Skip to main content
Sabrang
Sabrang
Communalism Hate Speech

Jantar Mantar rally: BJP leader, SC lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay among six arrested

Anti-Muslim hate speech at the Delhi rally that called for communal violence has deep roots anchored by Upadhyay and co.

Sabrangindia 10 Aug 2021

Anti-MuslimImage Courtesy:freepressjournal.in

Days after a rally they organised, turned into a hate speech generator, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashwini Upadhyay and five others have been arrested by the Delhi Police. As per the police, case under sections 153A ( Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, etc) and 188 of the Indian Penal Code (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant, in this case it is likely to refer to Covid related restriction still in place in public spaces) has been filed against the accused.

The other men arrested have been identified as: Deepak Singh, who is said to be president of an outfit called Hindu Force, Vinod Sharma who heads an outfit called Sudarshan Vahini, Vineet Kranti and Preet Singh. According to Indian Express, they were previously detained and by afternoon on Tuesday August 10, they were formally arrested. The arrest, according to IE, has been confirmed by JCP (New Delhi Range) Jaspal Singh.

The men have been accused of being involved in the communal sloganeering that called for violence against Muslims, at the rally called by Upadhyay near Jantar Mantar on Sunday. According to media reports, Ashwini Upadhyay had been asked to report to the Connaught Place police station for questioning on Monday. They were eventually detained, and finally arrested. There has been a massive public outrage at the hate speech calling for Muslim genocide being allowed at the rally which was attended by many who openly aligned themselves with Hindutva groups, and raised communal slogans. The groups, high on hate, did not even spare journalist  Anmol Pritam, who was at Jantar Mantar on Sunday reporting for the online news portal National Dastak. he shared how he was surrounded by a Hindutva mob that was forcing him to chant “Jai Shri Ram”, a religious slogan they have morphed into war cry. He refused.

Two days later, the arrest of Ashwini Upadhyay who was once a spokesperson for the state unit of BJP, is more likely to be used by him to promote himself as a ‘nationalist’ leader. He  had given the call for Sunday’s rally on various social media channels along with  ex-journalist Pushpendra Kulshreshtha asking people to gather on the streets in large numbers as other right-wing influencers. He had promised that other right wing influencers such as politician Kapil Mishra and army veteran Lt Gen (retd) GD Bakshi will also be there. However, on Sunday, August 8, he had to contend with former TV actor Gajendra Singh Chauhan, as the ‘star attraction’. Upadhyay however, made sure he himself remained in the spotlight as hundreds of protesters, some who had brought along their children, let the hate speech fly free, while the rally ‘officially’ demanded that “222 black laws… made by the English” be removed from the Indian Penal Code. The crowds perhaps assumed that Upadhyay as a lawyer, is an authority on the IPC. Seven years ago, he was expelled from the Aam Aadmi party, and as expected he has an affinity towards political colleague Kapil Mishra and fans of the latter also lend their support.

Even before this hate rally threw him into the limelight once again, Upadhyay has featured in scores of videos, often along with Pushpendra Kulshrestra where they ‘discuss’ the right wing agenda. Their video discussions often get lakhs  of views. 

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/o3ig4SSuSZ4VEI1Z8U-4PFIpKItuiUA7IXE9gnwFUHCjU2tfEPsZQhWPULU5ryRX-_aG4nCWL86fmg4gMn_hsCUYEnjxoBALR5Oa09Upo88JuMWmfGd8Fkj2jlMSD4rkvxTuK-Za
((Source: Youtube screengrab))

However, it was ironic that Kulshrestra stayed safe and away from the rally of August 8, he even shared the police post that the rally did not have any official permission. 

The other right wing influencers too stayed away. Instead, in attendance were the rabib violence inducing groups who then proceeded to chant hate slogans while being filmed. While on the face it it looks as if Upadhyay’s influential friends have thrown him to the wolves, the fact remains that there are many supporete speaking up for him. A video uploaded on Youtube uploaded some time ago, is lamenting why Upadhyay was arrested when the Delhi Police was under the Home Ministry. The video by one Sandeep Deo is gaining viewers as he makes an appeal for Upadhyay, painting him as a patriotic leader. 

