Thakur Raja Singh Lodh, who has a long history of making Islamophobic and communally offensive remarks, has now fallen out of favour with his own party. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suspended Singh soon after the Hyderabad Police arrested him on Tuesday, for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Prophet Mohammed.

Singh had released a video on a YouTube channel titled ‘Jai Shree Ram’, two days after a stand-up comedy show held by comedian Munawar Faruqi. The comedian had performed at Shilpakala Vedika with complete police protection on August 20, while Singh was put under house arrest to prevent him from disrupting the show. Despite such preventive measures Singh tried to disrupt Munawar Faruqi’s show but the disruptors were all arrested by the police.

Then Singh released the video where he reportedly said, “I thought to myself, He (Faruqui) is abusing Lord Ram and Sita so I should research this almighty of his and people who wear round caps (Muslims). The moment I did it, I found something very shocking in the video. In that, it says that the man married a six-year-old (referring to the Prophet Muhammad).”

Singh’s words sparked outrage, but he tried to defend his actions saying the video was merely a ‘comedy video’. Demonstrations demanding his arrests took place outside city police commissioner CV Anand’s office, and protests have also been held in other parts of town since Monday night. A few people were also reportedly taken into custody by the police.

A case was registered against Raja Singh under the following sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):

153(a)- Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony;

295(a)Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage reli­gious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or reli­gious beliefs;

505 (1) (b)- with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquillity; and

505 (2)- Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes;

506- Punishment for criminal intimidation

On Tuesday, Singh was arrested by the Hyderabad police and then suspended by the BJP, shortly afterwards. According to Siasat, BJP chief spokesperson for Telangana, Krishna Saagar Rao stated, “We are a national party and we don’t support the statements of Raja Singh or hate speech.”

Raja Singh’s history of hate speech

This is not the first time T Raja Singh has made the news. In 2018, in a post on his Facebook account, Shah had explicitly asked his followers not to buy anything from the “terrorist Kashmiris” for the annual Amarnath Yatra. By July 2019, the video had been viewed 3,00,000 times. Singh has also had FIRs registered against him for promoting enmity between groups, but Facebook continued to entertain his account harbouring venomous content.

On June 22, 2018, CJP’s Hate Watch wrote that it had identified how one false rumour was spread, and prompted a hate-filled speech by Raja Singh that was broadcast via Facebook. CJP had then highlighted Singh’s influential position as a sitting member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly as well as a party whip in the state, noting that he had half a million followers on Facebook. When our team met with a team from Facebook, we were assured that the page was taken down. But we discovered in 2019 that his page, which was supposed to have been taken down, remained intact and Singh’s official page was active.

In 2020, Raja Singh was among the central figures named in an August Wall Street Journal report that claimed Facebook ignored hate speech by BJP leaders to protect its business interests in India. They concluded Singh not only had violated the company’s hate-speech rules but qualified as dangerous, a designation that takes into account a person’s off-platform activities. 

In the run up to the UP assembly elections, he had openly threatened the state’s Hindu voters. He demanded they re-elect the Adityanath-led BJP government, or else their houses will be identified and destroyed with bulldozers and JCBs. He said, “To those who do not vote for Bharatiya Janata Party, I want to say that Yogiji has asked for thousands of JCBs, bulldozers. They are on their way towards Uttar Pradesh. After the elections, those areas which did not support Yogiji will be identified. You do know what JCBs and bulldozers are used for, right?”

By March 2021, Facebook finally concluded that Raja Singh had violated its own Community standards (Objectionable Content) and Violence and Criminal Behaviour rules, and his account was removed. However, while his previous Facebook account was taken down that year, an unverified account with similar hateful content cropped up. His hateful words are also spread via so called “fan pages” named Tiger Raja Singh Fan Club and T Raja Singh Samarthak Jalgaon PRK Group which collectively have lakhs of followers.

