Hate Speech and Delhi Pogrom 2020

A former AAP MLA, he said he had only posted pictures of children but 'they are seeing them as Muslims'

Image Courtesy: nationalheraldindia.com

In what was another instance of the ruling party members engaging in hate speech, BJP leader Kapil Mishra found himself at the end of the wrath of the public over a controversial tweet for stoking communal hatred.

"If you want pollution to come down, then you should reduce these firecrackers and not the ones burst on Diwali," Mishra tweeted tagging a photograph of an elderly man with a skull cap and several children along with women in burqa, waiting in a queue.

The tweet was soon taken down by Twitter for violating its guidelines.

Mahmood Ahmed, a resident of Joga Bai Extension filed the complaint against BJP leader at the Jamia Nagar Police Station requesting to register an FIR under relvant sections of Information Technology Act and the Indian penal Code. Mahmood alleged that Mishra’s tweet allegedly sought to create enmity, hatered and communal violence.

Activist Saket Gokhale also filed an FIR against Mishra at the Bhajan Pura police station in Delhi citing for provocative communal hate speech against minorities.

“This is to bring to your notice that Mr Kapil Mishra, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader from Delhi, has on 28 October 2019 made inflammatory comments targeting the Muslim community through his Twitter handle: @KapilMishra_IND,” the complaint read.

“This content is inflammatory, unacceptable and seeks to create enmity, hatred and communal violence. It is demeaning, degrading and obscene, will corrupt minds and seriously affect religious sentiments. It may lead to illogical and dangerous consequences,” it said.

Mishra, however, maintained that he was only trying to raise awareness on the need for population control.

Twitter war

Soon after Mishra’s tweet, several individuals condemned his idea. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (JDU) criticized his tweet stating that he compared ‘Muslim children to pollution’ for his ‘petty politics’.

To this Mishra replied saying that there was no mention of Hindu or Muslim in his tweet and questioned that if the photo was of a non-Muslim family, would the RJD still take up the matter?

In no time, the right-wing fanatic army soon erupted in support of Mishra with the #IStandWithKapilMishra.

Kapil Mishra later tweeted saying he had even started getting personal calls abusing and threatening him over his tweet.

And showing no remorse for what he had implied, he instead threatened by asking all those who pulled him up for his vile remark, “There is so much fear after one tweet? What will these people do when the population control law comes in place?”

Not the first BJP leader to indulge in communal hate speech

It is a documented fact that under the Modi government, hateful and divisive language by politicians in high posts in the party, has increased almost 500% in the past four years.

Just this month, Gajraj Rana, the BJP’s city president for Deoband ‘advised’ people to buy iron swords on Dhanteras and not gold ornaments and silverware. His comments came soon after the Supreme Court finished hearings in the Ayodha land dispute case.

Again, this month, the Election Commission pulled up BJP Mumbai Chief Mangal Prabhat Lodha for his communal speech at a rally in support of a candidate. He referred to previous instances of terror attacks and riots, claiming that claiming that bombs and bullets were manufactured ‘in lanes within 5 km’ of the meeting venue – one that held a sizeable Muslim population.

In another instance, BJP leader Rajeshwar Singh boasted of the ruling party’s intent to “ethnically cleanse” 200 million Muslims and 28 million Christians.

Right-wing affiliate Bajrang Dal asked organisers to check Aadhaar cards of men at garba celebrations and also to not employ non-Hindus as bouncers at the events.

BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj has previously strongly associated terrorism with madarsas and Muslims.

Even Union Minister Amit Shah and PM Modi himself have engaged in hate speech against minorities time and again.

In multiple speeches Shah, among other things, described Muslims as those who “violate our women…who rape our sisters and daughters”. The Election Commission conceded that Shah’s code violations were made with “deliberate and malicious intention”.

Modi has already called the Opposition the “tukde-tukde gang”– literally, the “pieces gang” – to suggest they were out to break up India, and said they speak the language of terrorists.

In all the Centre’s claims of building a ‘New India’, its actions time and again point out to its regressive thought process only aimed at Hinduising the nation.

Their language of violence and openly inciting hatred only go to starkly showcase the party’s political goals.

