Chetana Belagere By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: A group of nearly 500 people will walk from Mysore Bank Circle to Sondekoppa detention centre in Nelamangala taluk — a distance of 30 km — on Monday. The group, led by senior advocate and Anti Fascist People Front convenor S Balan, is protesting against the CAA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that there is no detention centre in India.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, he said, “Not just the Prime Minister, but also the state home minister has backed off from their own court document which claims to have a detention centre in Nelamangala. We want to show people that the government can’t get away with such lies.”

Meanwhile, several women and men have agreed to join the protest rally tomorrow. The group has put up posters on social media and several WhatsApp groups have also urged people to join the rally which will start at 11 am from Mysore Bank Circle.

“We have made sure that we mobilise as many people as possible. People from all walks of life are welcome to the rally,” said Ashok Koyi, who is helping the group mobilise people through Twitter.

When asked, if he has sought the permission from the police, Balan said a request letter has been sent to the Ulsoor Gate Police and a copy of the same has been sent to the office of Deputy Commissioner of Police. “It is going to be a peaceful march and hence there won’t be an issue with granting permission. Also, whether we get the permission or not, the march will happen,” he said.

The group’s main contention is that Additional Chief Secretary Rajneesh Goel, in his affidavit before the court, had said migrants will be soon be shifted to a permanent detention centre in Sondekoppa in November. “Also, the affidavit mentioned details about 35 temporary foreign detention centres. Why are they saying it doesn’t exist?” they asked.

The social welfare department had said that the centre will be inaugurated on January 1 and hence the group intends to prove to the public that a centre like that exists and also that the Home Minister and the Prime Minister are lying.

Earlier, TNIE had found that around 14 people, whose bail applications are pending in court, will be

the first ones to be housed in the detention centre.