For almost two weeks, Ayesha has been trying to make sense of something that struck her out of the blue. The fatherless child, all of 10, has been making trips to the district jail in Bidar, Karnataka, to meet her crestfallen mother Najbunnisa, who has been booked for sedition. Speaking to THE WEEK, the student says she regrets using the “bad word” in the school play on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which she believes landed her mother in deep trouble. Excerpts from an interview:
What was the play about?
The play was about CAA and NRC (National Register of Citizens). On January 21, I, along with six other children, enacted the play at our school. Someone made the video go viral. On January 30, the police arrested my mother. I came to know that it was because I had used a bad word in the play.
Do you understand what CAA is about?
No, I do not.
You say you and your friends put together the play. But whose idea was it to stage a play on CAA?
We watched YouTube videos on the CAA and NRC protests. People outside were always talking about CAA. One of the English medium students got this idea. We watched YouTube videos and decided among ourselves who will enact each role. We wanted to educate people and tell them to keep their documents in place. We thought it was a special play as [the issue] was so much in the news. But I did not know it would end up like this.
Which YouTube video did you watch?
I do not remember now.
How many of you were part of the play?
Our group of three girls and four boys had two from class six English medium, two from class seven English medium and three from class six Urdu medium. I am from Urdu medium.
What was your role in the play?
I was playing an old woman and had a dialogue where I said, “If someone comes asking for documents, thrash them with a chappal.”
Did your teachers give any suggestions on the play?
No teacher asked us to do it. They only asked us to prepare a chhota-mota (small) drama.
Did any of your teachers watch your play during rehearsals or before it was staged?
There was no practice. We just had to read out dialogue from papers. We had informed the programme in-charge about the drama. He is our sir (hesitates to speak further).
Did your mother see the script? Did you practise at home?
No. There was no need for practice as I only had to read from the paper. But when mother heard me say the dialogue at home, she said it was good. That is all.
Why did the police arrest your mother?
My mother accepted that she had heard the dialogue at home and also apologised before the police, saying it was a mistake. She told the police that as the child was adamant to do the play, she had allowed her. She also said that she did not realise the seriousness of the play. My mother had watched the play only at school.
When did they arrest her?
On January 30, the police had come home asking for the chappals I had worn during the play. Later, they came to my school to talk to us children. My mother came to school to give my chappals to the police. She told me she was going home. But when I went home after school in the evening, she was not at home. My house owner’s family told me the police had taken her away. I rushed to the police station and found her there. They had arrested Fareeda teacher (headmistress) also. Later, people from my school told me they would get my mother released.
Did the police interrogate you, too?
The police have interrogated me five times in the last eight days, along with my classmates and schoolmates. Each time they asked me who had taught us the play. The police visited all the classes. They kept repeating the same questions... Who made the programme? Who gave you permission for the play? Who gave you practice?.... When I said we had put the play together ourselves and we practised ourselves, they did not believe us. So, they asked the entire group again and again. They threatened us and showed us the play on mobiles and laptops and asked us to identify the teachers in the video. Our group was troubled as parents were asked to send the children for interrogation even when the kids were unwell.
Are you an only child?
Yes. I have no father. We belong to Hallikhed village in Humnabad taluk, where I studied till class four, at Al Ameen School. I came to Bidar two years back and joined Shaheen Urdu Primary School for class five. My mother works as a domestic help.
How has life changed for you after your mother’s arrest?
I have been meeting my mother every day for the last eight days between 4pm and 5pm. I am also attending school. My teachers are supporting me. I feel confident as many people came to support and console me.
What did your mother tell you when you met her in jail?
She looked tense and worried for me. I told her not to worry. Mummy ko bola ki tension mat lena, duniyawale humare saat hai, tumko do-teen din mein jail se nikaalenge... (I told mummy not to worry as a lot of people were supporting us and they would get her out in a few days)”.
Do you regret enacting the play?
I never intended to use those words. But I blurted out the word “chappal” accidentally. I have accepted my mistake in front of the police. We only wanted to showcase what is happening around us through the play. Everybody in the colony has been talking about NRC and I had heard about this new law. But the words I spoke were wrong. I only want the police to release my mother.
The student’s name has been changed.