Condemning the series of administrative decisions to bulldoze homes of alleged rioters in Prayagraj (Allahabad) since the June 10 violence, local citizens’ group Nagrik Samaj has appealed to the Allahabad district magistrate to cease such demolitions.
On June 16, the group, in a letter. expressed its shock at the manner in which officials had reacted to Friday protests. Particularly, members condemned the illegal detention of activist Javed Mohammad, his wife and daughter on the intervening night between June 10 and 11. Mohammad was branded as the “mastermind” of the violence in the district’s Atala region where the Friday protests turned violent.
Shortly after his arrest, authorities also issued a notice for demolishing the Muslim activist’s house. By Sunday, the house was reduced to rubble. However, the Nagrik Smaaj accused the administration of forging the documents naming Mohammad when in reality, the house was under his wife Parveen Fatima’s name.
“Without any hearing or due procedure, Fatima’s house was demolished. Her daughter Sumaiya Fatima was also detained without a warrant or FIR for two days,” said the letter.
As compensation for this ordeal, the letter appealed to the District Magistrate (DM) to provide Fatima’s family with ₹ 5 cr to rebuild the house. Further, those responsible for the sudden demolition should also be penalised. The group pointed out that other citizens like Dr. Ashish Mittal, Shah Alam, Umar Khalid, Zeeshan Rahmani and others have also been accused of the violence when in reality these individuals are not connected to the incident. These leaders are prominent leaders in the anti CAA-NRC movements. Therefore, the group demanded that these names be immediately removed from the complaint.
On the day of the protest, the All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS) General Secretary Ashish Mittal participated in the memorial ceremony for 1857 freedom fighter Maulvi Liaqat Ali organised by the Adhivakta Manch and Nagrik Samaj. He appealed to people to oppose the communal fascist program of the RSS-BJP. Yet Mittal was accused of provocative statements that spread religious hatred in relation to Kanpur riots.
“Real reason is that AIKMS had opposed implementation of NRC and CAA by the govt and for this reason the govt is targeting our leaders,” said the AIKMS.
Similarly, Mittal too released a statement that was as follows:
“I, Dr Ashish Mital, have heard the statement of Prayagraj zone ADG Prem Prakash given to some TV channels saying that I was associated with the incident of stone pelting in Atala area on June 10. This is a completely concocted and fabricated allegation. Neither I nor any person from the AIKMS has any association with the incident and we challenge the government to bring forward any proof of my or of our organisation’s association. On Friday my entire day was spent in the court proceeding of ACM 2, Allahabad. In this case too my name is sought to be linked to the Kanpur riots, claiming that I have given some statement on these riots, which I have not and with which I have no link whatsoever.”
The Friday protests were demonstrations by India’s Muslim community against the hate speech by suspended BJP Spokesperson Nupur Sharma about Prophet Mohammad and Islam. In Allahabad, these protests ended with violence in the Atala region. Police accused protesters in the FIRs of disobeying police orders. Already at least 92 people have been arrested by the local police. Overall, over 417 arrests have been made across India.
However, the Nagrik Samaj said the administration is giving in to a “police raj” by suddenly listing houses to be demolished in the region from Muslim areas. For this reason, the citizen’s group appealed to the DM to conduct a fair investigation about the Friday violence and take strict action against the officials guilty of engaging in targeted demolitions.
Related:
SC to hear urgent petitions against UP demolitions today
Bulldozer Injustice: Homes of June 10 rioters to be demolished?
Anti-CAA Muslim activist Afreen Fatima’s family members illegally detained!
Spontaneous pan-India protests against Nupur Sharma
Friday protests: More people booked for unlawful assembly
Why is Jharkhand governor in favour of doxing alleged riot participants’ names?
Friday protests: At least 325 arrests in UP alone!
Jahangirpuri Demolition: SC to take “serious view of demolitions after Mayor was informed of order”