Related:

Hate Offender: Hyderabad BJP MLA T Raja Singh threatens UP voters
Hyderabad: Raja Singh arrested for remarks on Prophet Muhammad
Is GoI unwilling to investigate Facebook’s ecosystem of hate?
Who’s Who in BJP’s List of Hate Offenders, 38 in all, 27 elected officials

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After journalist and activist Teesta Setalvad, and former Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) RB Sreekumar, were arrested in wake of the judgment in the Zakia Jafri case and accused of conspiracy and forgery, co-accused former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt was also formally arrested by Ahmedabad police on July 12, 2022. Bhatt and Sreekumar were the two whistle-blowers who spoke out about the Gujarat government’s alleged role in the 2002 violence.

Bhatt was already behind bars, serving a life sentence in connection with a custodial death case and was lodged at Palanpur jail in Banaskantha. As per information from syndicated news, the latest FIR was filed by the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) against Bhatt as well as Sreekumar and Setalvad. They were accused of criminal conspiracy and forgery.

According to The Hindu, Bhatt is specifically accused of forging documents, including the wireless alert message that he produced before the Godhra inquiry commission and later before the Supreme Court-appointed SIT.

It may be noted that the FIR was lodged after June 24, 2022 when the Supreme Court dismissed the Zakia Jafri case. In it, the apex court gave a clean chit to then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 riots case and further criticised the three aforementioned for “keeping the pot boiling”. The DCB FIR quoted this order extensively.

The first to be arrested after the court judgement was Setalvad on June 25. She was whisked away from her Mumbai house by the Gujarat ATS while Sreekumar was picked up from Gandhinagar. Both were booked under sections 468 (forgery), 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), 194 (giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence, 211 (false charge of offence made with intent to injure), 218 (public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.

Soon after the arrest, Setalvad and others received overwhelming support from various international rights groups, journalist collectives, and people’s organisations. All demanded the immediate release of the people put behind bars for voicing dissent and calling for accountability in the Gujarat riots case.

Meanwhile, Setalvad’s bail plea was adjourned to July 15 as the state government asked for more time to file their response in the case.

Related:

Free Teesta Setalvad: Peers and fellow activists offer a testament to her tenacity
Free Teesta Setalvad: Ahmedabad court adjourns bail hearing to July 15
Teesta Setalvad applies for bail
Review order and withdraw observations against Teesta Setalvad and whistleblowers: CCG to SC
Gujarat court remands Teesta Setalvad to judicial custody
Suo motu clarify Zakia Jafri case judgment’s intention to not prosecute Teesta Setalvad: Citizens to CJI

The post Zakia Jafri judgment fallout: Sanjiv Bhatt formally arrested for forgery and conspiracy appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Two people were arrested on June 21, 2022 for thrashing a 25-year-old Dalit food delivery executive allegedly after learning about his caste identity, reported the Indian Express. Police booked the persons for breach of peace while 13 other people have been named in an FIR by Lucknow police.

Delivery executive Vineet Kumar Rawat told the police he had gone to Sector H of the Ashiana colony on June 18 to deliver a food order. On reaching the house, the customer Ajay Singh answered the door and asked his name. According to Rawat’s complaint the customer used casteist slurs and refused to accept the food on learning he belonged to the Pasi community. Singh then spat tobacco on Rawat’s face when the latter asked the customer to cancel the order.

Following this, around 12 other people came out of the house and thrashed Rawat with sticks. The delivery boy finally escaped leaving his motorcycle and called the police control room. He added that he returned with a police team and got back his vehicle.

However, on Monday, Dainik Jagran reported that Rawat was apprehensive in lodging a formal complaint to the police. ACP Qasim Abidi reached out to Rawat who filed an FIR under sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), rioting with a deadly weapon and voluntarily causing hurt.

In 2019, a Zomato employee had faced similar discrimination when a customer refused to accept food from a “non-Hindu”. At the time, Zomato had staunchly stood with the delivery person at least on social media. Yet, this year the company is shockingly mum on the matter.

