Lucknow, June 14: Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind has moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure that no further demolitions are carried out without following due process.
Houses of Muslim figures including prominent Muslim activist Afreen Fatima demolished after thousands of Muslims protested across Uttar Pradesh and they were arrested by the police for being alleged ‘masterminds’ of protests over anti-prophet Muhammed remarks.
The top Muslim body’s application has sought directions to initiate action against officials responsible for the houses demolished in violation of the rule of law and the municipal laws enacted by the State of Uttar Pradesh, reported Live Law.
According to the Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, the present situation is more alarming as the Supreme Court had already ordered a stay of demolitions that were being carried out as a punitive measure in Northwest Delhi in similar circumstances.
New Delhi-based Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) staged a demonstration in the university campus against the demolition of the house of former JNU student and activist Arfeen Fatima in Uttar Pradesh state of India. She shot to prominence after her leading role in protests against anti-Muslim law, Citizen Amendment Act (CAA).
The UP government demolished the house of Arfeen Fatima, who is daughter of Javed Ahmad Shah in Prayagraj, UP. Interestingly, the police demolished the house without giving any reference to activist Arfeen Fatima.
JNUSU members raised slogans against "Bulldozer Raj" of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led government and held placards reading: "Stop the witch-hunt of Muslims".
The building map of Ahmad's house had not been approved by the authorities concerned, an agency official made a ridiculous charge. Anti-blasphemy protests have spun out of control in Prayagraj and some other parts of Uttar Pradesh over the past few days. Police used tear gas and lathis to disperse the protesters. Ahmad has been arrested and is being interrogated, according to police.
Meanwhile, police also arrested Fatima’s mother and a sister in Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad city. Her father Javed Shah, a leader of Welfare Party of India, her mother and one of her sisters have been taken into custody by the police in connection with the protest held in Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad city on Friday.
Arfeen Fatima, who is also known for her unapologetic approach on Muslim issues, said that the police first picked his father from their house on Friday night. Then, they again came and took her younger sister and mother with them. The police came for the third time and asked her and her sister-in-law to go with them. But they resisted.
She said she is concerned about the safety of her family members. “My sister is just 19-year-old and my mother is a diabetic patient,” she said. “A lot of Muslim activists such as my fathers are being harassed, intimidated,” she stated.
Mayawati urges judiciary to take action against bulldozing of Muslims’ houses
Lucknow, June 14 (KMS): In reference to the ongoing drive of demolishing houses of Muslim community members by the Bharatiya Janata Party government across India in the garb of anti-blasphemy protests, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President Mayawati has urged the judiciary to take cognisance on such illegal acts
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mayawati in a series of tweets blamed the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh for creating an atmosphere of fear among the minorities and questioned the bulldozing of their houses.
This is the first time that the BSP has come out openly in support of minorities regarding the government action in Prayagraj and other places against those allegedly involved in arson and rioting during the protest against comments about Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Mayawati wrote: “By targeting a particular community, by bulldozing their homes and other malicious aggressive actions, the state government is suppressing the citizen’s right to protest and creating an atmosphere of fear and terror, which is unfair and unjust. The courts must take cognizance of the faulty action of targeting the entire family by demolishing their houses.”
She further said: “While the root cause of the problem is Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal, due to which the honour of the country has been adversely affected leading to widespread violence. Then why action was not taken against them and why the government ridiculed the rule of law? The government not sending both the accused to jail is grossly biased and unfortunate.”
She further demanded immediate arrest of both the BJP leaders
Prohibitory orders imposed in Assam to curb anti-blasphemy protests
Hindutva police arrest two dozen Muslims in Gujarat
Silchar (Assam), June 13 : The Indian authorities have imposed restrictions and prohibitory orders in several areas of Assam state of India to prevent protests against blasphemous remarks by the ruling BJP leaders on Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The authorities stopped and restricted protests in Muslim dominated Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakhandhi districts of the state.
The prohibitory orders have been promulgated after the protests erupted against blasphemous statements by BJP leaders in many places of India. “There is an ample apprehension of breach of public peace and tranquility, loss of human life and property due to public gathering on the issue in the district,” separate orders of the Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakhandhi district administrations added.
The DMs’ orders said that no procession, rally, dharna (demonstration), distribution of leaflets, banners and posters will be allowed in these three districts
.
Several rallies were also taken out in certain places of the three districts on Friday and Saturday and the police stopped them leading to the imposition of the prohibitory orders.
Meanwhile, police used brute force and arrested over two dozen Muslim leaders, including women who held a protest march against blasphemer BJP leaders. The police made the arrests when the Muslims gathered in the Juhapura area in Ahmadabad to organise an anti-blasphemy march.
Heavy police deployment has been made in the area, said a police officer.
Surat police of the state have also arrested five persons for printing and circulating posters of Nupur Sharma. These posters were posted in Kadarshani Nal Road area in Surat city, they had even circulated video of posters on social media.
Thousands swarm US streets against BJP leaders’ blasphemous remarks in India
New York, June 13 : Thousands of people held protests in New York, Houston, Texas and Chicago against blasphemous remarks by the ruling BJP leaders in India on Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and growing persecution of Muslims in the country.
The protests were called by the US-based Muslim groups. Around 3000 people participated in the protest held outside the Indian consulate in New York.
There has been an international outrage over derogatory remarks of BJP leaders Sharma and Naveen Jindal.
The ruling Hindutva BJP responded growing criticism in the Arab and Muslim world and protests by Indian Muslims with persecution, police brutality and demolition of Muslim houses in India.
Several Muslims including teenagers were killed in Indian police firing and hundreds of Muslim men and women were arrested during protests across India.
Karnataka govt orders removal of Dalit writer’s poem from textbook
Bengaluru, June 13 : The ruling BJP party in the Indian state of Karnataka has ordered removal of a poem by a famous Dalit writer from the textbook syllabus.
The poem says that the sun and moon are not gods. The move is likely to trigger another controversy in the state where row over burqa has already not ended.
BJP’s Karnataka Education Minister B.C. Nagesh has ordered exclusion of the poem “Bhoomi” by late Siddalingaiah from 4th standard textbook.
Times Now’s anchor booked in Maharashtra over derogatory comments on Holy Prophet (PBUH)
New Delhi, June 14 : Times Now anchor Navika Kumar has been booked by Maharashtra Police for maliciously intending to outrage religious feelings, three weeks after Hindutva politician Nupur Sharma on Kumar’s primetime news show made derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
The FIR, filed at the Nanalpet police station in Maharashtra’s Parbhani was based on the complaint of a Muslim leader.
The FIR also names Nupur Sharma, the now-suspended BJP leader who made the derogatory remarks, reported Newslaundry.
The channel had earlier tried to distance itself from Sharma’s remarks, saying, “We urge participants on our debates to maintain restraint and not indulge in unparliamentary language against fellow panelists.”
Navika has been facing criticism for conducting such “debates”, which spread hatred towards Muslims.