Flash protests against CAA gain momentum in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Two flash protests were organised on Sunday, one at Starbucks in Jubilee Hills and the other at the Buddha statue in Hussainsagar, against the Citizenship Amendment Act. These were the outcome of the police denying permission to hold protests.

Four friends decided to have coffee at Starbucks. When their order arrived, they had the coffee and held up placards protesting the citizenship laws.

One of the four was Mubashir Khurram, who said, “The police is not allowing us to voice our opinion. We want to protest against this act in a peaceful manner.

As they are bringing the issue of law and order all the time, we have decided to randomly protest. We were only four friends but 10 others joined in. This shows that people want to voice their view to the government and they are not being allowed.”

The manager of Starbucks was upset and asked them not to protest as it was private property. The group then said that they will have their coffee with the placards. Videos of this innovative protest were taken and circulated as a message to the police. Similarly, a group of 10 students, software engineers and senior citizens took a boat ride from Lumbini Park to Buddha statue. Near the statue they stood with placards.

Some 15 others joined them. While they were  standing there, someone one who was in favour of the Citizenship Amendment Act shouted at them and called the police and took photographs and videos of the protesters.

On returning to Lumbini Park, the protestors were met by the police. They were questioned about their backgrounds. A bearded person was questioned in greater detail. When he gave a non-Muslim name, they checked his identify card, took pictures, and asked him to wait. Another person was made to wait for half an hour in the police van as they wanted to identify them. The protestors told the police that they were holding a flash protest as no permission was being given to them to protest peacefully.