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On Wednesday, the Election Commission of India issued a note stating it was ordering the removal of BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Sahib Singh from the star campaigner list. They have been removed indefinitely and with immediate effect. The notification may be viewed here:

Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs, had recently stoked controversy by inciting people to “gun down traitors”. At an election rally, Thakur shouted, “desh ke gaddaron ko” and the crowd responded with “goli maaro saalon ko [shoot the traitors to the country]”. In the video he be seen asking “ye kaun hai gaddar” to which the crowd responds “Kejriwal” and he asks, “Pappu ko bhool gaye?” (Who are these traitors?) (Have you forgotten about Pappu? – reference to Rahul Gandhi).

Singh meanwhile went a step further. In an interview to ANI, he said, "Lakhs of people gather there [Shaheen Bagh]. People of Delhi will have to think and take a decision. They will enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters, kill them." Verma added, “There's time today, Modi ji and Amit Shah won't come to save you tomorrow." Considering that Shaheen Bagh protests are led by women, this comment sounds bizarre.

Delhi is all set to go to polls on February 8.

Related:

Union Minister says “gun down traitors” at Delhi Election rally

BJP MP suggests Shaheen Bagh protesters are rapists

Hundreds of local residents took to the streets to stage a demonstration near the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest site at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, demanding that police barricades from the road connecting Noida with Kalindi Kunj be removed.

The protests at Shaheen Bagh have been going on over a month and the locals gathered at the site demanded that the protesters clear the area because commuters were facing difficulties. The police was present at the incident to ensure no untoward incident took place, especially after the situation turning sensitive with back-to-back incidents of firing at protesters.

It was reported that the locals, including the women who were demanding that the anti-CAA protesters clear the area, were heard chanting slogans of “Jai Shri Ram”, “Vande Mataram”, “Azaadi denge Shaheen Bagh walon ko” and “Khaali karao Shaheen Bagh walon ko”. The locals were also joined by some fringe elements who raised slogans eerily similar to the ones BJP minister Anurag Thakur did and was banned from poll campaigning.

In videos of the demonstration by the locals, while some are seen saying that protesters have a right to demonstrate, there is another section of people who are raising hateful and provocative slogans like “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaron s****on ko”, clearly portraying anti-minority sentiments.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Devesh Srivastava and DCP (South East) Chinmoy Biswal (now removed from his post) were seen at the spot, monitoring the crowd. The agitators were stopped before they could reach the place where the women at Shaheen Bagh have staged their protests. Reports claim that 52 people had been detained in the incident, but were later released.

What locals say

India Today reported locals expressing their grievances with regards to the traffic restrictions and general inconveniences caused due to the anti-CAA stir at Shaheen Bagh.

Rekha Devi said, "They (anti-CAA protesters) have been sitting on protest for 50 days now. It is causing inconvenience to us. Our children cannot go to school because the roads are blocked.”

Speaking of the strict identity checks post the firing incident at Shaheen Bagh on Friday, Deepak Patel said, “With heavy barricading, police do not allow us to enter the protest site where women have been sitting for over a month. I somehow manage to go to work crossing the area. But since Saturday, there is strict checking and we were not allowed to pass through the stretch without showing an identity card."

The situation with regards to the anti-CAA protests has been heating up with the Delhi elections around the corner. The Election Commission (EC) had banned BJP Ministers Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Varma from campaigning post their provocative and hateful slogans against the CAA protesters and today, it has been reported that the DCP South East, Chinmoy Biswal has been ousted from his post for not being able to maintain the law and order situation in Delhi following two firings in the capital.

Fear and intimidation tactics have been used incessantly against the protesters at Shaheen Bagh, but they have refused to budge. Will they relent to the demands of the locals or will their historic women-led protests refuse to be quelled, only time will tell.

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A group of men, reportedly supporting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) wielding the tricolor and shouting slogans of “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko” and “Jai Shri Ram” allegedly gathered near the Jamia Millia Islamia University today, the University said on Twitter.

#SOSJamia : Hindutva goons have entered @jamiamillia_ campus and chanting "goli maaron saalon ko" right in front of @DelhiPolice .

We urge people to gather at gate no 7 in large numbers.

Delhi Police role till today has been suspicious in handling the situation at Jamia.

— Jamia Millia Islamia (@jamiamillia_) February 4, 2020

इनके पीछे कौन है जो हौसला बढ़ा रहा है !!
आज ये लोग जामिया पर आ गए कल जामिया में घुस कर जेएनयू जैसा आतंक भी मचा सकते हैं!!@tabrej_saan @ndtv @Mdzeeshanayyub @ShashiTharoor @anubhavsinha @kanhaiyakumar pic.twitter.com/WcFo5yeO1t

— Jamia Coordination Committee (@Jamia_JCC) February 4, 2020

After repeated attacks on Jamia, RW goons have again entered the premises chanting “goli maaro saalon ko”.

