The proceedings for these arrests, six in total,   including three retired teachers and a government employee, for various social media posts—ranging from questioning government failures to allegedly defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi– in the context of the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir were made in quick moves,  while  no strict and concrete actions  have been taken against those openly calling for violence against minorities, secular persons, and Opposition party members,  is the allegation against the police and their policies.

The recent arrests reportedly came after some ‘Hindu activists’, identifying themselves as ‘sanatanis’, marched the streets or lodged police complaints, even  branding the accused as “communists and anti-nationals”. They reportedly also unleashed a campaign for these arrests through online posts.

Among those arrested are:

Jahar Debnath, a retired teacher from Ambassa in the Dhalai district in Tripura, who is alleged to have questioned the “perceived silence of Hindu deities during the killing of Hindus in Pahalgam” in a social media post. In another post, he demanded punishment for supporters of the Pahalgam attackers: “Those who support the brutality of Pahalgam should be hanged publicly.” Before his arrest, Debnath could issue a statement saying: “If any of my posts hurt anyone, I apologize (in the context of questioning ‘silence’).”

Kuldip Mondol, a Students Federation of India (SFI) leader, from the same locality, was arrested for “supporting Debnath” and “expressing similar views”. Both were labelled as “communist” and “anti-national” by so-called ‘sanatanis’.

Debnath and Mandal have been charged under stringent Sections 152 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and others. Section 152 criminalises inciting secession or rebellion against India, punishable by life imprisonment. Section 299 punishes deliberate insults to religious feelings, carrying up to three years’ imprisonment or a fine. Both are under five days of judicial custody.

Sajal Chakraborty, a retired teacher from a northern Tripura sub-division, Dharmanagar, is said to have questioned intelligence failure in a social media post, suggesting similarities of Pahalgam with the Pulwama attack and its possible electoral implications. He demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah for the “lapses”. In a comment on someone else’s post, he also  suggested that with elections due in Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal and Kerala, such an incident appeared “an attempt to gather support”.

Chakraborty has been charged under BNS Sections of 196, 352 and 353, for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintaining harmony. Section 196 criminalises actions or speech that incite hatred or disharmony between communities. Section 353 addresses statements or information that could lead to public mischief, fear, or harm, particularly when they incite hatred or enmity between different groups. Section 352 addresses the offense of intentional insult with the intent to provoke a breach of peace. It penalizes individuals who deliberately insult others, knowing or intending that their actions will incite a person to disturb public order or commit a crime.

Prabir Chaudhuri, another retired teacher from Dharmanagar, was arrested in follow-up action after a group of BJP kariyakartas complained against him a day after Chakraborty’s arrest, for commenting “right” etc., on a post by Chakraborty.

Mansoor Ali, a government employee in the state fire department, was arrested by the Dharmanagar police for posting images “defaming PM Modi, HM Amit Shah, and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.”

In all the cases, certain saffron brigade  or BJP leaders are said to have filed cases or complaints.

Jahirul Islam from Sonamura, a religious minority-predominated sub-division in the Western Tripura, was arrested for a social media post for allegedly issuing a warning of violence against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He has been granted bail.

The R K Pur police of the Gomati district arrested one Sadek Miah at his home from another district in an ‘wee hours operation’  for allegedly posting defaming content against the Prime Minister, said an police officer adding that there is another accused of the same kind, and the youths might have been misguided.

The arrests come in the backdrop of members of some saffron-aligned groups openly spreading hate against a religious  minority community.  For instance, Tripura Yuba Morcha (a ruling BJP affiliate) state spokesperson Amlan Mukherjee, in his posts, has labelled members of the religious minority community as “terrorists”. He has allegedly called upon ‘Bengali Hindus’ to stop donating blood (for patients), and vowed not to donate blood to ‘*****’.  In another post, the BJP youth leader has even reportedly made derogatory remarks “connecting the birth of ‘secular Left and Congress’ activists”. Mimicking the colonial British paraphrase of “Dogs and Indians…”, he has displayed a poster on his Facebook page, “Dogs and ****** are not allowed.”

It may be mentioned that BJP is in alliance with two Scheduled Tribe- based parties, IPFT and Tipra Motha, and has been running the state government.

In contrast to the arrests, questions are being raised as to why the police are yet to take firm action against those spreading hate  against the minority community and  attempting to promote  enmity among different communities via social media posts and videos. For instance, a purported video circulating on social media openly threatens gory physical violence against Muslims and secular voices, posted by one Chandan Debnath of Belonia in South Tripura.

In the wee hours, the police reportedly took Debnath to the police station and released him on a personal bond. This reporter spoke to the OC, who said they prosecuted him under BNSS 126 and BNSS 129. Several lawyers, who have been watching these proceedings,  opining to the action that came  after days from postings of the alleged video,  commented, ” Too little” and “Too late”.

The retired teachers or a youth, who raised questions, and demanded the Home Minister’s resignation for “lapses” or saw the possibility of national tragedies turning into electoral gains, are being prosecuted in almost a lightning speed.

Those lawyers pointed, ” Jahar Debnath, Kuldip Mondol were arrested within 24-hours after they wrote those posts, and under stringent sections, while Chandan Debnath got  a walk-in and go home chance.”

No action has also been taken against several persons affiliated with Sangh   outfits, such as one Pranab Das, a teacher from Sabroom, a southern sub-division, who called for violence against minorities  as well as “Secular Hindus, Congress, Trinamool and CPI(M)” in a social median post.

“No ****** can live in our Tripura and India. If you see any ****** kill them and also kill Secular Hindus, Congress, Trinamool and CPI (M),” he reportedly wrote.

