Citizenship Act: Activist Sharjeel Imam’s speech at Jamia was divisive, Delhi police tell court

Activist Sharjeel Imam’s speech at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University in 2019, during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, was divisive, the police told a court in the city on Wednesday, The Times of India reported.

The Act, passed by the Narendra Modi-led government in 2019, was widely criticised as it introduced religious criteria for Indian citizenship for the first time.

Imam had been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in April last year for his allegedly inflammatory speeches at Jamia as well as the Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh. Three months later, the police accused him of sedition. He is presently in Tihar Jail.

On Wednesday, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat heard Imam’s petition for bail in the UAPA and sedition cases.

Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad said Iman opened his speech at Jamia Millia Islamia with the traditional Muslim salutation “Assalamu-alaikum”, which showed that “his address is to a particular community”, The Indian Express reported.

Prasad claimed: “His speech was definitely divisive. He is attempting to create complete anarchy.”

The lawyer also read out the speech Imam made at the Aligarh Muslim University. “When BJP got a full majority, then we got triple talaq, CAA and NRC,” Prasad quoted Imam as saying, according to the newspaper.

“We must keep in mind that this accused is somebody who…

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