On February 4, Vikhroli resident Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari was detained from his home by the Gujarat police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for allegedly making inflammatory remarks during a speech in Gujarat on January 31. A crowd of hundreds could be seen gathered outside the Ghatkopar police station, where Azhari had been taken to for completing legal formalities before being taken to Gujarat, to protest the said detention. As per a report of Hindustan Times, the crowd that had gathered also included some politicians.
After the detention of Azhari, pockets of people started gathering outside the Ghatokar Police Station. As per the report of Hindustan Times (HT), the crowd started increasing after 6 pm and reached around a thousand at its peak, blocking the police station gate and adjacent road. The said crowd demanded the release of Azhari, deeming him to be the messenger of God, and raised slogans in his praise. In view of the large crowd that had gathered, and to ensure that no untoward event takes place, a video of Azhari requesting the people of the gathering to maintain peace has now gone viral on social media. Azhari, who can be seen standing alongside some police officials, can be heard saying on a mic that “I am cooperating and you should too. The gathering can lead to a law and order issue. If an arrest in written in my stars, I am ready for that. I am grateful for your love. If you people actually love me, then I urging you to empty this street. We do not want to create a situation for the police.”
The video can be viewed here:
मुफ़्ती सलमान अज़हरी साहब प्रशासन को सहयोग करते हुए…
pic.twitter.com/mhWtv8tFgD— Ashraf Hussain (@AshrafFem) February 4, 2024
As per the HT report, a police officer concerned provided that the standoff by the crowd continued till late into the night, making it difficult for the Gujarat police to take him to their state owing to the crowd and legal issues.
Detailing the same, the HT report provided that around 200 personnel from the State Reserve Police Force were deployed to control the crowd. At around 10:45pm, as provided by the police officials, when the crowd allegedly became aggressive and stopped a bus on the road, police forces used mild force to disperse the gathering after warning them for five minutes.
The complaint, the arrest:
Since the morning of February 4, the ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) account of Azhari had been reporting the updates of the events unfolding regarding his detention. As per his post, at least 25 to 30 police personnel surrounded his society building in the morning. Later, nearing noon time, the police broke into his house, detained him at around 11:56 am and took him to Ghatkopar police station.
The post can be read here:
Today i.e. 04/02/2024 in the early hours of the day, Mufti Salman Azhari’s society was surrounded by around 25-30 policemen. After breaking into the house, at around 11:56 AM, Mufti Sahab was detained by the Gujarat ATS, Mumbai ATS and Chirag Nagar Police Station. pic.twitter.com/dDAULfU75z
— Mufti Salman Azhari (@muftisalman_) February 4, 2024
It is essential to note that the Gujarat police had registered a suo-moto First Information Report in the matter at the Junagadh police station after a video of the speech delivered by Azhari in Gujarat on January 31 went viral on social media. Sections 153 (C), 505 (2), 188, and 114 of the Indian Penal Code have been invoked against him.
It is pertinent to note while a HT report quoted a police officer stating that “The punishment for sections he has been booked under is less than seven years, so an arrest may not be required,” another tweet of by Azhari provided that he has been arrested by the Gujarat ATS and been take to Junagadh after being detained for more than 12 hours.
The Telegraph reports that an order for transit remand for Azhari had been secured by the Gujarat police from a court in Mumbai. Junagadh crime branch police inspector J J Patel further informed that Azhari will be produced before a court on February 6. Additionally, the investigation of the said case will be conducted by the Junagadh local crime branch.
The contentious speech by Azhari in question:
On the night of January 31, Azhari delivered the said problematic speech at an event held on an open ground near the ‘B’ division police station in Gujarat’s Junagadh city.
A one-minute clip of the said speech, which had gone viral on social media, Azhari can be heard saying “Today, the world is taunting us, asking us why are we being killed if we are true. They ask us why are we being slaughtered, why are we being killed in Palestine, Iran, Arab, Afghanistan, Burma, Yemen? As we are repeatedly asked this question, I want you to respond to the same by telling those oppressors that Maulana Mufti taught us that we are the loved ones of Mohammad-ur-Rasoolallah and we loved ones are born to die and not to live. It is the duty of a loved one to decide their life to their beloved.