The crackdown drive by Tripura Police seems to have mainly focused on those questioning the State’s failures, crticising BJP leaders,  or  religious narratives disliked by the saffron brigade. BJP youth leader Mukherjee’s communal posts continue without facing any legal action.

A right wing  group at the Gomati district headquarters had  been staging demonstrations  from the morning blocking a highway bridge  demanding the arrest of a youth who, according to them, made inappropriate remarks against a deity. They chanted slogans like, “We will peel off skin,” and, “Wherever he is on this planet, he should be arrested.” However, there have also been alleged derogatory remarks against other religious figure.The police gave them an undertaking to arrest the accused in a time bound manner by completing tasks of  deporting him from abroad!

A section of people perceived to be from the intellectual class, such as physicians and journalists, are also highly  active in hate-mongering.

The complaint leading to the arrest of Jahar Debnath and Kuldip Mandal was filed by Parashar Biswas, a local press reporter. Ironically, Biswas himself had recently posted inflammatory content suggesting that “tip-clipped” (circumcised?) people from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and ‘here’ should be killed. No police action has been taken against him either.

An influential leader of government doctors in Tripura, Dr. Ajoy Biswas, mocked ‘Bapu’ in a post, writing: “If Bapu were alive today, he would have gone on a hunger strike unto death, for stopping  the water supply to Pakistan.”

In a separate post on April 20, Dr. Biswas wrote: “Hindus do not block roads because they respect the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court does not respect Hindus because they do not block roads.”

Both the journalist and the doctor are evidently aligned with the saffron ideology.

These are only a few instances amid the flood of posts and comments in social media after the Pahalgam terror incident. But, targeting secular and liberal persons seems to have become ‘normal’ in the state.

Two days ago,  two CPI(M) party offices, in Dharmanagar and Dukli, were attacked, including the personal car of a state-level Left leader.  A district-level Left leader Haridhan Debnath is recuperating in hospital after being allegedly attacked.

According to political observers, the crackdown on social media posts appears to have been triggered by the demands made by certain saffron  groups, and silence on  or absence of actions to hate-speech targeting  seculars, minorities  stand in sharp contrast to Prime Minister Modi’s statements: “We are secular not because the word was added in our Constitution. Secularism is in our blood. We believe in Sarva Pantha Sambhava.” He tweeted these in 2014.

Meanwhile, CPI(M)’s Jitendra Chowdhury, who is Leader of Opposition in the Tripura Assembly, has reacted sharply to the recent events in the state.

“This is not the time for allegations and counter-allegations. It is a time of crisis when the whole nation must unite to fight terrorism, whether it is outside or inside the country, this is not the time for mudslinging. Unfortunately, I am seeing that ruling party workers and supporters are directly inciting violence.”

Chowdhury cited a teacher from Manubazar “openly saying that Muslims should not be allowed to stay in India and that CPI(M), Congress, and secularists should be attacked. Where are the police? Where is the cyber cell? Sadly, a retired teacher and a youth have been arrested in Ambassa for peaceful calls to unite people against terrorism. It is not a crime to call for peace. Why is there no action against ruling party leaders giving threats on social media?”

The CPI(M) leader urged the Chief Minister and DGP: “Please remember that the administration has no political party. If the administration acts with one eye closed, terrorists will be encouraged. This is not the right way to fight terrorism. Those writing such things on social media must refrain. The unity of the people of India is essential.”

Despite repeated attempts by this reporter, police authorities did not respond to queries. Messages and emails to IGP (Law and Order) Manchak Ippar and SP (Police Control) Ranadhir Debbarma remained unanswered. Only AIGP (Law and Order) Ananta Das responded, stating that he was on leave and could not comment, and advised contacting Debbarma, who is in-charge—but those attempts too yielded no response. Other police sources were tight-lipped when asked how the police were viewing the matter overall, including social media comments and counter-comments related to the Pahalgam incident. Some of the queries were: How many people have been arrested in total? Names and details? Exactly what charges have been filed against them, and under which sections? Regarding the posts that led to their arrests, what exactly was written? Some alleged obscene remarks about ‘Tripureshwari’ have circulated on social media, though the person in question posted an apology—has he been arrested? Also, a post demanding this person be ‘sacrificed’ has surfaced. A seemingly retaliatory post to his contains alleged derogatory remarks about another religious entity. Has any action been taken in these cases? Posts advocating violence against a particular community, Opposition party members, and secularists have appeared. Has any action been taken in these contexts? If not, surely there must be some reasons. What are those reasons? However, no response has been received from any officer, even after a considerable time has elapsed.

Meanwhile, the Tripura Police has issued a warning against forwarding communal content—similar to statements made during the 2018 mob lynching spree, which resulted in few or no concrete actions.

Also, the Chief Minister convened a meeting with the SPs and DMs, reportedly to identify foreigners staying in the state illegally. No Pakistanis have been found in the state so far, claimed a source.

The writer is a freelancer based in Tripura. The views are personal.

Courtesy: Newsclick

The post Pahalgam: Tripura Police Face Allegations of Bias Amid Arrests for Social Media Posts appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Speaking with Indian Express, Shaikh remained steadfast, noting that she will not resign from the post as she has given “hundred per cent to the organisation” and remarked “I live in democratic India; I hold the principle of freedom of speech in high regard as it is a cornerstone of democracy. It is unimaginable that my expression would provoke such a malicious response, furthering their biased agenda”. In a conversation with Scroll Shaikh claimed that the management acknowledged her contribution to the school, but they were under “immense pressure” to take action against me.