Is Upadhyay’s Bharat Jodo andolan twisting a call given by the PM in July? 

The Bharat Jodo Andolan rally, which soon became an incubator of calls for violence and massacre againt the Muslim community with slurs like “Jab M***e Kate Jaenge Ram Ram chillayenge” has a name similar to the slogan. It was in July this year, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked people to lead a ‘Bharat jodo andolan’ (unite India movement). According to an Indian Express report from then, the PM in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio address, had said “Just the way the Quit India Movement, (Bharat Chhorro Andolan) was steered under Bapu’s leadership, every countryman today has to lead a ‘Bharat Jodo Andolan’. It is our duty to ensure that our work helps closely knit, bind our India which is filled with diversity… we have to move forward with the mantra ‘nation first, always first’”.

Upadhyay’s supporters at the rally have now taken the PM’s slogan to a direction that suits their divisive and violent agenda. Meanwhile, there is no word from the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), yet on what action they would take against Upadhyay, a member arranging such a rally, and subsequently being arrested after it took a communal turn. Upadhyay on his part had been active on social media, before his arrest, positioning himself as a martyr of sorts with words like: “whether i am around or not...  English laws should be abolished…”

Related:

Anti-Muslim hate speech at Delhi rally calls for communal violence
Haj House in Dwarka will lead to riots: Residents Federation write to Lt-Governor
FIR against serial hate offender Ragini Tiwari, finally
Yati Narsinghanand continues to spread hate
Gurugram Court denies bail to ‘Jamia Shooter’ in a Hate Speech case

Jantar Mantar rally: BJP leader, SC lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay among six arrested

Anti-Muslim hate speech at the Delhi rally that called for communal violence has deep roots anchored by Upadhyay and co.

Anti-MuslimImage Courtesy:freepressjournal.in

Days after a rally they organised, turned into a hate speech generator, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashwini Upadhyay and five others have been arrested by the Delhi Police. As per the police, case under sections 153A ( Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, etc) and 188 of the Indian Penal Code (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant, in this case it is likely to refer to Covid related restriction still in place in public spaces) has been filed against the accused.

The other men arrested have been identified as: Deepak Singh, who is said to be president of an outfit called Hindu Force, Vinod Sharma who heads an outfit called Sudarshan Vahini, Vineet Kranti and Preet Singh. According to Indian Express, they were previously detained and by afternoon on Tuesday August 10, they were formally arrested. The arrest, according to IE, has been confirmed by JCP (New Delhi Range) Jaspal Singh.

The men have been accused of being involved in the communal sloganeering that called for violence against Muslims, at the rally called by Upadhyay near Jantar Mantar on Sunday. According to media reports, Ashwini Upadhyay had been asked to report to the Connaught Place police station for questioning on Monday. They were eventually detained, and finally arrested. There has been a massive public outrage at the hate speech calling for Muslim genocide being allowed at the rally which was attended by many who openly aligned themselves with Hindutva groups, and raised communal slogans. The groups, high on hate, did not even spare journalist  Anmol Pritam, who was at Jantar Mantar on Sunday reporting for the online news portal National Dastak. he shared how he was surrounded by a Hindutva mob that was forcing him to chant “Jai Shri Ram”, a religious slogan they have morphed into war cry. He refused.

Two days later, the arrest of Ashwini Upadhyay who was once a spokesperson for the state unit of BJP, is more likely to be used by him to promote himself as a ‘nationalist’ leader. He  had given the call for Sunday’s rally on various social media channels along with  ex-journalist Pushpendra Kulshreshtha asking people to gather on the streets in large numbers as other right-wing influencers. He had promised that other right wing influencers such as politician Kapil Mishra and army veteran Lt Gen (retd) GD Bakshi will also be there. However, on Sunday, August 8, he had to contend with former TV actor Gajendra Singh Chauhan, as the ‘star attraction’. Upadhyay however, made sure he himself remained in the spotlight as hundreds of protesters, some who had brought along their children, let the hate speech fly free, while the rally ‘officially’ demanded that “222 black laws… made by the English” be removed from the Indian Penal Code. The crowds perhaps assumed that Upadhyay as a lawyer, is an authority on the IPC. Seven years ago, he was expelled from the Aam Aadmi party, and as expected he has an affinity towards political colleague Kapil Mishra and fans of the latter also lend their support.