The silence in this case is particularly concerning as the company had responded in connection with the incident on June 15, when a Delhi Zomato delivery agent was stabbed and left to bleed to death in Tilak Nagar area. The 29-year-old Sagar Singh was only helped by a fellow Muslim colleague. At that time, the company did extend support to the employee’s family.

Incidents like these further highlight the lack of security for private company employees that provide 24-hours service to their customers. In Maharashtra’s Thane region, there was an incident wherein an Ola cab driver murdered by the very people who hailed his services on the app.

Maharashtra App-Based Transport Workers Union President Prashant Sawardekar had pointed out at the time how these companies leave their employees bereft of any form of security while on-duty. As the nature and wages from the work mostly attract youths from marginalised communities, there is a greater need for Zomato, Swiggy, Ola and Uber companies to pay attention to the employee policies.

Related:

International Day for Countering Hate Speech
MAT union writes to Thane police for support
CJP’s intervention saves another Indian in Assam
Cab drivers demand safety security code from Ola

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Kashmir-based human rights activist Khurram Parvez was arrested on Monday after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out searches at his residence and the office of J&K Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) in Srinagar. According to reports, Parvez’s family told the media that they received an arrest memo (case 30/2021) in which he was named.

Parvez was reportedly taken for questioning by the officials who said they were from NIA, and his phone, laptop and a few books were also seized.

Family of Human Rights activist @KhurramParvez associated with #JKCCS said that they received an arrest memo (case 30/2021) in his name in the evening. He was taken for questioning by the officials who said they were from NIA. They have seized his phone and laptop and few books https://t.co/i0Fnpp0peP

— Hakeem Irfan Rashid (@HakeemIrfan) November 22, 2021

The UN Special Rapporteur HRDs Mary Lawlor, Founder Front Line Defenders, posted on social media that she feared that Khurram Parvez was at risk of being charged “with terrorism-related crimes” adding, “He’s not a terrorist, he’s a Human Rights Defender” 

I’m hearing disturbing reports that Khurram Parvez was arrested today in Kashmir & is at risk of being charged by authorities in #India with terrorism-related crimes. He’s not a terrorist, he’s a Human Rights Defender @mujmash @RaftoFoundation @GargiRawat @NihaMasih pic.twitter.com/9dmZOrSwMY

— Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs (@MaryLawlorhrds) November 22, 2021

According to a report in The Hindu, Parvez’s family said they were intimated about his arrest in the evening in a case registered earlier this year by the NIA. He has reportedly been arrested in the FIR No. 30/2021 filed on November 6, 2021. The NIA teams were accompanied by the paramilitary and the police, when they began searches of Parvez’s house at Sonawar and the JKCCS office at Amira Kadal in Srinagar on Monday afternoon, stated news reports. The Telegraph reported that Khurram’s family said they had received an arrest memo that showed he had been booked under sections 120B, 121 and 121A of the Indian Penal Code and sections 17, 18, 18B, 38 and 40 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). 

The arrest of Khurram Parvez is being condemned by many, especially as it comes soon after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval saying civil society was the “new frontier of war”, during his address at a passing-out parade at the National Police Academy, Hyderabad, around 10 days ago. 

Angry & saddened to learn that Khurram Parvez, a longtime human rights defender in Kashmir, has been arrested & charged with terrorism related offenses.

He’s been on the frontlines for years documenting atrocities by the Indian government. He must be freed & all charges dropped.

— Arjun Sethi (@arjunsethi81) November 22, 2021

if, as reported, @KhurramParvez has been arrested by #India‘s ‘counter-terrorism’ NIA, it’s yet another extraordinary abuse in #Kashmir. https://t.co/9hZDrNI4iU

— David Kaye (@davidakaye) November 22, 2021

Khurram Parvez and @jkccs_ are leading human rights defenders in Kashmir. They have done quiet work in grim circumstances. The NIA raid on JKCCS & arrest of Khurram are an attempt by the Modi regime to gag those witnessing & documenting the unrelenting rights violations in J&K.

— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) November 22, 2021

NIA had raided Kurram Parvez in 2020 too

On October 28 2020, the NIA team had conducted raids at multiple places, including properties belonging to human rights defenders, NGOs, and even a media house in Srinagar, in connection with a ‘terror funding’ probe. The NIA raided the office of popular daily Greater Kashmir, as well as the home of well known human rights activist Khurram Parvez, coordinator J&K Coalition of civil society, and journalist Parvez Bukhari. The NIA had also raided a location in Bangalore, Karnataka.

According to news reports, the NIA suspects that some non-profits are “raising funds in India and abroad for carrying out separatist activity in Jammu and Kashmir.” The NIA had also searched the premises of Khurram Parvez’s associates, Parveena Ahanger who is the chairperson of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), Parvez Ahmad Matta and Bengaluru-based associate Swati Sheshadri, and the offices of the NGO Athrout, and the Greater Kailash Trust. 

Who is Khurram Parvez?

Khurram Parvez is a well known human rights defender from Kashmir, and had lost his leg to a militant IED in early 2000s. He was a recipient of the Reebok Human Rights Award in 2006, and is known to be a vocal critic of the government. He is the programme coordinator of the JKCCS, which was founded in 2000 by human rights lawyer and activist Parvez Imroz. Khurram had been arrested for two and a half months in 2016 by the Mehbooba Mufti-led government, stated news reports which added that Jammu and Kashmir High Court later quashed his detention as “illegal”. The JKCCS has published reports on human rights violations in Kashmir, the latest titled “Kashmir’s Internet Siege” on mass detentions and the justice system amid Internet restrictions following the abrogation of the state’s special status on August 5, 2019, which was reported by many media houses.

The United Nations’ 2020 report by the Secretary General titled Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights documented alleged reprisals in 45 countries, but that these represent only a fraction of the actual number of incidents committed, mainly by States but also by non-State actors. The report details the many cases of activists suffering prolonged detention and prison sentences, including some particularly severe cases of ill-treatment and torture. 

In reference  to India, the UN report focuses on targeting of an NGO in Manipur under the guise of violation of the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act (FCRA), and the vilification of Khurram Parvez and his NGO in Kashmir.

The report stated, “It was reported to OHCHR that Mr. Parvez, who in the past has been subject to travel bans, arbitrary arrest and detention in relation to his cooperation with the UN, was informed in August 2019 that he was prohibited from traveling internationally because he was placed on an ‘Exit Fly List’. It was further reported that Mr. Parvez was called in for ‘routine verification’ by police in February 2020 and, as of May 2020, three ‘First Information Reports’ filed by police in 2016 before a court in Srinagar were still unresolved.”

Related:

Counter-terror raids on civil society groups signal escalating crackdown on dissent: 
NIA Raids Day 2: Fresh searches conducted in Srinagar and Delhi today
Srinagar: NIA raids human rights defenders, NGOs, media house in terror funding probe
UN raises concerns about attacks on Human Rights Defenders

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Sixty-nine-year-old Narayan Rane, formerly of the Shiv Sena, briefly of the Congress, now committed to the Bharatiya Janata Party since 2019, has become the first Union Minister in two decamed to be arrested. Rane was arrested on August 24, for his Union Minister Narayan Rane was arrested today over his comment that he “would have slapped” Uddhav Thackeray,  claiming that the Maharashtra Chief Minister was ignorant about the year of India’s independence. Rane had reportedly made this remark at the BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Raigad district on Monday. He had said: “It is shameful that the chief minister does not know the year of independence. He leaned back to enquire about the count of years of independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given (him) a tight slap.

Rane, who is the Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, is the “first central minister to be arrested in 20 years” , reported NDTV. The arrest sent the media abuzz that reported how “the minister was arrested while he was having his meal”. He was arrested shortly after his request for an urgent hearing on his petition for protection against action was rejected by the Bombay High Court. According to news reports Rane’s lawyer told the court: “The police have arrived to arrest him, they are waiting at his doorstep.” However, in response the High Court said: “Please follow the procedure. Don’t make us do the job of the registry.” The Shiv Sena had filed FIRs, reportedly in three cities against Rane over his remarks on the CM, accusing Rane of  non-bailable offences.

