LUCKNOW: A section of Twitterati on Thursday demanded the release of social activist and former teacher Sadaf Jafar, who was arrested around two weeks back amid the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in Uttar Pradesh.
The hashtag #FreeSadaf trended on Twitter with 16.5K tweets.
Many including the Bollywood celebrities have criticised the government over Jafar’s arrest and demanded her release from jail.
Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt tweeted: “If the mind is shackled or made impotent through fear, it makes no difference under what form of government you live, you are a subject & not a citizen. Without liberty of speech, all of the outward forms and structures of free institutions are a sham, a pretense. #FreeSadaf.”
Filmmaker Mira Nair took to Twitter to voice her outrage:
Actress Swara Bhaskar wrote, “Activist and actor #sadafjafar is in jail in Lucknow.. not clear why! Her friends #DeepakKabir is also in jail because he went to enquire after her.. #FreeSadaf#FreeDeepak and make UP police accountable for its excesses!”
“Both of Sadaf’s children are eagerly awaiting the release of their mother. This insensitive government has separated children from their mother and old men from their children. UP gov has crossed all limits of inhumanity”: @priyankagandhi after meeting Sadaf’s kids.
One user said: “Sadaf Jafar”s incarceration must end. Inhuman treatment of Sadaf and so many others in UP must end. Reports of children being tortured and sexually assaulted while in police custody must be independently investigated. Stop this shame!”
One tweet read: “A lady in jail for over 2 weeks… For doing a Facebook live from a public place where people are protesting… tortured, beaten in jail. There cannot be something more shameful, blatant and brutal. #FreeSadaf.”
Jafar, a single mother of two kids had livestreamed the protest in a Facebook post and the severe police brutality.
At least 19 people were killed as violence broke out in various places during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.