Delhi Police behaving as if Jama Masjid is Pakistan: Court pulls up force

New Delhi: Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azaad's bail hearing on Tuesday witnessed drama as the public prosecutor in the case received a dressing-down from Tis Hazari Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau, who asked him: "Where is the violence? What is wrong with any of these posts? Who says you cannot protest? Have you read the Constitution?"

The judge's strong remarks came after the public prosecutor when asked to show proof of Azaad trying to disrupt peace, showed his social media posts announcing that he would join an anti-CAA protest at Jama Masjid.

Following this, the Additional Sessions Judge said: "What is wrong with dharna? What is wrong in protesting? It is one's constitutional right to protest? You are behaving as if Jama Masjid is Pakistan. Even if it is Pakistan, you can go there and protest. Pakistan was part of undivided India," she continued, reminding the prosecution that none of Azaad's social media posts was unconstitutional.

The prosecution in the case tried to argue that the police had drone footage of Azaad giving inflammatory speeches at Kama Masjid, Azaad's counsel said he was just reading the Constitution and opposing the CAA and NRC. The judge also asked the prosecutor whether any law prohibited protests outside religious places and said that she had seen many people who had protested outside Parliament and later become ministers, adding that Azaad was a "budding politician" and had a right to protest.

Azaad's outfit had called for a protest march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar against the amended Citizenship Act on December 20, without police permission.

The other 15 people arrested in the case were granted bail by the court on January 9.

His plea further said that he was willing to fully cooperate with the investigation in the case and would not tamper with any evidence or influence any witnesses.