He had then responded that he was a Union Minister, and was being falsely charged. He even equated it with ‘rajdroh’ or treason.

माझ्यावर सरकारने चुकीच्या पद्धतीने गुन्हे दाखल केले आहेत. मी केंद्रीय मंत्री आहे, माझ्या वक्तव्याचा विपर्यास करून बेकायदेशीर पद्धतीने गुन्हे दाखल करणे हा राजद्रोह आहे. राज्यसरकारने सुडाचं राजकारण करू नये. #JanAshirwadYatra pic.twitter.com/AmYmO2ae7n

— Narayan Rane (@MeNarayanRane) August 24, 2021

He also lashed out at the media which had begun reporting on a possible arrest after the court’s response. According to NDTV Rane told the media: “I haven’t committed any crime. You should verify and show it on TV or else I will file a case against you (media). Despite not committing any crime, the media is showing speculative news about my ‘imminent’ arrest. Do you think I am a normal (ordinary) man?” 

According to News18, “Nashik Police Commissioner Deepak Pandey issued orders for Rane’s immediate arrest after an FIR was registered against him in the north Maharashtra city. He was taken into custody by police in coastal Ratnagiri district, where he is travelling as part of the Jan Ashirwad Yatra.” Rane was taken to the Sangameshwar police station after being taken into custody, stated the news reports, adding that the BJP leader had complained of high blood pressure and sugar levels and was examined by a doctor.

The Shiv Sena has alleged that Rane’s comments were deliberate and would fuel unrest . Media reports showed that there was sloganeering, allegedly by Shiv Sena members near Rane’s Mumbai home. And that they were  “stopped by BJP workers”.  His party colleague and former CM Devendra Fadnavis told the media that while he didn’t support Rane’s comments but the police action was excessive and a misuse of power: “We don’t support Narayan Rane’s statement (against Uddhav Thackeray) but I, as an individual & the party stand with him,” adding that “Sharjeel Usmani had abused Bharat Mata but no FIR was registered against him but you (state govt) filed an FIR against Narayan Rane” 

केंद्रीय मंत्री श्री नारायणराव राणे यांच्यावरील कारवाई ही सूडबुद्धीने केलेली आहे.

पोलिस यंत्रणेचा दुरूपयोग करीत होत असलेल्या या दडपशाहीचा मी तीव्र निषेध करतो.

शर्जिल उस्मानी मोकाट आणि
नारायण राणे यांना अटक!

हे आहे नवे हिंदूत्त्व आणि
असा आहे नवा महाराष्ट्र !!!#NarayanRane

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 24, 2021

Action against Union Minister Narayanrao Rane is absolute vendetta !
We strongly condemn this gross misuse of police force & suppression.
Sharjeel Usmani is free & Narayan Rane arrested!

This is their Hindutva & This is what Maharashtra looks like @MeNarayanRane #NarayanRane

— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 24, 2021

Fadnavis also  compared the police action to the Taliban: “I want to make it clear that we do not support the comment about the Chief Minister but we will stand by Rane with all our strength. I want to tell the police commissioner that if there is no action against those who attacked our offices then both opposition leaders will sit on dharna at the police commissioner’s office. There should be a rule of law, not Taliban rule,” he was quoted by NDTV.

Meanwhile, Sena MP Vinayak Raut wrote to  Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded that Rane be sacked from the Union Cabinet: “To impress the BJP leadership, Rane has been attacking Shiv Sena and its leaders. He lost his mental balance after his induction into the Modi-led ministry. Modi should show him the door.” 

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FIR against Param Bir Singh for caste-based harassment

The post Cabinet Minister Narayan Rane Arrested For “Slap Thackeray” Remark appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Responding to the arrests of  at least 30 Haryana farmer leaders between midnight and early morning of November 24, 2020, various representatives of farmers unions condemned the cowardly behaviour of the state administration.

