BENGALURU: Celebrated historian and Padma Bhushan awardee Ramachandra Guha on Thursday hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying that “leaders in Delhi are paranoid and scared of protests”.
Guha was detained by police for defying prohibitory orders, when he was taking part in protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Law (CAA) near Town Hall, in Bengaluru.
Guha was dragged away by police on Thursday as he was being interviewed by a national television channel. Looking visibly anxious, he is heard telling the journalist in Hindi, as police surround him, that “this is a non-violent protest against a discriminatory act, the protest is totally peaceful’’.
Even as he was asked a question, “What will you do in future?’’ by the journalist, and was replying, he was held by his arms, threatened and dragged away by two armed policemen into a waiting bus. The police did not allow him to complete the answer, and hustled him away as he held on to a blue placard.
Police had cordoned off the Town Hall area in an attempt to keep protesters out, since early morning. “Is this the British regime?” he asked. “I have been detained by police for holding a poster of Gandhi and speaking about the Constitution. The police are working under directions from the Central government. We are protesting non-violently against a discriminatory act...everyone is protesting peacefully. Have you seen any violence?”
He blamed BJP leaders in New Delhi for the countrywide protests and escalating violence. He also slammed the police for suppressing the voice of the people.
Guha’s detention was condemned by people across the country. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, CMD, Biocon, tweeted, “This is shocking and reflects the total lack of understanding of fundamental freedom to express dissent — a peaceful protest shd not be mishandled in this manner”.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the incumbent government at the Centre must not delude itself into believing that it can kill protests by imprisoning voices of dissent. “We strongly condemn the arrest of historian Ramachandra Guha. Democratic minds must rise in protest.”
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, condemning Guha’s detention, said the Centre was scared of the historian.