India vs Australia: Fans rise up in silent CAA protests at Wankhede

A group of fans in the lower tier of the Vijay Merchant Pavilion sported white t-shirts with alphabets scribbled on each that read "No CAA, No NPR, No NRC”.

The group of protesters seated in the lower tier of the Vijay Merchant Pavilion sported white t-shirts with alphabets scribbled on each that read "No CAA, No NPR, No NRC".

Amid conflicting versions on some of the spectators being not allowed by police to enter Wankhede Stadium wearing black outfit for the India-Australia ODI, a group of protesters registered silent protest at the Wankhede Stadium.

A group of cricket fans, who run the Twitter handle @MumbAgainstCAB, had announced before the match about their intentions to protest silently in the stands. The group seated in the lower tier of the Vijay Merchant Pavilion sported white t-shirts with alphabets scribbled on each that read "No CAA, No NPR, No NRC”. Their images and videos went viral in no time.

Meanwhile, there were allegations of the security personnel disallowing black outfits while entering the Wankhede Stadium. While some of the fans said they saw some of the police personnel at the entrance asking random fans to “avoid or replace” black caps and t-shirts, others said they took their seats without any hassle.

Protestors chant #NoCAA#NoNRC#NoNPR slogans inside Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. #INDvsAUS#mumbaikarsagainstcabpic.twitter.com/yXVXDGKfns

— Mumbai Against CAB (@MumbAgainstCAB) January 14, 2020

 

Sportstar witnessed hundreds of spectators seated in a capacity crowd sporting black apparel and enjoying the action. But the Mumbai Cricket Association secretary Sanjay Naik stressed the MCA had no role to play. “The question of issuing any such directive to security personnel wasn't even discussed. I myself am dressed in black attire today,” Naik told Sportstar .

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Sangramsinh Nishandar denied that any such instructions were issued and said that these were attempts at stirring up the atmosphere.

Mumbai against CAB, through their official handle, had also tweeted saying that activist Fahad Ahmed and others were made to leave the Stadium for registering their protest.

Denying this as well, Mr Nishandar said, "They came and left on their own. We did not step in at any point. We have the entire incident captured on camera."

Ever since the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed in the parliament on December 10, it has led to widespread protests across the country. While the government has gone ahead by allotting funds for the National Population Register (NPR), the first step towards National Register of Citizens (NRC), the protesters haven’t budged for almost five weeks.

( With inputs from Gautam S Mengle )