Many leaders of AIAWU are arrested in Haryana 2 days before the Delhi March of peasants and workers against agrarian Acts. Ramchander Comrade Sehnal was arrested at 3.45 am from his village.

— ☭Rajeev Chowk Metro Station?//Karl Marx’onlyfan☭ (@Jagritibutnew) November 24, 2020

Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav who was the first to voice news of the arrests on Tuesday morning, said the arrests were desperate attempts by the government to suppress the farmers protest march on November 26 and November 27.

“A scared government is trying to scare us. They think violence will silence us. However, we want to make it clear that the protest on November 26 will happen no matter what. Groups of farmers have already set out to reach Delhi from Maharashtra and Karnataka,” said Yadav.

Speaking about the sudden arrests, Haryana President of the All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) Rajendra said, “This method of the state government to repress farmers shows that the movement has bewildered the administration. Leaders who suffer heart problems, were forcibly taken away from their homes without any medication. We demand that leaders be released immediately.”

Similarly, General Secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) Hannan Mollah claimed that the arrests were a scheme of the ruling party to stifle the grievances of farmers.

Hannan Mollah, CPIM PolitBuro member & general secretary of @KisanSabha condemns arrests of kisan leaders in Haryana before the Dilli Chalo call of Kisan Organisations. pic.twitter.com/opKc0E5878

— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) November 24, 2020

Meanwhile, Yadav claimed that the arrests were an attempt to turn the peaceful protests into violent riots. However, he said that farmers everywhere would follow Punjab’s example in adhering to law and order.

“To the Haryana government, I want to say that farmers will not resort to violence. Punjab farmers have been observing their protests for 50 days and not a single vehicle has been hurt. We will do the same. We will sit where police stop us. We will not break any barriers,” he said.

Member of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee’s (AIKSCC) national group Satyavan said, “There are four points in Haryana from where farmers would enter Delhi – the Chandigarh-Delhi highway, the Delhi-Sirsa highway near Rohtak, the Jaipur-Delhi highway and Faridabad. Farmers will proceed to Jantar Mantar in Delhi from these points.”

Leaders stated that lakhs of farmers had begun their march to Delhi from Punjab. As many as 500 farmer organisations had promised to participate in the event. Reinforcing the demands of the protest, Haryana President of the Janwadi Mahila Samiti Usha demanded the withdrawal of the three agriculture laws forcibly passed by the Union government.

“These farm laws will hike up prices of essential food products. Further they will affect marginal farmers, especially the women who will work on the fields. Our organisation members will join Punjab farmers at the four points on November 26 to show our support to the movement,” she said.

Related:

Stoke the fire in your hearts! Rise in protest! Workers, lawyers, Unions stand with India’s farmers
AIKSCC declares pan-India Solidarity Day and Delhi Chalo march
Farmers answer second clarion call to protest anti-farmer laws
Farmers organisations announce nation-wide road blockade on November 5

The post At least 30 farmer leaders in Haryana arrested! appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Two 20-year-old men were arrested in Ghaziabad for allegedly posting an “objectionable” photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on Facebook, said police on September 28.

The Kavi Nagar police arrested Zakir Husain Aalam and Sadi Ali Khan after Advocate Akash Vashishtha lodged a complaint under the IT Act for printing or engraving defamatory matter and for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.

While filing the FIR, Vashishtha stated that while he was neither a political person nor affiliated to any party, he felt it was his duty as a citizen to report such an incident. He claimed that no responsible citizen would tolerate such an insult to his Prime Minister. Moreover, he said that Facebook is an international social media website where such posts could bring shame to the country and portray Modi in a bad light.

The police report said that Vashishtha was browsing the social media platform when he came across the ‘Modi Mission 2024’ group. There he found a morphed picture of Modi that was allegedly posted by Hussain. The complainant said he went on to browse through Hussain’s profile and found another objectionable photo of the Home Minister. The next day, he alleged he found similar content on Ali’s profile.