Has the RAF been deployed here to control these mobs or to intimidate students?

Home Minister @AmitShah should explain why goons are being unleashed on us everyday.

— Jamia Millia Islamia (@jamiamillia_) February 4, 2020

VIDEO-This happened mins ago at barricades before the #JamiaMilliaIslamia Sports Complex

Men chanting provocative “Goli Maaron ***** ko” planned to march straight into Jamia protests

But police finally pushed them back, a heated face-off between them & students was avoided. pic.twitter.com/JISJWGmq9Z

— Zeba Warsi (@Zebaism) February 4, 2020

According to National Herald, the men came from the Sukhdev Vihar area and stopped at the barricade near Gate No. 1 where the main protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is being held. Hafeez Azmi, a JMI student said, “They were there for more than 10 minutes, chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' and shouting 'goli maro....' The police were standing right there."

In its statement on Twitter, the JMI said, "We urge people to gather at gate no. 7 in large numbers. Delhi Police's role till today has been suspicious in handling the situation at Jamia."

It has been reported that the police personnel present at the spot subsequently asked the group of men to disperse and took them towards Sukhdev Vihar. There are no details of which group the men are affiliated to. India Today reported that the police had detained around 40 men at Kalkaji and said that the CAA-NRC supporters had come there from Sonepat, Haryana.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers Anurag Thakur and Kapil Mishra, and party affiliates have been resorting to constant provocation through this slogan, calling people to ‘shoot the traitors’ (protestors of CAA). Last week, an armed man shouting the slogan ‘Yeh lo azaadi’ opened fire at the protestors near the University injuring one student.

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The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate has directed DCP, New Delhi to submit a detailed report explain why no First Information Report (FIR) was filed against BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma in matters connected with hateful and inflammatory speech. The court was responding to a plea by Brinda Karat, Member of the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) and K.M.Tewari, Secretary Delhi State Committee.

Karat and Tiwari had written to the Commissioner on January 29 and subsequently on 31, while the letter to the SHO Parliament Street was sent on February 2. In their complaint they had sought filing of FIRs under Sec. 153A/ 153B/ 295A/ 298/ 504/ 505/ 506 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 among 
others against Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma. They submitted that three separate incidents of gun violence took place as a direct result of the speeches and comments made by Thakur and Verma. But when the police failed to respond to Karat and Tiwari’s complaint, the duo moved court.

Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs, had recently stoked controversy by inciting people to “gun down traitors”. At an election rally, Thakur shouted, “desh ke gaddaron ko” and the crowd responded with “goli maaro s***on ko [shoot the traitors to the country]”. In the video he be seen asking “ye kaun hai gaddar” to which the crowd responds “Kejriwal” and he asks, “Pappu ko bhool gaye?” (Who are these traitors?) (Have you forgotten about Pappu? – reference to Rahul Gandhi).

Singh meanwhile went a step further. In an interview to ANI, he said, "Lakhs of people gather there [Shaheen Bagh]. People of Delhi will have to think and take a decision. They will enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters, kill them." Verma added, “There's time today, Modi ji and Amit Shah won't come to save you tomorrow." Considering that Shaheen Bagh protests are led by women, this comment sounds bizarre.

Noam Chomsky is one of the leading peace workers in the world. In the wake of America’s attack on Vietnam, he brought out his classic formulation, ‘manufacturing consent’. The phrase explains the state manipulating public opinion to have the public approve of it policies—in this case, the attack of the American state on Vietnam, which was then struggling to free itself from French colonial rule.

In India, we are witness to manufactured hate against religious minorities. This hatred serves to enhance polarisation in society, which undermines India’s democracy and Constitution and promotes support for a Hindu nation. Hate is being manufactured through multiple mechanisms. For example, it manifests in violence against religious minorities. Some recent ghastly expressions of this manufactured hate was the massive communal violence witnessed in Mumbai (1992-93), Gujarat (2002), Kandhamal (2008) and Muzaffarnagar (2013). Its other manifestation was in the form of lynching of those accused of having killed a cow or consumed beef. A parallel phenomenon is the brutal flogging, often to death, of Dalits who deal with animal carcasses or leather.

