Tired of continued police oppression, Khargone’s Muslim women marched and protested on the streets on May 10, 2022. Videos and photos on social media show women thronging the streets and condemning the administration for their continued attacks against the community.
On May 9, The Wire reported how the local police arrested 182 people, including three main accused in violence that broke out in the Madhya Pradesh city during Ram Navami celebrations in April. Shops and houses were devastated when miscreants in the religious procession went rogue. There were reports of arson, riots, stone-pelting. However, shockingly, it was Muslims who formed the bulk of the arrested.
Sick of this administrative oppression, Muslim women finally took to the streets on Tuesday, asserting their right as citizens of India.
Speaking to news channels, women condemned the police for mutely watching the carnage when the violence took place in April. Further, they also condemned the media for failing to show the plight of the community and instead showing a “one-sided view”. Another woman pointed out that many Muslim children were arrested and yet this fact was not covered by mainstream news.
Miles2Smile Founder Aasif Mujtaba, who visited the Khargone region tweeted about the protests saying, “A large number of women from Kahrgone took to the streets to oppose the arbitrary arrest & detention of their family members. This government talks about empowerment of Muslims women but it does exactly the opposite.”
A large number of women from Kahrgone took to the streets to oppose the arbitrary arrest & detention of their family members. This government talks about empowerment of Muslims women but it does exactly the opposite.#KhargoneRiots pic.twitter.com/qusIGgV2Xf
— Aasif Mujtaba (@MujtabaAasif) May 10, 2022
Similarly, social activist Amir Sherwani, who visited violence-hit area in Karauli, Rajasthan, amplified the protest on social media and tweeted, “Muslim women came out of their homes and resisting against police atrocities on muslims in Khargone, MP. Muslims houses, businesses and their properties were demolished by right wing goons and then state. And then victim community have been further incarcerating by the state.”
Muslim women came out of their homes and resisting against police atrocities on muslims in Khargone, MP. Muslims houses, businesses and their properties were demolished by right wing goons and then state. And then victim community have been futher incarcerating by the state. pic.twitter.com/yZv5Je3wyQ
— Amir Sherwani (@Amir_Sherwani) May 10, 2022
The visuals also circulated on Facebook with captions describing how local Muslims are standing up against targeted violence.
Earlier, Shaheen Bagh residents in New Delhi had also gathered in mass numbers when they learnt that their area was also set for an anti-encroachment drive. Their resistance delayed the bulldozers until MLA Amantullah Khan convinced authorities that there were no illegal structures in the region. Both of these are powerful instances of peaceful yet visual resistance.
Meanwhile, Jahangirpuri residents enjoyed a small win on May 6 when the former Station House Officer of Jahangirpuri police station was removed and Inspector Arun Kumar was appointed in his place.
According to Indian Express, a Rohini court on May 7 noted the “utter failure” of the Delhi police in stopping the illegal Hanuman Jayanti procession in northwest Delhi last month. It claimed that the issue “seems to have been simply brushed aside” by senior officers. Reports also talked about how police officers “accompanied the illegal procession” and the court said that their complicity needs to be investigated.
Further, it said the contents of the FIR also indicate that the local police led by Inspector Rajiv Ranjan were “accompanying the said illegal procession” when they should have stopped it.
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