Indian women facing sedition charges get bail

NEW DELHI: Two women held for two weeks by Indian police on sedition charges over a school play which allegedly criticised a contentious citizenship law have been granted bail, officials said Sunday.

Teacher Fareeda Begum, 50, and parent Nazbunnisa, 36, were arrested on January 30 for helping the children stage the play at Shaheen Public School in Karnataka state. The play depicted a worried family talking about how they feared the government would ask millions of Muslims to prove their nationality or be expelled from India.

Nearly 30 people died in the months-long protests, including two in Karnataka, which is ruled by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. The women were denied bail multiple times before a court set them free late Saturday on a personal bond of $1,400 each.