Woman anti-CAA protester,citizen's collective hit out at cops

A woman anti-CAA protester here and a citizen's collective on Friday hit out at the city police for bringing her under the scanner after her social media profile shed light on her role as a researcher with a Pakistan body.

City Police Commissioner A K Viswanathan had said on Wednesday that a probe would be carried out to ascertain whether the woman, Gayatri Khandhadai, has links to Pakistan- based "Bytes for All".

According to police, Khandhadai has been a part of a slew of agitations held in the city against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and was also associated with the 'kolam,' demonstrations on Sunday.

Khandhadai and other members of Citizens Against CAA said they were opposed to the legislation as it was against Constitutional values.

The Pakistan link Viswanathan was referring to was about her report on women, atheists and members of LGBT community in nine countries being harassed on the basis of faith, she said.

This included the killing of bloggers in Bangladesh promoting rational thinking and that of Ahmadiyaas in Pakistan, she told reporters here.

"How can the Commissioner casually release my personal details" in a press meet?, she asked.

Senior advocate in the Madras High Court, R Vaigai, said there was nothing criminal is using the word Pakistan as there were ties between the two countries at various levels.

She wondered how the official could release information on an issue where the the investigation was still on.

Vaigai also said that earlier in the day some advocates in the Madras High Court staged a protest against the CAA.

The collective said it was exploring all legal options in this case.

On Sunday, police had said eight people, including five women, were picked up for holding the anti-CAA kolam (rangoli) drawing protest without permission and causing inconvenience to others, but were later let off.

Khandadai said there was no need to obtain permission to draw 'kolams' and therefore they had not sought the police nod.