Lucknow: Samajwadi Party (SP) national spokesperson Sumaiya Rana has alleged that she received a notice from the Lucknow police requiring her to “maintain peace” and submit a personal bond of Rs 10 lakh along with two sureties of the same amount. This came in response to her protest against the controversial Waqf Amendment Act.
Rana, daughter of noted poet Munawwar Rana, clarified that contrary to some media reports, she is not under house arrest but is planning to challenge the notice in court.
Speaking to Maktoob, she criticized the Waqf Amendment Act as unconstitutional, asserting that it violates key provisions of the Indian Constitution — Article 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs), Article 14 (equality before the law), and Article 300A (protection against deprivation of property without legal authority). She described the legislation as an infringement on the fundamental right to protest.
“The ruling government is using cowardly tactics to stifle dissent,” she said. The police warned that her actions could potentially disturb public peace and demanded justification for not imposing the bond for a year.
Rana confirmed her intent to comply with the directive and appear before authorities but firmly stated she would continue to resist what she believes to be an unjust and unconstitutional law, using legal means to fight back.