Significantly, in recent years several incidents (see here, here, and here) have taken place in which teachers, academics, and educational institutions have come under attack from various religious and extremist forces, stirring communal rifts and impinging freedom of speech and expression in educational institutions. In many such cases, the administration and police, instead of pursing the mob and communal elements, have booked teachers and academics, on occasions even leading to their dismissal or suspension. Increasingly, the role students have also become prominent in such controversies, with several incidents reported in which students have joined a mob or have become a mob unto themselves and have fought against teachers.

What are the allegations in OpIndia article against Somaiya School principal Parveen Shaikh?

The article which was published on April 24 is exclusively based on Shaikh’s likes and comments posed on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), and alleges that her likes and comments sympathetic to Palestine and Hamas reveals her “real story”. The piece pointed to one of the posts she liked, which said, “Resistance is not terrorism”, and noted that “This post essentially legitimised the October 7 terror attack calling it ‘resistance’ and not ‘terrorism’.” Similarly, OpIndia found problem with her liking the posts by Hamas, and “Islamists”. The article also took objection to the likes given by her on the posts uploaded by Sharjeel Usmani and Swara Bhaskar, the latter tweet by Bhaskar which was posted in support of Umar Khalid was read by the portal as “extending support to Islamist Umar Khalid”. Pertinently, the article provides details of such accounts and posts under the rubric of “Islamists in India”.

Shaikh’s acerbic comments on PM and UP CM Yogi Adityanath were also pulled out to show that she was abusive of them, before concluding that “One defence in her favour could be that…‘liking’ a tweet does not mean endorsement. However…If she was using her ‘likes’ as a way to simply save tweets without endorsing them, she perhaps would not be ‘liking’ pro-Hamas, pro-Islamist, and anti-Hindu tweets consistently over the years.” On the basis of her comments critical of Modi, the article observed that the principal “was seen insinuating that PM Modi is a ‘fraud’, ‘evil’ and enabler of ‘genocide.’” Importantly, OpIndia did not provide any evidence regarding her professional misfit for the position of the principal except remarking that a Hamas sympathiser is “entrusted with the education of thousands of unsuspecting children.”

Parents support the principal

In conversation with Scroll, several parents expressed their opinions on the matter, with some expressing their displeasure over the incident, while others supporting the principal. Speaking to one of the parents, Scroll reported the parent as saying that the “opinions were not proper for the school”. Several parents have also backed the principal, another parent, Preeti Gopalkrishnan, claimed that Shaikh promoted “cultural harmony, tolerance and peace”. Similarly, Shilpa Phadke told the reporter that she found Shaikh to be a “thoughtful and creative teacher” and “It is untenable that an extraordinary educator should be targeted in this way because she is a Muslim, and then be asked to leave”. Indian Express reported that some of the parents have also reached out to the Trust, and “expressed their strong support to Shaikh for her ‘integrity, professionalism and role in steering the school towards growth’”. One of the parents was quoted as saying that “Her views on certain subjects do not make a difference”.

A disturbing trend of growing intolerance against academic communities

Gujarat saw a particularly violent incident in early October 2023. The incident occurred in Ghatlodia area of Ahmedabad on October 3 in which members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Bajrang Dal protested against the school after the video of the school programme organised on September 29 went viral on social media. The video had shown children offering namaz and sing Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua, a children’s prayer written by Muhammad Iqbal. After the incident, the principal of the school, Nirali Dagli, issued a clarification saying that it was the tradition of the school to make students aware about different religions and religious practices, and in the past, they had done such activities on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and Samvatsari (Jain festival).

Reported by NDTV and CJP, a teacher was actually beaten up by an extreme rightwing mob for teaching diversity. The private school teacher was beaten for allegedly making students perform namaz as part of an awareness activity. Subject to violence simply because of carrying out an educational activity intended to promote cultural sensitivity and break down communal barrier, the incident first led to protests and subsequently found itself involved in a government investigation in Kalorex Future High School in Ahmedabad’s Ghatlodia after a video of the same went viral on social media. Members of several right-wing organisations, including the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Bajrang Dal descended outside the school and staged protests on the school premises. These groups vehemently protested against the activity and demanded that such incidents be prohibited within educational institutions.  Several of these protestors even physically assaulted a teacher who was merely playing a musical instrument when the students were asked to practise prayers from different faiths, according to NDTV.

Mumbai and Maharashtra have also been specific to such systemic targeted attacks.

Sabrangindia on September 11, 2023 reported on a detailed fact-finding conducted by a group of women’s oranisations in and around Kolhapur, highlighting the growing attacks on educational institutions by fringe right-wing elements. The investigation had concluded on how 11 educational institutions became target of organised Hindutva mobs in and around Kolhapur, including the districts of Sangli and Satara. In the period of June-August 2023, as a sinister run up to the 2023 general elections (followed by the state assembly elections), women teachers in as many as nine schools in Kolhapur Sangli and neighbouring districts, were being pressurised and targeted; tactics are planned coercive manipulations in classrooms followed. These alarming incidents, of mob student-driven violence, have occurred in the educational sector in the districts of Kolhapur-Sangli-Satara, which are under the jurisdiction of Shivaji University. These episodes of targeted attacks on campuses and teachers took place from June 8 to August 17, involving the following institutions, namely, Kolhapur Institute of Technology (June 8), Vivekananda College (Kolhapur) (July 18), Dattajirao Kadam Arts, Science and Commerce College (Ichalkaranj) (July 21), Seventh-day Adventist School (Kolhapur) (August 4), Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu College (Kolhapur)(August 12 and August 17), Pandit Nehru Vidhyalay and Junior College, Rayat Shikshan Sanstha (Sangli)(July 17), Yashwantrao Chavan College (Satara)(August 9), and Chandrabai-Shantappa Shendure College (Kolhapur).