Yet another form of this was seen when Shambhulal Regar, indoctrinated by the propaganda of Hindu nationalists, burned alive Afrazul Khan and shot the video of the heinous act. For his brutality, he was praised by many. Regar was incited into the act by the propaganda around love jihad. Lately, we have the same phenomenon of manufactured hate taking on even more dastardly proportions as youth related to Hindu nationalist organisations have been caught using pistols, while police authorities look on.

Anurag Thakur, a BJP minster in the central government recently incited a crowd in Delhi to complete his chant of what should happen to ‘traitors of the country...” with a “they should be shot”. Just two days later, a youth brought a pistol to the site of a protest at Jamia Millia Islamia university and shouted “take Azaadi!” and fired it. One bullet hit a student of Jamia. This happened on 30 January, the day Nathuram Godse had shot Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. A few days later, another youth fired near the site of protests against the CAA and NRC at Shaheen Bagh. Soon after, he said that in India, “only Hindus will rule”.

What is very obvious is that the shootings by those associated with Hindu nationalist organisations are the culmination of a long campaign of spreading hate against religious minorities in India in general and against Muslims in particular. The present phase is the outcome of a long and sustained hate campaign, the beginning of which lies in nationalism in the name of religion; Muslim nationalism and Hindu nationalism. This sectarian nationalism picked up the communal view of history and the communal historiography which the British introduced in order to pursue their ‘divide and rule’ policy.

In India what became part of “social common sense” was that Muslim kings had destroyed Hindu temples, that Islam was spread by force, and that it is a foreign religion, and so on. Campaigns, such as the one for a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Rama to be built at the site where the Babri masjid once stood, further deepened the idea of a Muslim as a “temple-destroyer”. Aurangzeb, Tipu Sultan and other Muslim kings were tarnished as the ones who spread Islam by force in the subcontinent. The tragic Partition, which was primarily due to British policies, and was well-supported by communal streams too, was entirely attributed to Muslims. The Kashmir conflict, which is the outcome of regional, ethnic and other historical issues, coupled with the American policy of supporting Pakistan’s ambitions of regional hegemony, (which also fostered the birth of Al-Qaeda), was also attributed to the Muslims.

With recurring incidents of communal violence, these falsehoods went on going deeper into the social thinking. Violence itself led to ghettoisation of Muslims and further broke inter-community social bonds. On the one hand, a ghettoised community is cut off from others and on the other hand the victims come to be presented as culprits. The percolation of this hate through word-of-mouth propaganda, media and re-writing of school curricula, had a strong impact on social attitudes towards the minorities.

In the last couple of decades, the process of manufacturing hate has been intensified by social media platforms that are being cleverly used by communal forces. Swati Chaturvedi’s book, I Am a Troll: Inside the Secret World of the BJP’s Digital Army, tells us how the BJP used social media to spread hate. The Whatapp University became the source of understanding for large sections of society and hate for the ‘Other’, went up by leaps and bounds. To add on to this process, the phenomenon of fake news was shrewdly deployed to intensify divisiveness.

Currently, the Shaheen Bagh movement is a big uniting force for the country; but it is being demonised as a gathering of ‘anti-nationals’. Another BJP leader has said that these protesters will indulge in crimes like rape. This has intensified the prevalent hate.

While there is a general dominance of hate, the likes of Shambhulal Regar and the Jamia shooter do get taken in by the incitement and act out the violence that is constantly hinted at. The deeper issue involved is the prevalence of hate, misconceptions and biases, which have become the part of social thinking.

These misconceptions are undoing the amity between different religious communities which was built during the freedom movement. They are undoing the fraternity which emerged with the process of India as a nation in the making. The processes which brought these communities together broadly drew from Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar. It is these values which need to be rooted again in the society. Communal forces have resorted to false propaganda against minorities, and that needs to be undone with sincerity.

Combating those foundational misconceptions which create hatred is a massive task which needs to be taken up by social organisations and political parties which have faith in the Indian Constitution and values of the freedom movement. It needs to be done right away as a priority issue in with a focus on cultivating Indian fraternity yet again.

Kapil Mishra is facing much flak from civil society and liberal circles for allegedly being the trigger behind the wave of violence washing over East Delhi. The leader who held a rally in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) not far from an anti-CAA protest site near the Jafrabad metro station is accused of inciting violence and using hateful words against protesters. Many are also demanding his resignation or expulsion.

Mishra who had previously been suspended from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for his hate speech and later joined the BJP, is not new to controversy.

