Exclusive | Did you shout ‘Free Umar Khalid’ slogan?: Goa Police’s 240-point quiz sheet

At least two activists, who joined a protest in Goa's Mapusa on July 24 to express solidarity with the NEET paper leak protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, were asked by the Goa police to fill a questionnaire with questions such as "What is your understanding of the words 'Free Umar Khalid'.?"; "Did you criticise any government authority during your address?"; and "Who financed the protest?", The Indian Express has learnt. On Saturday evening, the day after the protest, the Goa police had detained a man for allegedly carrying a "Free Umar Khalid" placard at a gathering in Panaji’s Azad Maidan. Now, The Indian Express has learnt that at least two protesters were summoned – one on Sunday and the other on Monday – and questioned by the police, based on an "application" submitted by a local group called 'Citizens of Mapusa'. They were also made to fill a police questionnaire that included at least 240 questions, it is learnt. They include: Who was leading the protest?; Are you a member of any WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal group related to the protest?; How did you travel to the venue?; What did you intend to achieve through the protest?; and Are you associated with any political party, social organisation, student organisation, NGO or activist group? Read | ‘I am a termite’: In Goa, BJP leader’s remark stirs a new protest Many of the questions were specifically about Khalid, an activist and a former JNU student, who is facing charges of criminal conspiracy under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. They include: Were you aware of the background relating to Umar Khalid before attending the protest?; Did you shout the slogan 'Free Umar Khalid'? If yes, how many times did you raise the slogan?; Did others repeat the slogan after you?; Who financed or arranged the banners, placards, sound system or other material?; How many placards were distributed at the venue?; Did you post any photograph of yourself while holding the placard on social media? The police questionnaire also asked the protesters to specify whether they had participated in a similar protest in Goa or elsewhere in India, and to provide the date, place, and purpose of those protests. It also asked protesters whether they had deleted any electronic data related to the protest and whether they could provide their phones for examination. When contacted, Superintendent of Police, North Goa, Harishchandra Madkaikar said, “A complaint was filed by a group, Citizens of Mapusa. Based on that, we called them (the protesters) for an inquiry and after conducting the inquiry, they were allowed to go.” On the questionnaire, the SP said, “Certain questions were put to them and recorded as part of the inquiry. Usually when we start an inquiry, we are supposed to ask questions until we get a satisfactory answer, so certain questions were put.” Incidentally, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday questioned protesters bringing placards seeking Khalid's release at a protest against paper leaks. "The students had the right to protest against NEET paper leaks, [but] they stooped too low. Placards seeking the release of Umar Khalid, who has links to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, were shown at the protest at Azad Maidan. Why was the Umar Khalid issue brought into a protest over the NEET paper leak? By taking responsibility and in the nation's interest, Dharmendra Pradhan ji gave his resignation. We need to awaken nationalism in our students, so they do not disturb communal harmony," Sawant said at an event. On Sunday, Sawant had said that the police would take action against "those attempting to spread anti-national sentiments and disturb the harmony" in the state.