Even before this hate rally threw him into the limelight once again, Upadhyay has featured in scores of videos, often along with Pushpendra Kulshrestra where they ‘discuss’ the right wing agenda. Their video discussions often get lakhs  of views. 

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/o3ig4SSuSZ4VEI1Z8U-4PFIpKItuiUA7IXE9gnwFUHCjU2tfEPsZQhWPULU5ryRX-_aG4nCWL86fmg4gMn_hsCUYEnjxoBALR5Oa09Upo88JuMWmfGd8Fkj2jlMSD4rkvxTuK-Za
((Source: Youtube screengrab))

However, it was ironic that Kulshrestra stayed safe and away from the rally of August 8, he even shared the police post that the rally did not have any official permission. 

The other right wing influencers too stayed away. Instead, in attendance were the rabib violence inducing groups who then proceeded to chant hate slogans while being filmed. While on the face it it looks as if Upadhyay’s influential friends have thrown him to the wolves, the fact remains that there are many supporete speaking up for him. A video uploaded on Youtube uploaded some time ago, is lamenting why Upadhyay was arrested when the Delhi Police was under the Home Ministry. The video by one Sandeep Deo is gaining viewers as he makes an appeal for Upadhyay, painting him as a patriotic leader. 

Is Upadhyay’s Bharat Jodo andolan twisting a call given by the PM in July? 

The Bharat Jodo Andolan rally, which soon became an incubator of calls for violence and massacre againt the Muslim community with slurs like “Jab M***e Kate Jaenge Ram Ram chillayenge” has a name similar to the slogan. It was in July this year, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked people to lead a ‘Bharat jodo andolan’ (unite India movement). According to an Indian Express report from then, the PM in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio address, had said “Just the way the Quit India Movement, (Bharat Chhorro Andolan) was steered under Bapu’s leadership, every countryman today has to lead a ‘Bharat Jodo Andolan’. It is our duty to ensure that our work helps closely knit, bind our India which is filled with diversity… we have to move forward with the mantra ‘nation first, always first’”.

Upadhyay’s supporters at the rally have now taken the PM’s slogan to a direction that suits their divisive and violent agenda. Meanwhile, there is no word from the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), yet on what action they would take against Upadhyay, a member arranging such a rally, and subsequently being arrested after it took a communal turn. Upadhyay on his part had been active on social media, before his arrest, positioning himself as a martyr of sorts with words like: “whether i am around or not...  English laws should be abolished…”

Related:

Anti-Muslim hate speech at Delhi rally calls for communal violence
Haj House in Dwarka will lead to riots: Residents Federation write to Lt-Governor
FIR against serial hate offender Ragini Tiwari, finally
Yati Narsinghanand continues to spread hate
Gurugram Court denies bail to ‘Jamia Shooter’ in a Hate Speech case

Related Articles

Hate Speech

Hate a political tool, now a state project: India 2023

There is a chance to make Meta Facebook accountable for its hate generating content on May 31, by voting YES for Proposal 7 titled “Assessing Allegations of Biased Operations in Meta's Largest Market” which is to be presented at Meta's AGM on May 31, 2023. It highlights allegations against Facebook for disseminating hate speech, its failure to address risks and political bias, voices concerns around inadequate content moderation and lack of transparency in platform practices. The writer calls on readers to participate in this campaign on social media to make our republic hate-free

Hate Speech

Hate a political tool, now a state project: India 2023

There is a chance to make Meta Facebook accountable for its hate generating content on May 31, by voting YES for Proposal 7 titled “Assessing Allegations of Biased Operations in Meta's Largest Market” which is to be presented at Meta's AGM on May 31, 2023. It highlights allegations against Facebook for disseminating hate speech, its failure to address risks and political bias, voices concerns around inadequate content moderation and lack of transparency in platform practices. The writer calls on readers to participate in this campaign on social media to make our republic hate-free


Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Theme

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Campaigns

Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Videos

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

IN FACT

Analysis

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Archives