Uber driver takes CAA protestor to police, says he talked about burning nation on call

Bappadittya Sarkar, a 23-year-old Jaipur-based poet and anti-CAA protester, was taken to a police station in Mumbai by his Uber driver, after the driver heard him talking about the protests on the phone.

Speaking to The Quint, Sarkar said that the Mumbai Police had then proceeded to question him about various things including communism, his poetry, his father’s salary and advised him to not carry a dafli or wear a red scarf. He alleges that the cops even went through his phone. The statement of the driver who complained was noted down as well.

A message by Sarkar recounting the incident, which took place on the night of 5 February, was shared on Twitter by activist Kavita Krishnan. Sarkar says that Uber has informed him that they will investigate the matter and take necessary action.

A Cab Ride Gone Wrong

Sarkar recounts, “As I got in the cab, I called a friend of mine and we were talking about protest cultures in different cities, what happened at Shaheen Bagh the previous day, people's discomfort with Laal Salaam and how we could make Jaipur's protests more effective. Ten to 20 minutes into the conversation, my Uber driver stopped and asked if he could use the ATM, I enthusiastically agreed. Minutes later, he came back with two policemen and that's when I realised he had gotten me to a police station.”

When Sarkar asked the cab driver why he had brought him to the police station, he says the driver had responded by saying “Tum desh barbaad kardoge aur hum dekhtey rahenge? Main kahin aur le jaa sakta tha tujhe, shukr mana police station laaya hun (You will destroy the country and we will just watch on? I could have taken you somewhere else too, be glad that I brought you to the police station instead.)”

Sarkar: Cops Went Through My Phone, Advised Me to Not Wear a Red Scarf

Recounting the questioning by the Mumbai Police, Sarkar says, “The police asked me why I am a communist, they asked me which countries communism is practiced in, which are the poets whose work I read, they wanted to read my poems. Then they started going through my WhatsApp and my contacts. I protested, asking how they can go through my contacts like that. They said, “We are doing it as part of the enquiry.””

They later told me, “Don’t carry a dafli around. Don’t wear a red scarf. They said, “Abhi mahaul kharab hai, kucch bhi ho sakta hai. (The situation is bad right now, anything can happen.)”

Sarkar adds, “The police personnel who were there were saying things like, “Do you think those who are protesting in Shaheen Bagh are doing so without money? Can people sit-in and protest for so long without getting money? Who is financing them?” The cops said this. They kept asking me for my father’s salary. It was almost like they were sure that somebody is funding me. I was finally let go from the police station around 1:30 am.”

Uber’s Response

Replying to the Twitter thread posted by Krishnan about the incident, Uber India Support wrote, “This is concerning. We’d like to address this on priority. Kindly share the registered details from which the trip was requested via Direct Message. A member from our safety team will get in touch with you at the earliest.”

Sarkar says, “Uber called me on their own. I think they saw the (Twitter) thread and called. They asked me what had happened and told me that they will investigate further and then take necessary action. They said that they condemn this behaviour (by the driver).”