Prophet Remark Row: Protests in Delhi, UP Among Other States Post Friday Prayers | Updates

Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and West Bengal among many other states on Friday witnessed massive protests over the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad by two now-suspended BJP functionaries leaving a few policemen injured in stone-pelting and forcing security forces to resort to lathi-charge, tear gas shelling and firing in the air at some places. The protestors turned violent in some areas and vandalized public property.

As per sources, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had already issued an advisory to all states to be vigilant for trouble ahead of Friday prayers.

The BJP on June 5 suspended Sharma and expelled its Delhi unit media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as the row over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated with protests from some Muslim countries. Delhi Police had provided security to Sharma and her family after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats over her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad. She had requested the police to provide security citing harassment and threats she had been receiving.

Here’s a list of states that witnessed a stir over the controversial remark on Prophet Mohammad recently:

• Delhi: Outside the historic Jama Masjid in Delhi, scores of people, carrying placards, shouted slogans against Sharma after the Friday prayers and several arrests were also made by the police. A senior police officer said that while some of the demonstrators left the site after some time, others continued to protest.

Shahi Imam Bukhari of Jama Masjid has told CNN-News18 that there was no call to protests from the Masjid committee and demonstrations erupted suddenly. “We need to maintain peace. This was a sudden protest. Slogans were raised. Those behind the protest are not known yet. There was no call of protests by Jama Masjid,” he said.

Delhi Police said some of the miscreants behind the Jama Masjid protest have been identified. “There will be legal action against those behind the protest,” the police said.

Delhi Police have registered an FIR against 31 people, including AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand, and filed a separate case against Sharma for allegedly spreading hate and hurting religious sentiments.

The two FIRs were registered on Wednesday after a social media analysis, they had said.

• West Bengal: Protesters clashed with police, who tried to remove road blocks and opened lathi-charged on them, in Uluberia in Howrah district. At least 10 protestors have been arrested and IG South Bengal rushed to the spot with a large contingent of police force.

Demonstrators kept NH-16 blocked at multiple places and also blocked railway tracks at Chengail, Fuleswar, and Santragachi stations in the Howrah-Kharagpur section from 1.22 pm, a South Eastern Railway official said.

The two saffron party leaders should be immediately arrested for their remarks that have hurt religious sentiments, one of the protesters said. Police had to baton-charge to disperse the crowd at Dhulagarh and Panchla, where the demonstrators pelted stones in retaliation, causing damage to nearby cars, the officer said. They placed burning tyres on the road at Panchla and Dhulagarh, and set a police kiosk on fire in Uluberia, he said.

Four trains have been cancelled, while two have been diverted due to the agitation, he said.

Meanwhile, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has appealed for peace and sought an urgent update on the law and order situation from the state's chief secretary.

• Uttar Pradesh: Protests broke out at several places in the state after the Friday prayers. A senior official at the Uttar Pradesh Police headquarters in Lucknow said sloganeering took place in Saharanpur, Moradabad, Rampur, and Lucknow.

People raised slogans and pelted stones in the Atala area of Prayagraj after the Friday prayers ended. A heavy police force was deployed in the area to ensure law and order. Senior police and administrative officials have also reached the spot. Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said, “The reports of stone-pelting in Prayagraj are being looked into.” He said Friday prayers were held peacefully in most places across the state.

“Some people intentionally tried to disrupt peace today, despite efforts of police and administration. We have arrested 109 people from different districts in this regard as of now. Primary districts being Saharanpur, Ambedkarnagar, Firozabad, Moradabad and Prayagraj,” said Kumar.

Lucknow Police Commissioner Piyush Mordia has appealed to people to maintain law and order. “There is an alert in the state. CM Yogi Adityanath is looking into the matter. We are touch in with the Maulanas. We did a flag march and are keeping a tight security across the state. We would request the people of Lucknow to maintain law and order in the state,” he said.

Prayagraj ADG’s vehicle damaged after a protest erupted in Atala area over controversial remarks of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma & expelled BJP leader Naveen Kumar Jindal, earlier today

The ADG was on ground to control the law&order situation as a protest erupted

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed to take strict actions against hooligans after incidents of stone-pelting in the state. Officials like ACS Home Awanish Awasthi, acting DGP, ADG Law and Order, are monitoring the situation from police HQs.

“Strict action will be taken against anyone who unnecessarily attempts to disrupt the peace and order situation. I appeal to the people of Uttar Pradesh to maintain harmony,” Awasthi told news agency ANI.

This comes following clashes last week in Kanpur over the remarks on the Prophet at a TV debate some days earlier. A high alert was issued across the state after that, and a heavy police force was deployed to ensure that violence does not occur again.

• Telangana: Protests erupted outside Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad over the same issue. Later, with the intervention of the police, protesters were dispersed from the spot. Police force and CRPF deployed in the area now.

Karnataka: Miscreants hanged an effigy of Sharma from an electric wire resembling a public execution near a mosque on Fort Road in Belagavi, police said. As the issue triggered a public outrage, police along with the city municipal corporation removed it quickly, they added.

The police have registered a case against unknown miscreants for spreading enmity between communities and disturbing peace in the society.

• Jharkhand: Some policemen were injured in Ranchi while trying to control an irate mob near Hanuman Temple, situated on capital city’s Main Road, after protests erupted with hundreds of people demanding the arrest of Sharma, police said. Police fired in air besides resorted to lathi-charge to control the mob which spilled out on the road after Friday prayers and pelted stones and shouted slogans.

“Few policemen have been injured. We are looking into the situation. We are reinforcing deployment,” a senior police official told PTI. A large crowd of people gathered on Main Road shouting slogans against Sharma and Jindal. Heavy security deployment has been made to manage the situation and avoid any untoward incident.

According to police officials, the protest have been continuing since morning and picked up tempo post-Friday prayers. Many shops and establishments kept their shutters down in protest against the remarks. The protestors demanded immediate arrest of Sharma raising slogans.

“More than 1,100 shops in the market were shut since morning in protest against remarks of Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal. We demand their immediate arrest,” New Daily Market Traders Welfare Association President Haji Md Hasim told PTI. Hasim said they wanted a peaceful procession but police didn’t give permission. “So we are protesting peacefully outside our shops here,” he said.

Reacting on the same, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said, “I suddenly received information about this worrisome (protest) incident. Public of Jharkhand has always been very sensitive and tolerant. No need to panic. I appeal to everyone to refrain from participating in any activities that will lead to more such crimes.”

Meanwhile, curfew has been imposed in violence-hit areas of the city, said Ranchi district administration. “District administration has imposed a curfew across Ranchi. We appeal to the people to stay home,” announcement being made in Ranchi following the protest. Section 144 has also been imposed in Hazaribagh district of the state.

All internet services have been temporarily suspended in Ranchi till 6 am on June 11 in wake of the protests. SSP, SP City, DSP City, Daily Market Police Station in-charge and some other police personnel, who were controlling the situation during the protests, have sustained injuries. Injuries have been reported among civilians too.

• Maharashtra: A large number of people carry out a protest march in state’s Solapur district and Navi Mumbai against Nupur Sharma.

Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said, “I would like to tell people of the state that situation across Maharashtra is under control and peaceful. Everyone, from all religious backgrounds, must try and continue that peace. Police were prepared. Only peaceful protests were seen in state.”

(with inputs from PTI)

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