Image: https://religionunplugged.com / Thoufeeq K
Hours after pan-India protests erupted in different cities, the Allahabad police on June 10, 2022 night detained Welfare Party of India leader and father of anti-CAA activist Afreen Fatima Javed Mohammad. According to Maktoob Media, the police did not have any notice or warrant but still tried to take away her family members.
According to a video message sent out by Fatima via Maktoob Media, the Kotwali police came to the house thrice through the night. The first time the police took away her father at 8:50 pm. At midnight, the police again came to take away mother Parveen Fatima and the younger daughter Sumaiya Fatima, who is only 19 years old. Both times, the police failed to produce either an arrest warrant or inform the rest of the family about the detainee’s whereabouts.
Later at 2:30 am, the police came to detain Afreen and her sister-in-law. However, the two resisted going with the police despite alleged harassment. It was also around this time that Afreen noticed increasing police presence around her house and even JCB bulldozers in the vicinity.
“It’s not just about my house and my family. It is happening to a lot of houses in Allahabad, a lot of Muslim houses. Activists such as my father are being harassed, intimidated. We fear that our house will be demolished,” said Afreen.
.@AfreenFatima136 narrates what happened to her and her family.
.@Uppolice what is the reason behind arresting Mohd Javed and his wife Parveen Fatima?
Release them ASAP! pic.twitter.com/7BeiQrgSFx
— أمينة Amina (@AminaaKausar) June 11, 2022
Concerns of such illegal evictions and demolitions have been prominent since the Khargone violence (Madhya Pradesh) after Ram Navami. Aside from Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka and Assam too have reported incidents of sudden demolitions where bulldozers have been mercilessly used to further intimidate the population. An overwhelming section of who’s homes have been demolished, thus, are Muslims and the states/UTs where these actions have been taken are ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It was only in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh that the united front put up by citizens defeated the bulldozing attempts.
Afreen also wrote to the National Women’s Commission about the ordeal after the last police attempt to detain family members. In it, she has talked about her deep worry and concern for the safety of her father, mother and sister. Afreen’s mother is diabetic and as of Saturday morning, Afreen said she did not have any idea about her family’s condition. Further, she said the police also refused to confirm which police station her father was kept in.
As for her mother’s and sister’s arrest, Afreen said the police action violates Section 46(4) of the CrPC that clearly states women are not to be arrested after sunset and before sunrise. Circumventing this provision required prior permission from a Judicial Magistrate of the first class. However, as mentioned before, the police failed to provide any such document.
While the news is fairly recent, no major news organisation has spoken about Afreen’s plight. Meanwhile, Maktoob has released an official statement condemning the harassment against the Muslim youth activist.
Afreen was an elected student leader of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union and former President Women’s College Students Union Aligarh Muslim University. At the former place she organised an event with other undergraduate women students called the Women Leadership Summit 2019 that garnered much praise from guests, faculty and male students as well. While she is better known for being a prominent part of the anti-CAA movement, Afreen has repeatedly raised her voice against targeted violence on marginalised communities. Currently, she works as the Fraternity Movement National Secretary.
@munawar0018‘s arrest simply put is that a Muslim will be beaten up then arrested and denied bail for cracking a joke. The joke is one you, the democracy and the freedom of speech you so much fetishise.
Once again, deradicalise the Hindus!#ReleaseMunawar— Afreen Fatima (@AfreenFatima136) January 2, 2021
The threat to Afreen’s family also comes in the background of widespread protests by members of the Muslim community against suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma. Sharma’s comment in late-May regarding Prophet Mohammad and Islam reached peak condemnation when the Gulf countries too expressed their outrage. Accordingly, after Friday prayers there were protests in at least 16 cities although more demonstrations continue to pop up on social media.
Most recently, there were reports of protests at Kalaburgi in Karnataka.
Protests in #Kalaburgi over #NupurSharma‘s comments. Her image was taped to the road and people were asked to step on it #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/jIITfvohgb
— Imran Khan (@KeypadGuerilla) June 10, 2022
The protesters unitedly demanded action against Sharma as well as expelled BJP leader Naveen Kumar Jindal for their hateful comments against a specific community.
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