Close to a dozen incidents of organized mob intimidation of teachers and the school administration were documented.  Disturbing is the creation and constitution of this “mob”. In several cases it is students who initially make objectionable statements within the class, who when the teacher rationally responds, return with “mob” outside the premises, pressurizing the administration to “act” against the teacher! This planned program was reportedly being carried out in various educational institutions, targeting teachers by deliberately inciting students on religious grounds, putting pressure on the management of educational institutions and disrupting the harmonious educational environment. It was the meticulous documentation by senior women activists from various organisations, who put together the fact-finding report under the umbrella organization, “Women Protest for Peace” (WPFP) that brought these incidents to light.

Another incident around July 2023 was significant. Reported by The Wire this incident in Pune’s Talegaon Dabhade area took place on July 4 when a group of parents, accompanied by members of the vigilante Bajrang Dalentered the school’s premises and assaulted a school principal for allegedly singing a prayer with the phrase of “Dear Lord.” The attack was documented by some of the staff on video and the incident showed, the teacher, a Christian, Alexander Coatyes Reid being chased by a mob of over 25-30 persons chanting Har Har Mahadeo. The mob tore his shirt and attacked the teacher on the allegations that students were being forced to recite Christian prayers, which the police found to be untrue. The Pimpri-Chinchwad police also refuted the charge that CCTVs were installed in girls’ toilets, clarifying that they were installed only in the common areas near the wash basins.

Karnataka not spared

In February this year, 2024, Mary Prabha Selvaraj, a school teacher at St Gerosa School in Mangalore, Karnataka, was sacked from her job after furore arose over the incident on February 8 in which the teacher was accused of raising remarks against Lord Ram and PM Modi. The alleged audio clip of the teacher spread across the social media, even as the mob gathered in front of the school along with the Mangaluru City South MLA, Vedavyasa Kamath, to protest against the teacher. The headmistress of the school Sister Anitha accused Kamath of forcing her to sack the teacher, as the MLA threatened to intensify the protest if the school did not accept his demand. The Hindu quoted the headmistress of the school as saying, “‘…It was hurting to note that the MLA who should have been a person for all, gathered the children around him and instigated them to shout slogans against their own school..’”.  Sister Anithra also dismissed the allegations that the teacher had abused Hindu religion, and explained that she was teaching Rabindranath Tagore’s poem ‘Work is worship’, during which she taught that human beings should not be killed in the name of God and God doesn’t exist in the structures but in the human hearts.

In the same month, three Muslims teachers were suspended from the Government Senior Secondary School in Khajuri Odpur in Kota’s Sangod block by the education department following the memorandum submitted by Sarva Hindu Samaj on 20 February to the Education Minister Madan Dilawar, as per the Indian Express report. The suspension orders were issued on February 22 and 24 against the three teachers. The right-wing groups alleged that school had been carrying out religious conversion and jihadi activities, and had asked Hindu students to offer namaz. The major controversy had erupted after a Hindu girl was allegedly marked as Muslim in her Transfer Certificate by the school authorities. While the principal clarified that it was a human error, and School Register had still marked her as a Hindu, the confusion and tension prevailed as the girl later eloped with a Muslim boy. Eventually, the girl filed an affidavit in court noting that she had willingly gone with the boy, without any coercion.  The school also attracted the attention as the video recording of the play on sarva dharma sadbhav was edited, cropped and shared, featuring a selective Islamic draping of the tricolour, when in fact the entire play was about rejecting such selective draping of the tricolour by any particular religion. Notably, several students have fought back in the case against the suspension of their teachers, Firoj Khan, Mirza Mujahid, and Shabana, and have protested to the authorities to revoke their suspension, noting that the charges against them are false.

Another incident was reported in Pune on August 3, 2023, where a professor of Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce was arrested on the charges of hurting religious sentiments under IPC Section 295A. The professor, Ashok Sopan Dhole, was also suspended by the varsity allegedly for making objectionable remarks about Hindu deities during a class. His arrest came on the heels of the complaint filed by Ravindra Padwal, who identified himself as a member of an organisation named Samast Hindu Bandhav, reported the Quint. After the incident, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had protested outside the college criticising the professor and demanded that offence be registered against him, Indian Express reported. The newspaper also quoted Dhole saying, “I was teaching Bhakti Rasa… I wanted to convey that we can worship any religion because they are all one and equal. But some students were displeased with me due to earlier incidents and amplified some of my comments differently… my intention was not to hurt religious sentiments. I want to apologise to whoever was hurt by my words”.

In May 2022, a professor was suspended from Sharda University, a private university based in Greater Noida, for giving a question in exam to first year students of BA honours course in Political Science, asking them to compare similarities between Fascism and the Hindu right wing (Hindutva). The question was: “Do you find any similarities between Fascism/Nazism and Hindu right-wing (Hindutva)? Elaborate with the argument.” Following this, the university had issued an apology on May 6, noting that “The University has constituted a three-member committee of senior faculty members to look into the possibility of bias in the questions…pending this inquiry, the University has suspended the concerned faculty. The University regrets that such an incident has taken place that may have the potential for fomenting social discord”.

Related:

11 educational institutions target of organised Hindutva mobs in in Kolhapur: Fact-finding team

Hindutva mob beats up teacher inside school for teaching diversity

Principal of Pune school assaulted by extremist Hindu mob, police allege accusation raised to be fals

The post Why Somaiya School principal in Mumbai should not be asked to resign over her social media posts critical of PM Modi appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“We expect that the administration (police and bureaucracy) to be governed strictly according to the law. After the incident (of the social media post) in Kolhapur city, fuelling a ‘reaction’ how were illegal assemblies and mobs allowed to gather and terror spread?”