On April 4, 2019, Kapil Sharma, MLA from the Karawal Nagar constituency in the Sixth Legislative Assembly of Delhi, tweeted a violence-inducing post, addressed to Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Misrepresenting the Islamic flag (moon and stars on a green background) with that which represents the state of Pakistan, Kapil Mishra tweeted, “Those who broke down the temples at Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura and Somnath carried this flag. Those who killed the Sikh Gurus also carried this flag. All terrorists, anywhere, swear by this flag.”

Mishra won the elections by a margin of 44431 votes. He took his oath in Sanskrit. He was removed from the position of Water Resource Minister in the Aam Admi Party government.

Before that, in February, 2019, following the Pulwama terror attack that left 40 CRPF jawans dead, Mishra also posted a series of hate-filled tweets, one of which called for the destruction of the “wombs that give birth to terrorists”. When incidents of violence against Kashmiri students began being reported from across the country, Mishra insisted that the stories were made up and dismissed them as fake news, even though videographic evidence became available.

Mishra’s behaviour has been exceptionally toxic towards women on social media. In a tweet he suggested that designer Farah Khan Ali is part of the ecosystem that nurtures and shelters terrorists, alluding perhaps to her faith. He was particularly vicious towards CPI (ML) Polit Bureau member Kavita Krishnan, when she called him out for inciting genocide in wake of his comment about “wombs that give birth to terrorists”. But Kapil Mishra reserved his most vile comments for actor Swara Bhaskar. When the actor pointed to his tweet inciting genocide, he made a despicable comment about the actor alluding to a masturbation scene in one of her movies.

In wake of these post-Pulwama comments, AAP suspended Mishra. But, political chess precluded his outright expulsion. He officially joined the BJP in August 2019.

Now, after the escalation of violence in the North East Delhi district, it is being alleged that his words may have lit the match in the area that had already become a virtual tinderbox.

Our appeal to readers:

We appeal to our readers to not give into such calls for hate and engage in violence. We urge people not to take the law into their own hands. We also urge you to engage in healthy debate, but steer clear of abusive and derogatory language in case of a difference of opinion. Democracy is built on dignified discussion and exchange of ideas. We also urge authorities to crack down on people spreading hate on social media, especially if their posts incite violence.

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The video of Kapil Mishra issuing an ultimatum to Delhi police and suggesting that his people would take the law into their own hands should the police fail to evict anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters from near the Jafrabad metro station, was played before the Delhi High Court today.

The video was played as the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was representing the government of India, claimed that he had not seen the video. Justice Murlidhar who was hearing the matter then insisted that the video be played before the court. After the video was played and Mishra could be seen delivering the ultimatum while standing next to a uniformed policeman, the identity of the policeman in the frame was also revealed to be DCP (NE) Ved Prakash Surya.

Meanwhile advocate Rahul Mehra who was representing the government of Delhi took the opportunity to reiterate how it was the Ministry of Home Affairs and not the Government of Delhi that controlled the Delhi Police. He also said, “I don't see any reason why FIRs can't be registered. It ought to be registered against everybody. If they're later found to be wrong, they can be cancelled.”

Thereafter, advocate for the petitioners, Colin Gonsalves also showed the court clips of hate speeches made by Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Abhay Verma, saying they had clearly incited people to commit hate crimes. He demanded their arrest. Meanwhile, SG Mehta kept insisting that the limited number of videos amounted to selective outrage and that harsh words or action against the police would demoralize them. Gonsalves told the court, “This is not a normal case. More than the FIR, police must state why the BJP leaders were not arrested.” He said that Sections 295, 295A, 153A, 154B of the IPC were applicable in the case.  

Meanwhile, at the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja was hearing another petition moved by CPI(M) leaders Brinda Karat and KM Tiwari under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) regarding hate speech by Anurag Thakur and Parvvesh Verma. Interestingly, here the Delhi Police submitted their report saying that the complainant has made the presumption that speeches made by Thakur and Verma incited violence. According to Bar and Bench, the report said, “...incidents of violence...are independent act which did not have any connection to the speeches mentioned in the complaint.” Karat and Tiwari had sought directions to the Parliament Street Police Station to file FIRs against Thakur and Verma under sections 153A/153B/295A/298/504/506 of the IPC. The court has reserved it order till March 2 in this case.

Meanwhile, back at the Delhi High Court Justice Murlidhar wanted to know what was the “appropriate stage” that SG Mehta kept referring to for filing an FIR. The court then adjourned the matter till tomorrow asking the Delhi Police to take a conscious decision with respect to the registration of FIRs and report back tomorrow.

