shameful. There was no need for that. The government is creating an atmosphere of fear. People whose names are mentioned can be lynched anywhere. The environment after Delhi violence is not safe. Government is putting everyone at risk,” Kabir told ANI.

Uttar Pradesh Minister Mohsin Raza alleged that people whose names are put up in hoardings destroyed public properties.

“Photos have been put off those people who tried to create unrest under the garb of the Citizenship Amendment Act. They harmed people of the state and tried to destroy public properties. Now damages will be recovered from them,” he said.

Former IPS SR Darapuri termed the administration’s action as ‘unconstitutional’ and said that the government is trying to defame protesters.

(With inputs from agencies.)