Deploring strongly this attempt to spread and create riots, the delegation has in a written statement released thereafter pointed out that, “This is in the city of Kolhapur, which has a tradition of religious harmony between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Rajshree Shahu Maharaj. The incident is condemnable.”

Representatives in the delegation called the Bharatiya Lok Andolan included, Com. Dilip Pawar Dr. Uday Narkar, Bhai Baburao Kadam, Dr. Megha Pansare, .  Prof. Subhash Jadhav, Suresh Shipurkar, Bhai Sambhaji Jagdale, Ravindra Jadhav, Rasiva Padalkar, .   Krushnat Kore, Com. Vivek Godse,   Com. Raghunath Kamble among others.

Besides, the statement released by the delegation, adds, in recent times in Kolhapur, deliberate attempts have been made by Hindutva organizations to polarize society on religious grounds. Before the protest march organized by Hindutva on ‘Love Jihad’, these citizens had met the Collector and urged to disallow it and also to take action against the provocative posters put up announcing the rally. However states the delegation’s statement, no action was taken by the police and administration. In the earlier delegation, the group of citizens had also questioned exactly how many actual cases of ‘love-jihad’ the government has recorded in the district at that time. Then, collector Rekhawar had assured the delegation that he would provide this information, and yet, to date this information has not been made public. Now, stated citizens this information shoul be made public immediately.

On June 7, 2023, it was Hindutva organisations who suddenly called a Kolhapur “bandh” to demand strict action against those who posted offensive status and release of their detained activists. Despite the curfew, a large number of people were allowed to gather and despite police appeals for calm, they violently attacked, pelted stones, vandalized and vandalized. Muslim persons and their shops were attacked and damaged. The motive and plan was clearly to cause damage to one section, a particular community (read Muslims). According to media reports dozens were injured and the total losses suffered by people in the targeted violence was a staggering Rs 1.5 crores.

On June 7, at a meeting with the guardian minister for the district, Dilip Kesarkar, members of the delegation were present and took strong exception when, at first, he refused to allow some of the independent citizens representatives to speak. Said comrade Dilip Pawar, a close associate of the late comrade Pansare vehemently objected and observed that it was the obligation of an elected representative to meet and listen to the grievances of all citizens, especially those working for harmony and social peace.

The delegation had also met the riot-affected families in the targeted areas and told the Collector that fear still reigns and the concern is how to compensate for the losses suffered by the economically deprived.

The serious issues raised by the delegation of citizens are:

1.        The events that took place dated on June 6 and 7, 2023 have violated the secular principles of the Constitution and the values of equality and reconciliation of Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj. Also according to these values administration and police more strict action is expected from them.
2.         Criminals should be prosecuted by law. But why was the entire society under siege?
3.         How could thousands of people gather in the city despite the ban? Who exactly were these people? How did they stockpile stones, bricks, glass bottles? How could the police not have an idea of this? Why was no action taken before the riots? When there was no response to the call made by the police to withdraw the bandh, why did not an urgent meeting of the representatives of both communities be called for peace?
4. By all accounts this riot seems to have been premeditated. It is the responsibility of the Hindutva organizations that called for marches and bandhs to control them. Failure to do so will cause the entire city to go through stress took The poor suffered. Why was no strict action taken against the leaders of these organizations? Why are they not being compensated for the damage?
5. It is illegal to demand the release of people involved in rioting and violence when they are arrested. On the contrary, the masterminds of this riot and the people who incited the mob to become violent by giving provocative speeches should be severely punished.
6. On June 7, at the peace meeting organised by the police and administration, the presence of the guardian minister Deepak Kesarkar and representatives of Hindutva organizations was avoidable Meetings with these representatives shd have been separate from the peace meeting. When the meeting one was organized by the administration and the police, why were the office bearers of the political parties present on the stage?
7. Proper Panchnama should be prepared for computing the loss of injured and damaged people in this riot and get them immediate compensation / government assistance.
8. What plan is the administration going to implement to prevent such incidents from happening in the future? How will violent, fanatical organizations be controlled?
9. It has been published in the newspaper that a report has come to the state government that there will be systematic efforts to create such kind of riots in the state. Do you know anything about it?
10. The police and the administration should try to create harmony and harmony by removing the prejudice created by this riot in various caste-religious communities.

The delegation, Bharatiya Lok Andolan representatives offered full cooperation with the

Administration to maintain peace, provide psychological and social support to common people.

The Bharatiya Lok Andolan will also try to establish such reconciliation committees with the cooperation of local people and realize the right of common citizens to live safely in the future. It will also be active to awaken the basic principles of the constitution and the thoughts of Rajshree Shahu.

The representation may be read here:

Related:

Kolhapur Maharashtra: Valorising Aurangzeb will now result in abuse & arrests

Maharashtra: The new breeding ground for hate, oaths of allegiance to the Constitution brutally violated

The post Kolhapur Citizens meet Collector Rekhawar question impunity of Hindutvawaadi organisations appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A 19-year-old youth from Bhiwandi in Thane, Maharashtra survived a mob attack on June 12, 2022 after he posted a remark on social media commenting on suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma’s controversial speech. According to India Today, the youth was also remanded to five-day police custody after he was booked for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and creating enmity between two groups.

Bhiwandi resident Shaad Ashfaq Ansari put up a post on social media regarding Sharma’s speech. In his Instagram story Ansari challenged the rationale of a 50-year-old marrying an underage girl. In the subsequent story he clarified that while he did not support any religion, he voiced concern about an intolerable world that reacted to criticism of a person who died many years ago.