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Justice Murlidhar, who has over an illustrious career, established himself as a hero of the oppressed and a friend of the people, now been made to pay the price for walking the path of justice. The Delhi High Court judge has now been transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The timing of his transfer is most curious given how over the last 24 hours he has helped secure justice for people affected by the widespread violence in Delhi.

On the intervening night between Tuesday and Wednesday, Justice Murlidhar convened an emergency hearing at his home along with Justice Bhambhani, when pleas to help ambulances safe passage to and from the Al Hind Hospital in Mustafabad area failed to elicit any response from the Delhi Police. It was an order past post-midnight by that directed police to provide protection to ambulances so that critically injured people could be taken out of the Al Hind Hospital and be taken to other medical facilities where they could get the more specialized care they required.

Then on Wednesday afternoon, it was Justice Murlidhar who ensured that a video showing controversial BJP leader Kapil Mishra issuing a chilling ultimatum to the Delhi Police to evict anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters from near the Jafrabad metro station, was played before the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta as well as the police officer present in court. Murlidhar was hearing a petition seeking directions to the police to file and FIR against Mishra for using hate speech to incite violence. During this hearing he had also allowed for other videos of hate offenders such as Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Abhay Verma to be played before the court. He had also upbraided the Solicitor General for his remark that FIRs will be filed at an “appropriate time” wondering aloud if the moment wasn’t now. When proceedings concluded he had directed the Delhi Police to take a conscious decision about filing FIRs reminding them that failure to do their duty could lead to a serious miscarriage of justice.

The transfer

On February 19, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended Justice Murlidhar’s transfer from the Delhi HC to the Punjab and Haryana HC. This led to the Delhi HC Bar Association to conduct an emergency meeting where it was resolved to protest this move. They even resolved to abstain from work on Tuesday to showcase their displeasure.

In a statement, the Bar Association expressed their shock, dismay and outrage saying, “Such transfers are not only detrimental to our noble institution but also tend to erode and dislodge the faith of the common litigant in the justice dispensation system. Such transfers also impede free and fair delivery of justice by the Hon’ble Bench.”

Career and key judgements

At present Justice Murlihar is the third senior most judge at the Delhi HC. He started his law practice in 1984 in Chennai and in 1987 started practicing at the Supreme Court and Delhi HC. He worked pro-bono to secure justice for survivors of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and those displaced by the Narmada dam. InMay 2006, he was appointed a judge of the Delhi HC.

Here are a few of his illustrious judgements:

·Decriminalisation of homosexuality in the famous 2009 Naz Foundation case

·Convicting Sajjan Kumar for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom

·Convicting 16 policemen in the Hashimpura case

·He also stayed the transit remand for Gautam Navlakha in the Bhima Koregaon case in 2018 when activists were hounded by a vindictive state and accused of being ‘anti-national’ and ‘urban naxal’.

In light of all this, it appears that Justice Murlidhar is just being punished for daring to take on a regime that has zero tolerance for either defiance or dissent.

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The Students’ Union of the Delhi School of Social Work (DSSW), the alma mater of tainted BJP leader Kapil Mishra, has distanced itself from the party’s political candidate in a statement that reads, “Mr. Kapil Mishra, you don’t deserve to be called a DSSW Alumni.”

Now known as the Department of Social Work (DSW), the DSSW is known for its unwavering focus on social development specifically on the development of the marginalised communities- be it the minority communities, women, children, vulnerable and backward caste groups, elderly, persons with disability, persons affected by HIV/ AIDS, LGBT communities or those affected by disaster.

In its statement, the DSSW writes, “In one way, we have a glorious past and on the other hand we also have a blot, such as our alumni Kapil Mishra, who has organized recent Delhi riots and incited mob to disturb communal harmony of the city.”

“We are ashamed of Kapil Mishra and also that he studied social work in our college. The image of our department and the social work profession has been tarnished due to his provocative acts and communal statements. We, DSSW fraternity, are against the hatred, violence and communalism spread by Kapil Mishra who has also maligned our profession,” the statement adds.

The Students’ Union of DSSW has demanded that the Delhi police arrest Kapil Mishra and strict against all those who perpetrated the Delhi violence.

The DSSW which was established in 1946 has made a notable contribution in social work throughout the Partition and the 1984 Sikh Riots. It has also given the country many social workers, activists, academicians and bureaucrats to the country who have worked hard to make a positive change in the country.

Their statement against Kapil Mishra is another push in the right direction – a call for justice to those who lost their lives and livelihoods due to Mishra’s incendiary speech.