According to Superintendent of Police (City) Abhishek Verma, the local police arrested the two youths on Monday for their objectionable social media posts. He said the police were questioning the two accused on their social media activity and that the authorities would take further action after digital evidence is analysed.

However, Vashishtha also criticised the police for delaying the filing of the FIR. He said that the incident took place in May while the Ghaziabad Police arrested the men only recently. However, Verma denied this claim asserting that the FIR was filed within hours of receiving the complaint.

Related:

Police have found no incriminating evidence on Rajeev Sharma: Lawyer
UP Police arrest suspended colleague for social media post on PM, CM
Delhi-based Journalist Prashant Kanojia arrested by UP police for “some tweets”
Professor arrested after students file FIR against him for insulting PM Modi

The post 2 youths arrested for sharing “objectionable” photos of PM Modi and Shah appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On Sunday night, 22 members of the Hindu Army, a right-wing group were arrested for giving a call for ‘Krishna Janmabhoomi’ movement in Mathura. The men had put posters across town that declared that the movement would start at 11 A.M on Monday, reported The Telegraph.

Mathura Superintendent of Police, Uday Shankar told the publication, “A large number of Hindu Army members began assembling near the temple on Sunday evening without permission from the local administration. They were trying to conduct objectionable activities. We arrested 22 of them under Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to prevent the commission of cognisable offences.”

SabrangIndia was the first to report on the resurrection of movements identical to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in wake of the Ayodhya judgment. In Mathura, a Shahi Idgah that stands adjacent to the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple is now in the eye of the storm. It was allegedly built by Aurangzeb after razing a Krishna temple that stood at the site. The Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi Trust has staked claim to a four-and-a-half acre pot of land next to the mosque to use as a Ranga Manch (variety hall) for religious and cultural functions organised by the trust and temple authorities. An organisation called Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi Nirman Nyas was registered on July 23, 2020. It reportedly has 80 ‘saints’ from 14 states as its members.

In the late 80s and the early 90s, both in the run up to and in the immediate aftermath of the demolition of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya, entire neighbourhoods would reverberate with chants of “Ayodhya Babri toh jhaanki hai, Kashi-Mathura baaki hai!”

The communal flames were reignited after Sudhir Singh, a local politician from Varanasi, gave the call to ‘liberate’ Kashi Vishwanath temple and launched the Kashi Vishwanath Mukti Andolan shortly after the SC judgment in the Ayodhya dispute case. Singh made the announcement at Assi Ghat on Mahashivratri earlier this year and was also arrested and sent to jail briefly for the same.

Combating Communalism

SabrangIndia’s predecessor Communalism Combat, a publication spearheaded by journalists and human right defenders Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand, had in its May 2003 issue documented what was dubbed Hindutva’s Hitlist. The publication had documented no less than seven widely publicised statements made by the VHP and BJP, in tandem since December 2002, that are indirect threats to demolish mosques and churches in different parts of the country, in the guise of ‘liberating 30,000 Hindu temples’.

Related:

Are Kashi-Mathura mosques in the crosshairs of hardliners again?
Kashi, Mathura Mosques on Hindutva’s hit list but that’s not all as India inches towards the Rashtra

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Close on the heels of what can only be called the biggest ‘lockup students and activists during national lockdown’ project spearheaded by Delhi Police, now two Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) students, have been arrested, in the same manner. The students identified as Farhan Zuberi and Ravish Ali Khan were arrested on Thursday.

The two have been arrested allegedly for their participation in the democratic protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that began in the winter of 2019. Ravish, who was arrested around 12 pm, was released by the local police, but Farhan was sent to jail in Aligarh, The Quint reported.

These arrests are the latest additions in what seems like an arrest-roster that is being filled up with students and activists who had been participating in peaceful protests voicing their dissent against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Most of these arrests have taken place after the national lockdown was announced once the Covid-19 pandemic began to spread across the country.