Essentially, Ansari exercised his freedom of speech by questioning the strong reactions to Sharma’s dubious comments. However, in supporting her speech, Ansari ended up attracting the anger of atleast around 125 people in the area. A huge mob gathered outside his house and demanded that the youth apologise for his post. Further, the mob proceeded to slap, thrash and force the boy to read a Kalma (Islamic prayer).

Such behaviour is quite similar to that of Hindutva goons, who target unassuming Muslims and force them to chant Hanuman Chalisa. Here, Ansari went through a similar ordeal. Worse still, when the police arrived, they took away the boy citing a complaint from 18 persons identified and have to appear before court Faraz Fazal Bahaudding alias Baba. He was remanded to police custody for five days under Section 153A. Following coverage from India Today, the police then identified the 18 people who assaulted Ansari and charged them for unlawful assembly, rioting, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation among other IPC sections. Police also increased security personnel in the area to avoid any kind of untoward incident.

On June 10, large sections of India’s Muslim community reacted in a collective  manner against Sharma’s anti-Islamic remarks, particularly against Prophet Mohammad. Her remarks even outraged several Muslim, Gulf countries that demanded an apology from India.

In recent days over 400 people have been arrested for demanding Sharma’s arrest. However, in Ansari’s case, the mob acted the same as right-wing activists who penalize Muslims for wearing skull caps or travelling in public transport with other Hindu folk.

The Mumbai and Parbhani police of Maharashtra have filed FIRs against Sharma as well as TV news anchor Navika Kumar. However, as no arrests have been initiated by the authorities even by June 15, the Muslim community simmers in anger.

Outbursts have taken the form of alleged stone pelting in Kanpur, Ranchi, Prayagraj (Allahabad) and in Maharashtra’s case via a mob attacking a teenager in Bhiwandi.

Related:

Bulldozer Injustice: Homes of alleged June 10 protesters to be demolished in UP?
Now Navika Kumar booked by Maharashtra police!
Friday protests: More people booked for unlawful assembly
Pramod Muthalik stirs the Hanuman Chalisa vs Azaan pot

The post Thane youth thrashed for using free speech? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Delhi University students, teachers, and activists gathered at midnight at the Maurice Nagar police station to protest the late night arrest of historian Rattan Lal (50) who works as an associate professor at Delhi University’s Hindu College. Lal was arrested by Delhi Police allegedly for posting objectionable remarks referring to the claims of a “Shivling” being unearthed at the Varanasi’s Gyanvapi mosque.

Police told the media that Professor Ratan Lal “allegedly posted a photo of the structure and made objectionable comments on Tuesday.” Since then, university circles were abuzz with news of impending police action against him. Late on Friday, May 20th he was “summoned for questioning”, and then arrested. According to Indian Express, DCP (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi confirmed the arrest on Friday night. Police told the media that a case was registered against Lal under IPC sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and 295-A (malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings). The case was reportedly “based on a complaint by a social worker”, stated news reports citing the police. The FIR was registered at Cyber Police Station late Tuesday night, reported IE.

Prof Lal, before his arrest, had shared in a video that he had been getting multiple threats online, and had asked police for “security” and help. According to IE, he said, “I was not expecting threats and abuses for this statement. There is a long tradition of critique in Hinduism from Phule, Ravidas and Ambedkar. Here, I haven’t even critiqued it, it is just an observation. In our country, religious feelings get hurt over anything. What will people do, just put patti (bandage) on their mouths?”

Related:

Gyanvapi case: SC transfers the case from Trial Court to District Court
Filmmaker Avinash Das booked for sharing picture of Amit Shah with arrested IAS officer Pooja Singhal
Another FIR against Prateek Hajela, this time by Hitesh Dev Sarma
Open letter to Sharda University Vice Chancellor

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Stanford scholar Vibhav Mariwala’s tweet sharing a link to an article on Jawaharlal Nehru, was marked as ‘sensitive’ content. All that tweet had was a link to a December 2020 Opinion  titled Nehruvianism: Revisiting Visions of India in 1947, that Mariwala had authored for The Quint.

A click would have taken the reader to the article by Mariwala who studies History and Anthropology at Stanford University. According to his author bio at the end of that article, his most recent research was on the Origins and Implementation of India’s Planned Economy from 1947-64.

Perhaps he decided to share it on May 27, the death anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, as a reminder of Nehru’s vision of Modern India, and how India and Indian leadership dealt with the many challenges a young nation faced. 

There is nothing objectionable, or ‘sensitive’ in the opinion, which reads like a well researched almost academic paper that explains “Jawaharlal Nehru’s vision of India helped guide the country through the crises of 1947.”  Makes one wonder what made Twitter mark his tweet with a link to an opinion written last year, out. 

Mariwala had opined in the article that reading works and speeches of Nehru can “give insight into how to respond to the challenges of 2020.” However, his tweet did not say anything else. The opinion piece on Nehruvianism, Mariwala added that “it is important to not only know of his vision for the country, but the extent to which his vision has eroded this year – a tumultuous year, with riots, protests, national lockdowns, a pandemic that has killed lakhs, wildfires, and cyclones. In 2020, communal and caste tensions have increased, the notion of Federalism has severely been undermined, and democratic institutions have further retrenched, from Parliament, to the Supreme Court. When compounded with the economic crisis, which was further accelerated by Covid-19, India needs a new vision to guide it through the 2020s to overcome its problems.” Is that what triggered this “censorship”?

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Manipur based Kishorechandra Wangkhem is no stranger to being arrested and sent to jail. However, this latest charge under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) may have taken him by surprise, actually probably not. The journalist has been charged under the NSA for his social media posts. According to media reports, Wangkhem, is in police custody for a social media post he made last week “alluding the death” of state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Saikhom Tikendra Singh due to Covid-19 related complications. 

