File photo of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath | Photo Credit: PTI

Key Highlights UP government issues notices asking anti-CAA protesters to pay Rs 1 crore for their security arrangements Imran Pratapgarhi among those who have been slapped with the notice BJP government using pressure tactics to silence opposition's voice: Pratapgarhi

New Delhi: In a fresh bid to muzzle dissent, the Yogi government has issued a recovery notice of Rs one crore to 114 people who took part in the protests against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in Uttar Pradesh. The notices claim that the State has to spend on the security arrangments due to the anti-CAA protests and hence it is to be paid by the protesters.

Congress leader and poet Imran Pratapgarhi was among those who have been slapped with a fine for taking part in protests. He has been issued Rs 1.04 crore show-cause notice for 'violating Section 144 by addressing anti-CAA protesters at a sit-in in Moradabad.

The notice, issued by the additional district magistrate Rajesh Kumar to Pratapgarhi on February 6, asks Congress leader: 'Why Rs 1.04 crore spent on deploying force to maintain law and order in and around the eidgah (open-air enclosure reserved for Eid prayers) should not be recovered from him'. The Moradabad administration has also accused Pratapgarhi of allegedly provoking people of a particular community and fuelling enmity between two communities.

Responding to the allegations, Pratapgarhi said the BJP government is using pressure tactics to silence Opposition's voice.



"I have been participating in similar protests and sit-ins across the country, but not received any such notice. Recently, I was in Lucknow where I addressed the people there. Local administration says that Section 144 is in force. But, it is actually for those who are opposing the government. Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya was recently in Moradabad and addressed a large gathering in support of the CAA but for him, Section 144 is not effective," news agency IANS quoted Pratapgarhi as saying.

People, including a large number of women, have been staging a sit-in at the city eidgah since January 29, and such notices, according to an official, are "only precautionary measures to avert violent protests".

Raising doubts over UP administration's intentions, Pratapgarhi said he had reached Moradabad on February 7. But, the notice was issued on February 6.

"Besides, I had informed the SP (city) as well as the administration of my visit so that they could provide me security. I reached the eidgah directly. During my address, I also appreciated the police and administration for their support," he said.

ACM Rajesh Kumar, however, explained, "The organisers of the dharna and Congress leader Imran Pratapgarhi have been issued notices. Since Section 144 is in force in the district any such assembly is unlawful. Police had informed us on February 6 about his arrival the next day. So, we had to issue the notice on the same date. Such notices are issued as precautionary measures to warn those people who may pose a threat to law and order. No further action will be taken until any untoward situation erupts at the protest site. We mentioned an amount of Rs 1.04 crore in the notice. Imran has been instructed to submit a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh with two sureties."