Lucknow Dharna site wears a deserted look

Lucknow,March 23(HS) The three-day lockdown announced by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and action taken against the violent protesters had a sobering effect on anti-CAA agitationists here.The fear of Coronavirus  infecting some of them also played a role.The site where Naanis and Daadis were holding dharna for lasts 66 days gave a deserted look on Monday.

The place close to a historical site(Ghantaghar or clock tower) was any way not attracting as many women as it used to at the start of the agitation in January last.The number of participants had dropped considerably after arrest of some leaders on different charges.

Yogi was unrelenting and in no mood to take violent protesters kindly.It had also weighed heavily on their mind.One or two of them have promised to come back after the virus chain of transmission is broken and the disease is  contained.But if is doubtful if they will be equally effective after the break.

Secondly,the police may be more  active and not allow them to collect at the site again.Or, allow only a handful  like Shaheenbagh in Delhi which was behind this sit-in.

The  state government has nothing against a peaceful protest but a zero tolerance otherwise.And it has made its intention clear.

As many as thirteen persons who had allegedly damaged or destroyed public and private properties during anti-CAA agitations in December last have to deposit ten per cent additional recovery money if they did not make the deposit on time-limit set by the government.

These agitationists have been given a week’s more time which will end this week.If they fail to meet the deadline and not deposit money with fine,the government will be left with no alternative but to attach their movable and non-movable properties to make good the losses.

A sum of Rs 21.76 lakh was to be collected from them for causing damage to properties.They will have to shell out nearly Rs 2.1 lakh more.

In all,over Rs 1.55 crore has to be recovered from 57 violent protesters.As many as 95 persons were made  accuse. Fifty-seven of them were found guilty.

Meanwhile,the government has decided to take some  more steps to see that unless there is a an emergency people are indoor during the three-day lockdown period which will end on Wednesday.These include distribution of leaftets to tell them about the gravity of the situation.