Along with Wangkhem, political activist Erendro Leichombam was arrested on Thursday night, both from their homes, reported NDTV, following a complaint filed against them by the state BJP vice-president, Usham Deban, and general secretary P Premananda Meetei. The BJP leaders’ complaint accused the two men of posting “offensive comments” after Singh’s death. According to the Free Press Journal Wangkhem wrote, “Santhi Sanyung na yadrabo, oh!!! RIP #Rashikang_Kangyet Hayeng nga chaani,” which translates to “Cow dung cow urine didn’t work. Groundless argument. Tomorrow I will eat fish.” Leichombam had made a separate post reportedly dismissing the cow excera as a ‘cure for Covid’ theory.

According to NDTV, court in state capital Imphal, ordered on Monday, that the journalist “be detained under section 3(2) of National Security Act, 1980 until further orders, as and when he is released on bail,” adding that he must be “prevented from commission of such prejudicial activities”.

The posts were reported to be referring to a news feature by Reuters about a group that believed if they  smear cow dung and urine on their bodies it will protect them from being infected by Coronavirus. Medical experts have been dismissing this myth for long, and warning of secondary infections due to close contact with animal excreta. However, for the BJP, any comment on the cow, or cow related issues, is an offence meriting charges under NSA.

The Mumbai Press Club has strongly condemned the arrest,  and demanded that Wangkhem be immediately released.

We strongly condemn the arrest of Impal based journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem and demand his immediate release. While expressing his condolences to a BJP leader, he wrote cow urine and dung are not a cure for Covid. @manipurmygov pic.twitter.com/AnY82Ev7qN

— Mumbai Press Club (@mumbaipressclub) May 16, 2021

In 2020, India’s press freedom rank has dropped to 142 out of 180. Reporters Without Borders (RSF)’ released their ‘2020 World Press Freedom Index’ that evaluates the situation for journalists each year in 180 countries and territories, and on expected lines, India is place 142 out of the 180 countries evaluated; this is two notches below the 140 position of 2019 and worst ever placement for India. The Report said: “Ever since the general elections in the spring of 2019, won overwhelmingly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, pressure on the media to toe the Hindu nationalist government’s line has increased.” Criminal prosecutions are often used to gag journalists critical of the authorities, with some prosecutors invoking Section 124a of the penal code, under which “sedition” is punishable by life imprisonment.

Last year, Wangkhem was arrested for a Facebook post, a year before that he was arrested for something similar. According to NDTV, Wangkhem is facing charges under NSA for the second time. In 2018, the BJP-led Manipur government accused him of Sedition under the NSA after he was detained “allegedly for a social media post criticising Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh.”

Related:

Manipur journalists booked under UAPA, sedition law
FMP condemns misuse of draconian laws to target Manipur journalists
Woman journalist assaulted in Assam

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First Bihar, then Uttarakhand Police have come up with an order to red-flag those passport applicants and other services that need police verification, who post ‘anti-national’ or ’anti-social’ content on their social media accounts.

Bihar DGP SK Singhal issued a directive on February 1, stating that “any person who gets involved in road blockades, protest demonstrations or other activities that affected law and order and against whom the police issues a charge-sheet for involvement in a criminal activity, must be awarded an adverse entry in character verification certificate”.

The directive further states that “such people must be prepared for dire consequences since they would stand deprived of government jobs and contracts” as well, report Outlook. The directive mentions that services such as license for firearms, passport, character certificate, contractual jobs in government, work contracts in government departments, boards and commissions, licences for petrol pump and gas agency, government assistance or grant and bank loans will come under this new scrutiny, requiring a Police Verification Certificate.

A senior police official told the Hindustan Times that all the contractors, especially those engaged in the bidding process for construction of bus stands and vegetable markets, would have to obtain character certificates from the state police.

Bihar Additional DGP (Law and Order) Jitendra Kumar told The Indian Express that the new order was being wrongly interpreted. “The order does not put any curb on one’s democratic right to protest. But if one is involved in any criminal activity in the course of such protests, it will reflect in one’s character certificate.”

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav took to twitter to criticise this move.

मुसोलिनी और हिटलर को चुनौती दे रहे नीतीश कुमार कहते है अगर किसी ने सत्ता व्यवस्था के विरुद्ध धरना-प्रदर्शन कर अपने लोकतांत्रिक अधिकार का प्रयोग किया तो आपको नौकरी नहीं मिलेगी। मतलब नौकरी भी नहीं देंगे और विरोध भी प्रकट नहीं करने देंगे

बेचारे 40सीट के मुख्यमंत्री कितने डर रहे है? pic.twitter.com/h0TDkuR5vP

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) February 2, 2021

“In a challenge to Hitler and Mussolini, Nitish Kumar says if someone uses his democratic right against government by staging dharna-protest, he will not get a government job, which means neither will jobs be given, nor will protest be allowed. How this hapless chief minister with 40 seats is frightened!,” states the tweet in Hindi.

Last week, Bihar Police’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU) had issued a circular calling upon Bihar police to take action against persons and organisations posting “objectionable and indecent” comments (online) against the State government, Minister, MLAs and even MPs and government officials, under IT Act and Indian Penal Code. This circular had also met with a lot of criticism.

Uttarakhand

IE reported that at a conference of police officers held on February 2 Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar asked the police to maintain a record of people who post “anti-national” or “anti-social” content on social media. Responding to a question about what constitutes “anti-national” comments, Kumar reportedly defined it as, “Whoever is writing against national unity and integrity, that is anti-national.”

“First, an opportunity will be provided to a person when he makes any such posts by way of counselling. But if a person does not mend his ways, a record of his posts will be maintained. No amendment in any law or rule will be required to start mentioning ‘anti-national’ posts in the police verification,” Kumar added.

