Police ‘stop’ Aadhaar meet
Organisers allege they were forced to shift venue of public hearing at last moment affecting attendance
Even as the 12-digit Aadhaar number is progressively restricting our individual liberties, a public hearing on Aadhaar, as a part of Break Aadhaar Chains campaign, was allegedly stopped by Bandra Police at National College Conference Hall in Bandra on Saturday. While alleging police harassment, the organisers also claimed that they had to shift their venue at the eleventh hour to Peasants and Workers Party office in Mahim.
According to the organisers, the cops ordered National College Principal Dinesh Panjwani to not let the event take place without providing any reasons. Kamayani Mahabal, the organiser of the event, said, “Why were cops present at the public meeting which was supposed to be held behind closed doors? It was a panel where people raised their grievances on how they are robbed of their rights for not possessing Aadhaar card. There was nothing anti-national in it.”
Principal Dinesh Panjwani maintained that the event was a tentative booking which had been done by the former Principal. “I had no idea of any such event. It was only when the police called that I followed up and learnt about it. Neither did the former Principal send us any letter nor were any booking charges paid without which how could the event have taken place?” he asked. When asked if the cops had arrived at the college, Panjwani denied the allegation and added, “We did receive a call from them enquiring about the event and I mentioned that the booking was tentative.”
Sanjay More, Senior Inspector, Khar Police Station, denied having interfered with the programme (National College falls under Khar Police jurisdiction). “We have no reason to interfere or to object to such an event. We will not stop anyone from giving a speech. There was no call made. Ask them (organisers) if they had any receipt of the booking — it was a tentative booking. It’s their internal problem,” he said.
The public hearing had noted panelists — Retd. Justice Hosbet Suresh, Advocate Bapoo Malchom, Professor R Ramakumar (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), and journalist Sucheta Dalal who presented their views on Aadhaar and citizen’s relationship with the government. However, the last minute change of venue did affect the attendance to some extent, the organisers claimed.
When asked about the police action, Ramakumar said, “The police persuaded the Principal to cancel the event. This sort of interference was bizarre and completely undemocratic. The event was being held indoors where the police had no business to interfere.”