Bold & Outspoken: Here¡¯s Why Everybody Is Talking About Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad

There is no dearth of politicians in India and given the recent turmoil, we are likely to see the rise of several young faces on the national scene. But there are indeed few, who are not only outspoken but are also at the forefront of leading their causes, notwithstanding the legal hurdles and repercussions they face.

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, who is currently under custody and has moved a Delhi court for bail, has been in the limelight for quite some time now.

He has claimed that police invoked "boilerplate" charges (verbose) against him and arrested him "mechanically" without following the due process of law. To this, the court slammed Delhi Police for failing to show any evidence against him and observed that people are out on the streets because things which should have been said inside Parliament were not said.

Delhi Police was behaving as if Jama Masjid was in Pakistan, Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau said, adding that even if it was, one can protest there peacefully.

Pakistan was once part of undivided India, she said.

"You are behaving as if Jama Masjid was Pakistan and even if it was Pakistan, you can go there and protest. Pakistan was a part of undivided India," the judge said.

The court asked the investigating officer of the police to put on record all the evidence which showed that Azad was allegedly giving incriminatory speeches at the gathering at Jama Masjid and any law which showed that the gathering there was unconstitutional.

It has put up the matter for further hearing on Wednesday. The court further observed that Azad, having a law degree, can also protest inside the courts. It noted that Azad's Ambedkarite philosophy probably required more research.

"Azad is probably an Ambedkarite. Ambedkar was more closer to the Muslims, Sikhs and basically the repressed class of the society... He was a rebel of his own kind. Probably Azad has a vague idea of what he wants to say but probably not able to put it across. If you take up an issue, you do your research. And that is missing, " the court said.

The plea, filed through advocate Mehmood Pracha, claimed that there was no evidence against the allegations made against Azad in the FIR and his arrest was illegal.

Azad's outfit had called for a protest march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar against the amended Citizenship Act on December 20, without police permission.

Other 15 people arrested in the case were granted bail by the court on January 9 and Azad¡¯s health is reportedly deteriorating. He was also taken to AIIMS for a check-up.

Azad, sometimes referred to as Ravan, was born in Dhadkuli village near Chatmalpur in Saharanpur and is a law graduate. Along with Vinay Ratan Singh, he co-founded the Bhim Army Bharat Ekta Mission, an unregistered organisation, to fight for the development of Dalits and other marginalised sections in 2014.

He first rose to prominence after putting up a board that read ¡®The Great Chamars of Dhadkauli Welcome You¡¯ in his native place in the year 2015. His organisation has received massive support from the members of lower castes, primarily in Uttar Pradesh.

INDIAN EXPRESS

Azad has opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and addressed thousands of protesters at Jama Masjid in a show of what he described as the unity of Indians, cutting across religious lines. He has maintained that the fight against NRC and CAA is not only being fought by Muslims but all sections of the society are united in opposing it.

He has also vehemently criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for their anti-Dalit and divisive politics. Given his mass appeal among the people, particularly the youngsters from the lower castes and the hinterlands, the ire against him is the least, surprising.