The DGP denied that he had introduced something new or drastic and explained that there is a clause in passport law to not issue passports to anyone indulging in anti-national activities, while admitting that the use of social media to “escalate tension” during the Republic day tractor parade may have prompted this decision.

“As a police officer I stand against anything that falls into the category of anti-national activities as defined by our Constitution…Deterrents like these are necessary to discourage the growing misuse of social media and send a message to users to be more responsible,” said Kumar during the conference.

Related:

Objectionable comments against government, Bihar demands action

Bihar circular on action against critics: Vague and disregards right to dissent

Only 7 percent women officers in police force: IJR 2019

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Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) has approached the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) with a complaint against Kapil Mishra, a BJP politician who is using social media platforms to spew communal hate against minorities of the country.

The CJP complaint dated November 18, 2020 brings to the MEITY’s notice that Kapil Mishra has been using his Twitter account to circulate a google form for his followers to fill and become a part of “Hindu Ecosystem Team” to work together and build the “right” narrative in the media. The form seeks personal details like name, profession, special interests (“gauraksha, gausewa, fight love Jihad, ghar wapsi, halal, mandir nirmal, hindu ekta, sewa, etc”) of his massive eight lakh followers. The membership form asks one to specify whether they would be joining the team “online” or “on the ground” or both. 

The complaint further states how he enjoys validation through a number of followers and likes and that in addition to his tweet, the comment section below his tweet is also a communal menace. There are suggestions in his comment section asking Kapil Mishra to re-do the entire form and ask for Aadhaar details of people who want to join to make sure no Muslim infiltrates the Hindu Ecosystem team.

The complaint further adds that even though Twitter has already declared the membership link “potentially unsafe” and “violent or misleading content that could lead to real world harm”, Kapil Mishra has already advertised online that 18,000 people have been recruited. The complaint mentions how some Twitter users appealed to Mishra to make the link available on other websites as Twitter was allegedly being “bias” against Hindus.

The complaint further cites evidence of inflammatory speeches made by Kapil Mishra on the eve of communal violence that broke out in North East Delhi early this year, appealing MEITY to acknowledge what this new formation can do to public harmony. The complaint lists down the violation of several sections of the Information Technology Act and Indian Penal Code by allowing such content on social media platforms.

It highlights the various offences of promoting enmity, causing disharmony, outraging religious feelings, spreading unverified claims which have been mentioned in detail in the complaint. CJP has prayed that the Ministry take cognisance of the gross misuse of digital platforms in spreading such hate propaganda against Muslims that may lead to social unrest and discrimination.

The entire complaint may be read here:

Related:

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The post CJP moves MEITY against Kapil Mishra’s communal social media posts appeared first on SabrangIndia.

A Uttar Pradesh Police sub-inspector (S-I), reportedly under suspension, was arrested for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Prime Minister as well as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, and also against a particular religion on social media. The cop, identified as Sub-Inspector Vijay Pratap Singh, was arrested on Saturday. According to a report in the Indian Express, the SI is currently under suspension, after cases had been filed at the Civil Lines police station last month.

Singh was sent to judicial custody, by a local court in Etawah, reported IE quoting station house officer (SHO) Civil Lines police station, Jitendra Singh. The report also quoted Additional Superintendent of Police, Etawah, Ram Yash Singh who said “a departmental inquiry against Vijay Pratap Singh was pending” and that a notice has been issued to him.

According to the report, police said that some local residents had filed complaints against Vijay Pratap accusing him of making derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and UP Chief Minister Adityanath on social media. Singh also allegedly made derogatory remarks, the state government and also a particular religion on. Two cases were filed against him. “In all, five cases have been filed against Vijay Pratap in Etawah,” Jitendra Singh told the media.

The SI has had previous actions taken against him, stated the IE report. In March this year, police booked Vijay Pratap and three others for allegedly damaging a religious structure at a village in Sahso police station area in Etawah. Vijay Pratap was deployed in the village to ensure that local residents follow the lockdown norms. Police said Vijay Pratap allegedly told people to gather at a spot in the village and instigated them to damage a religious structure, reported IE. In July, a case was filed after Vijay Pratap allegedly got into a scuffle with a lawyer at court campus, said police. A case was filed at Civil Lines police station. 

According to news reports the SI had earlier been ‘warned’ for posting ‘derogatory comments against the PM, and the CM,’ on social media. Uttar Pradesh police seem to be paying special attention to social media posts, and are acting against anyone they feel is commenting unfavourably on the UP government.

Recently, the Uttar Pradesh Police had arrested Delhi-based journalist Prashant Kanojia, for the second time this year, allegedly over his social media posts. He was arrested on Tuesday, August 18, from his south Delhi residence and taken to the local police station. Kanojia will reportedly be taken to Lucknow for further investigation “in connection with some tweets”. According to his wife as they arrested Prashant UP police said, ‘Tweet ka mamla hai.’ When I asked them which tweet are they talking about, they said, ‘Bohot tweet kiye hain tumney, upar se orders aaye hain humein, follow toh karna padega’.”  (Translation: It’s about tweets, you have tweeted a lot, the orders have come from above, we have to follow them.) 

Kanojia had been locked up in jail for a month now.

Related: 

BJP government under Adityanath is torturing the people in UP: Sanjay Singh 
No warrant, no due process: UP’s ‘Special Force’ to bend all rules!
Heer Khan arrested by UP police for posting abusive anti-Hindu video 
BJP IT cell has gone rogue: Subramanian Swamy
Delhi-based Journalist Prashant Kanojia arrested by UP police for “some tweets”

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