Civic body notice to anti-CAA protesters to vacate park

PRAYAGRAJ: After receiving notices for violation of Section 144 of CrPC and instruction to submit personal bonds of ₹5 lakh each by police and administration, those protesting against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Mansoor Ali Park have now been served a notice by Prayagraj Nagar Nigam.

The notice received on Thursday asks the anti-CAA protesters to vacate the park as it is causing inconvenience to other citizens. Meanwhile, the protest leaders at the park claimed that the park is a Waqf property and Nagar Nigam has no authority to serve notice to them for vacating it.

Sent by Nazul department of Nagar Nigam, the notice says that the protesters have illegally occupied the park without any permission from the concerned authorities. The park is for the use of common people who are facing inconvenience following the protests, which may also pose a threat to peace in the locality.

All persons who are staging the indefinite sit-in are informed to vacate the park at the earliest, the notice says.However, protest leaders said Nagar Nigam has no authority to send such a notice. The park premises has many graves including ‘mazaar’ of Mansoor Ali after whose name the park is named, they claim.

Nazul officer of Prayagraj Nagar Nigam Musheer Ahmad said Nagar Nigam takes care and maintains the park.

He further said the protest leaders should produce the documents to prove that it was a Sunni Waqf Board property. “Nazul department has sent the notice but senior administrative officials would take further action if the protesters refuse to vacate the park,” he added.On Friday, Sara Ahmad, Umar Khalid, Amit, Iftekhar Ahmad, Deeba, Shiva, Prasen and others alleged that the administration was trying to disrupt the indefinite sit-in of women by sending notices and lodging FIRs. However, the protests would continue until the withdrawal of the ‘discriminatory act’, they added.