Chandrashekhar Azad on forcibly being sent back to Delhi

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Monday was sent back to Delhi who was detained in Hyderabad last evening ahead of a planned protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

"Dictatorship is at its peak in Telangana. People's right to protest is being snatched, first our people were beaten with sticks, then I was arrested, now I have been brought to the airport and being sent back to Delhi. @TelanganaCMO Remember Bahujan society will never forget this insult. Will be back soon," Chandrashekhar Azad tweeted in Hindi, reports Hindustan Times.

"Hyderabad Police are forcibly taking us to the airport and sending us to Delhi," he added.

He was heading to Crystal Gardens, a function hall at Mehdipatnam, the starting point of the rally organised by the students of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) against the Citizenship law and National Register of Citizens (NRC), when he was arrested.

The 33-year-old leader was detained under Section 151 because permission was not granted for the public protest, said Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar, reports NDTV.

Azad was first taken to Habeeb Nagar police station before being shifted to Bollaram Police Station after a crowd started to gather at the Habeeb Nagar PS. All others who were arrested have been taken to Goshamahal stadium. He was in Hyderabad to participate in several programmes, including protests organised by the students of TISS and Hyderabad University, on the 71st Republic Day.

Chandrashekhar Azad was released on bail from Delhi's Tihar Jail on January 16 after he was arrested on charges of inciting a crowd in the national capital's Daryaganj area in December last year.

The Bhim Army chief had organised a march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar against the amended citizenship act on December last year without the mandatory permission from Delhi Police. He was sent to judicial custody on December 21.

In the last few weeks, Bhim Army Chief has become one of the most prominent faces of massive anti-Citizenship law protests across the country. He has not toned down his attacks on the controversial law, even after his release from prison, subject to certain conditions.

The Citizenship law provides for citizenship for non-Muslim minorities from Muslim-majority countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they fled religious persecution and entered India before 2015. Critics believe the law, along with the National Register of Citizens, will be used to target Muslims.