The entire statement by the DSSW may be read below. 

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As protest sites in Delhi were ‘cleared’ on Wed, activists have been detained on serious charges

The Delhi police has arrested six people from Delhi’s Rajiv Chowk Metro Station for shouting the slogan, “Shoot the traitors”, made famous by BJP leader Kapil Mishra, The Indian Express reported.

Circulated widely on social media, the incident took place at the metro station at around 10:52 AM on Saturday, February 29.

Men shouting "desh ke gaddaaron ko, goli maaron saaron ki" in broad daylight, in the middle of Delhi, at Rajiv Chowk metro station, earlier this morning. This is how Hindu terror is normalised. Please amplify. Everyone should know the dangerous direction this country is taking. pic.twitter.com/80cKO95MF8

— Mini Saxena (@MiniSaxena6) February 29, 2020

In the video clip, the boys are heard saying, “Desh ke gaddaron, goli maaro saalon ko”, a slogan frequently used against those protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register.

Anuj Dayal, executive director, corporate communications at the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has issued a statement in this regard saying, “In reference to a video clip going viral on social media, showing sloganeering by some passengers at Rajiv Chowk Metro station, it is to state that this incident happened today around 10:52am at the station and DMRC/CISF staff immediately handed them over to the Delhi Metro Rail Police for further necessary action.”

“Under Delhi Metro O&M Act 2002, any kind of demonstration or nuisance is prohibited in Delhi metro premises. Any passenger indulging in such act is liable to be removed from the metro premises,” it added.

It was reported that the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) that is responsible for the security of the Delhi Metro, handed over the men to the Delhi police.

In a statement, the CISF said, “On February 29, at about 10:25 hours, six youths were seen shouting slogans at Rajiv Chowk metro station, Delhi. They were immediately intercepted by CISF personnel & thereafter handed over to Delhi Metro Rail Police officials for further action. Metro Rail operation remained.”

Scroll.in reported that another video surfaced a while later, showing men walking around the Connaught Place area where the Rajiv Chowk Metro Station is located. The men were carrying the national flag and shouting the same slogan – “Shoot the traitors”. The march was allegedly taken out under the banner of the Delhi Peace Forum and attended by Kapil Mishra.

In Delhi's Connaught Place, men shouting "Desh Ke Gaddaron Ko, Goli Maaron Salo Ko." marching through our capital as @DelhiPolice stands and watches. Are the deaths of our citizens already not quite enough? What is this nonsense #DelhiRiots pic.twitter.com/ziTFZD79vW

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 29, 2020

Delhi has just been rocked by the worst communal violence it has seen in decades. Over 42 people have lost their lives in the incident and 200 have sustained injuries. Kapil Mishra has emerged to be the main instigator of the riots. Ironically, he attended a ‘peace march’ organized at Jantar Mantar against ‘jihadi terrorism’ post the incident.

Look at the crowd today at Jantar Mantar

तुम कितना भी झूठ फैलाओ
ये पब्लिक हैं सब जानती हैं#DelhiAgainstJehadiViolence pic.twitter.com/jP00V5t715

— Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishra_IND) February 29, 2020

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The mob violence raging across Delhi since February 23 now appears to have been carefully fuelled and nurtured using social media. As homes, shops, vehicles and even grandmothers went up in flames, with the Delhi Police doing little to contain the carnage, Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp were flooded with videos of men and women calling for violence in the name of religion.

The toll in the violence has crossed 40 and more than 200 people have been injured. The matter had been taken to the Delhi High Court and on February 26, the Justice S Muralidhar had questioned the police as to why there had been no FIRs lodged against leaders of the ruling party for their inflammatory speeches. He had said, “You showed alacrity in lodging FIRs for arson, why aren't you showing the same for registering FIR for these speeches?” Interestingly, shortly after he was shunted out, the next bench hearing the same case granted the police a month's time to deal with the matter of filing FIRs.

While Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma have become the poster bys for hate speech, Mishra being blamed as the immediate trigger for the Delhi violence, there has been a network of right-wing elements slowly spreading hate through social media. With followers in thousands and lakhs, there are some people who are openly calling for violence against minorities.

One such woman is Ragni Tiwari. A ‘dharmyodha’ as she calls herself, she is a member of the Rashtriya Azad Manch. Her profile on Facebook which contains incendiary videos and rants against the minorities. At the heart of the Delhi violence, she is seen mobilizing people to come and fight against those of the minority religion. She makes no bones about being a Hinduvadi. In one video she is seen blocking a road in Jafrabad in retaliation to the Shaheen Bagh protest, not allowing people or vehicles to go through. During the heat of the Delhi violence, she is seen abusing the Delhi police for their inaction against the rioters whom she claims to be Muslims.