India is now in the fourth phase of the lockdown and social distancing is a key rule that has been put in place to help slow down the spread of the Coronavirus. This has resulted in the suspension of all mass gatherings across the city. These arrests are taking place at a time when it is impossible to protest, or gather in solidarity with the victims. 

Farhan is a final year student of Masters in Social Work, while Ravish is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in the same course, stated The Quint. According to the report Farhan has “10-11 charges against him for taking part in anti-CAA protests in December”.

The two were out for some personal work and were intercepted at an area called Madrak by plain clothes policemen. The Quint quotes Ravish as saying they were stopped forcefully:

“We were driving fast, the police stopped our car and threw the barricade towards our car in such a way that the side-view mirror fell and hit on my hand. I have got injuries but none very serious.”

Ravish was released after nearly six hours spent at the police station as he had to no charges against him, but Farhan, who was a known face during the protests and was also a part of the AMU coordination committee, was sent to  jail and charged with of Attempt to Murder, and Sedition. Ravish told the journalist that he was scared the police would charge him too as he had also been active in the anti-CAA protest. According to the news report, he has been charged under the sections of the Indian Penal Code which range from Section 307 — Attempt to murder; Section 124A — Sedition; Section 153A — Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence  to Section 188 — Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant; Section 353 — Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty;  Section  504 — Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace; as well as Section 506 — criminal intimidation, Section  147 — rioting and Section  336 — Act endangering life or personal safety of others.

Most students and activists arrested in Delhi have also been charged under similar sections, most of them are Muslims, and were active in the anti-CAA protest demonstrations, which started in Delhi and soon became nationwide. Most of those arrested were first called for questioning by the special cell, and later placed under arrest. Many of them continue to be behind bars even as the Covid-19 pandemic rages on in the national capital. 

However, one of them was granted bail by a Delhi court on Thursday. According to a PTI report, Jamia Millia Islamia student Asif Iqbal Tanha, was granted bail in a case related to violence near the university during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in December 2019. The PTI stated that Additional Sessions Judge Gaurav Rao granted the relief to Tanha on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 25,000 and a surety of the same amount. The court had noted that eight out of 10 accused in the case were on bail. It also considered that 24-year-old Tanha, was a student and had “clean antecedents”. It granted bail “on the ground of parity and most importantly considering the present situation arising out of Covid, accused is admitted to bail.” 

Though some others were granted bail in one FIR, but then re-arrested in another as was reported by SabrangIndia earlier. The most recent has been the case of two women activists  Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, leaders of the feminist rights group Pinjra Tod, who are  students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and who were arrested taking part in anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in the capital, then granted bail but rearrested by the Delhi Crime Branch immediately. This time they have been charged with murder and attempt to murder.

It should also be remembered that the pregnant student activist Safoora Zargar, had been denied bail, and her Judicial custody was extended till June 25. Safoora, a scholar in the sociology department of the prestigious Jamia Millia Islamia university Safoora who was arrested by the special cell of the Delhi police on April 10. Sabrang had in multiple reports highlighted that she is in the second trimester of her first pregnancy, and has been lodged behind prison bars for well over a month, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Inmates, and staff, at the overcrowded jails are extremely vulnerable to being exposed to Coronavirus. And pregnant women have been classified as being amongst the most vulnerable. 

Other scholars and human rights defenders currently in jail, and many charged under various IPC provisions, as well as the dreaded Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) include:  Gulfisha Fatima, Khalid Saifi, Meeran Haider, Shifa ur Rehman and Sharjeel Imam. Delhi Police has also seized the mobile phone of former DU student, human rights defender and lawyer Kawalpreet Kaur.

Related:

https://sabrangindia.in/article/student-activist-safoora-zargar-denied-bail-judicial-custody-extended-till-june-25
https://sabrangindia.in/article/bail-one-case-custody-another-two-pinjra-tod-activists
https://sabrangindia.in/article/eight-political-parties-condemn-arrests-students-and-activists-letter-president
https://sabrangindia.in/article/free-safoora-indians-hold-car-rally-canada-solidarity-student-activist

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Image Courtesy: PTI
 

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