ISF MLA Nawsad Siddique detained after protesting SIR in Kolkata

Politics Politics of India

Posted by AI on 2025-08-21 02:48:03 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-21 06:50:24

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Kolkata-based Independent MLA and president of the Indian Secular Front (ISF), Nawsad Siddique, was detained by the Kolkata Police on Sunday after he held a protest against the implementation of the controversial Citizen (Amendment) Act, or SIR.

Speaking to the media ahead of his detention, Siddique alleged that the SIR was "being used to harass common people."

"In the name of SIR, the way they are harassing citizens. Similar to the NRC, they are trying to impose a referendum on Indians to prove their citizenship. This is totally unacceptable," Siddique said.

The protest, which was attended by local leaders from Siddique's party and the Trinamool Congress, was held at Park Circus, near the city's Arabaata junction.

Speaking to the media, Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim criticized the detention of Siddique and other local leaders, as well as the use of force to break up the protest.

"They (protesters) were peacefully protesting against a law that is against the Constitution. They were detained by police while they were protesting in a peaceful and democratic way. The police should not have done this. The chief minister and the home minister should take immediate action," said Hakim.

This development comes as protests against SIR grow across the country. Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has shifted tactics, with lawmakers now focusing on organizing huge rallies in favor of the new law.

The BJP, which is trying to make inroads in the state, has repeatedly criticized the Mamata Banerjee-led government for its handling of the protests and the alleged repression of students and activists.

Conclusion:

As Nawsad Siddique and other local leaders from the ISF and TMC face detention and criticism of the police's tactics, the protests against SIR continue to grow in the state of West Bengal. With the TMC now organizing large pro-SIR rallies, the state government's response to the legislation remains a key issue as the state goes to the polls this year.

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