February 23, 2020 - https://www.facebook.com/ragni.kumari.984/videos/2511352835802497/

February 24, 2020 -

A post on who she thinks is a terrorist – spreading open hatred against minorities.

Ragni Tiwari has allegedly called for Hindus to sacrifice themselves to save the nation. Using abusive diatribe against the minorities, she had also asked people to vote in the name of religion to save the country.

https://www.facebook.com/ragni.kumari.984/videos/2512872865650494/

Her profile shows her affiliation with a man who called for retaliation by Hindus, Deepak Singh Hindu. Taking a leaf out of Kapil Mishra's playbook, he had allegedly called a mob to gather at Maujpur, an area in the middle of the violence.

February 23, 2020 -

Deepak Singh Hindu was placed under house arrest on February 23, 2020 by the Delhi police. There, the police is seen sitting comfortably in his presence and Deepak Singh is seen using the mobile phone and having a freewheeling chat with the officers.

https://www.facebook.com/deepaksinghvip007/videos/187123749183374/

His political affiliations reflect a bigger nexus and a thought process that has trickled down from the staunch right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent organization of the BJP of which he too was a member.

Another blatant call showing the persecution of religious minorities in this secular country has come from Ragini’s other contact, Kunwar Mohit Rana. Not shying away from his Hindutva ideology, he called to save Delhi Hindus and for the Muslims to leave the country post the violence in Delhi.

Going by the moniker Kattar Hindu, Brajendra Patel too is part of the posse that has been inciting hate against the Muslims, evoking previous memories of communal violence against the community.

In support of the CAA-NPR-NRC, Patel’s abusive words are a thinly veiled threat to those protesting against the draconian Act, especially the women protesters at Shaheen Bagh.

From BJP’s own cadre, T Raja Singh, the MLA from Goshamahal, Telangana. He had earlier called on the ruling party to allow Hindus to freely use AK 47 guns without the fear of being arrested, insinuating that they get the freedom to eliminate Muslims.

The list goes on. There are thousands of such posts that call for violence against the minorities and for the protection and making of a Hindu Rashtra. Why the police is not cracking down on these hate offenders is a mystery, especially when they know these elements are operating a terror network in the country that intends to wipe out the minorities and the marginalized.

The police, the ruling party leaders, along with their parent organization, the RSS all appear to be hand-in-glove with each other and are recruiting such elements who are propagating hate through social media channels. With followers in thousands, the ideology of these radical elements has seeped into the minds of impressionable youth brought up in homes where discrimination and hate are a part of everyday life.

It is very reminiscent of Hitler’s ideology and going by what evidence is available, it is apparent that the carefully orchestrated Delhi violence wasn't just about the protests revolving the CAA-NPR-NRC, but about ethnic cleansing – the ideology of ridding India the 'impure' race, religion and people that don’t belong to it.

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Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in August this year is back in the news for making provocative statements. At a pro-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest which he was leading on Friday night in Delhi despite Section 144 being imposed there, he and his followers were heard chanting “shoot the traitors” as they marched on with their protest. This was an apparent reference to the people who were opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019.

In his further tweets he went on to criticise the anti-CAA protestors saying that the crowds coming out of mosques were secular, but the Hindus were deemed to be communal; that the people who vandalized public property were peaceful, but Hindus were considered violent.

He was told off by many prominent Twitter users for his provocative slogans.

However, Mishra continued to be defiant and asked his critics what he should call the ones who were burning stations, trains, police stations, buses, etc – innocents or traitors?

However, these open calls for violence by the BJP have gone unnoticed by the police. Nobody has questioned the pro-CAA crowd who was on the street in spite of the Section 144 being imposed. The police only attacked the ones who opposed the Act.

Mishra has been a repeat hate speech offender. In October a complaint was registered against him when he tweeted, “"If you want pollution to come down, then you should reduce these firecrackers and not the ones burst on Diwali." He had put up a picture of a Muslim family in his tweet.

BJP has now resorted to communal politics after unexpected protests against the CAA. Karnataka BJP minister CT Ravi too threatened the public saying that if the ‘majority’ (Hindus) would lose its patience, there would be a ‘Godhra-like’ situation in the country.

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