Aligarh Muslim University students protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on Sunday demanded that the charges slapped against Gorakhpur doctor Kafeel Khan under the National Security Act be withdrawn. They also condemned the Chennai police brutality against anti-CAA protesters on Saturday.

72-hour ultimatum

In a memorandum given to the Additional City Magistrate, Aligarh, the students demanded a judicial inquiry and immediate action to revoke the NSA on Dr. Khan, as the right to speech is a fundamental right. “We are giving 72 hours to revoke the NSA on Dr. Kafeel Khan, otherwise the student fraternity will go on a mass protest. We also demand appropriate action against the Chennai police,” the memorandum said.

The Gorakhpur doctor was arrested by the Special Task Force of U.P. Police in Mumbai on January 29 on charges of making an inflammatory speech in AMU on December 12 during an anti-CAA-NRC protest at Bab-e-Syed. He was granted bail on February 10 by an Aligarh court but instead of releasing him, the Uttar Pradesh government invoked the NSA on him.

Irfan Ghazi, lawyer of Dr. Khan, said that in the NSA order the District Magistrate has said that the local intelligence unit has indicated possibility of his client returning to AMU and vitiating the peaceful atmosphere.

“If the district administration had any such information, they should have opposed the bail order in the local court or should have approached the higher court. The district administration has taken the decision as an afterthought under political pressure. It seems the order has more to do with Dr. Khan’s revelations on deaths in the BRD Hospital, Gorakhpur case than his speech at AMU,” alleged Mr. Ghazi.

He further said the order held Dr. Khan responsible for the anti-CAA protests and violence in AMU and Aligarh, which is false.