If we are killed and slaughtered on any land, Islam will not end with us. If Islam had to end, it would have ended in Karbala (a war) but the truth about Islam is that Islam got alive after every Karbala itself. Do not worry my Muslim brethren, Islam is still alive, Quran is still there.
Those who mess with us daily, the last stage of the Karbala (war) to yet to be fought. This quiet is not long lived, the noise will return. Now is the time of the dogs, our time will also come soon.”
The video can be viewed here:
Here is the full video of #MuftiSalmanAzhari.
He was talking about Palestine and Muslim countries, and then he recited a couplet.
He has not given any inflammatory speech of any kind which could create enmity in the society.
There was no mention of any community in speech… pic.twitter.com/XfHlTqh4Se
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) February 4, 2024
As per the report of Telegraph, after the video of the speech went viral, an FIR was registered against Azhari and local organisers Mohammad Yousuf Malek and Azim Habib Odedara under Indian Penal Code sections 153B (promoting enmity between different religious groups) and 505 (2) (making statements conducive to public mischief), police said. As per the Telegraph report, the official stated the basis behind filing the said FIR to be that the arrested men had taken permission from police for the gathering stating that Azhari will speak about religion and spread awareness about de-addiction, however he allegedly delivered an inflammatory speech. Malek and Habib were arrested on January 3, while the police were apparently searching for Azhari.
Supporters decry targeting, others use it for communalising:
Supporters of Azhari have claimed that no inflammatory comments have been made by the Islamic preacher in his speech. As per their version, Azhari was reciting a couplet in relation to Palestine and Muslim countries and not aiming to create any enmity in the society. The hashtag of #ReleaseSalmanAzhari was also trending on X. As per a statement given by a close aide of Azhari, who was also present during his detention, no communal flare-ups and religious sentiments of any person were aimed to be hurt by the statements made. It was alleged by the supporter that the statements were being twisted on social media. It was asserted by the supporters that the comments made were not against any caste, religion or community or even the government. Notably, it was claimed by the said supporter that the Gujarat police was compelled into filing the aforementioned FIR due to a protest held by the Hinduvta organisations, namely Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad, outside the police station.
Those in favour of the arrest did not leave this opportunity pass, and used the arrest of the Islamic preacher to communalise the Hindu community against the Muslim community. Suresh Chavhanke, the editor-in-chief of Sudarshan TV News, who is himself a habitual hate offender and hate speaker, reported on the said news. Ironically, while reporting on the hate speech case filed against Azhari, Chavhanke himself indulged in a divisive anti-Muslim diatribe and encouraged violence.
In a clip from his show that has gone viral on social media, Chavhanke can be hear saying “Listen, you are saying that today is the time of the dogs and our time will come, listen to me, it was our time then too when we had killed Afzal. We had triumphed over Assam and Gujarat, and had established our saffron flag. It is essential that based on this speech you are declared a terrorist; the world knows that the Arabs are feeding you. Stay in your limits or else you will be harmed; in every street and society you will suffer like in Wirathu.” One should know here that Wirathu was known to have called for the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
The video can be viewed here:
भारतीय मुसलमानो को खुलेआम नरसंहार की धमकी देता सुरेश चव्हाणके ।
गुजरात और असम जैसे नरसंहार फिर दोहराने की बात की।
अपनी औकात में रहो वरना नुकसान उठाओगे हर गली में विराथू पाओगे
( सनद रहे विराथू ने म्यांमार में रोहिंगिया मुसलमानो के नरसंहार का आवाहन किया था)#ReleaseSalmanAzhari… pic.twitter.com/or2zY79ez1
— The Muslim (@TheMuslim786) February 4, 2024
Related:
Five hate speeches given by Suresh Chavhanke in July, CJP moves NCM
Suresh Chavhanke’s hate filled rhetoric leaves behind a trail of violence