In a BJP event at Jantar Mantar hate slogans threatening to kill Muslims raises concern for another Delhi riot with the threat of genocide.
It was worrisome that the Delhi Police booked “unknown people” even though videos show the identity of participants such as the former Delhi BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay and others.
Ashwini Upadhyay had called for a march on Sunday to demand an end to ‘colonial-era laws’ by setting up a uniform civil code. However, the gathering took violent overtures when inflammatory slogans calling for violence and death against Muslims were shouted at the rally in Jantar Mantar, less than 2 km from Parliament.
While the Delhi Police on Monday filed a first information report against unknown persons a day after the incident was reported, the FIR did not name any specific person even though several videos from the rally clearly showed the identities of the participants.
A Supreme Court lawyer and former spokesperson of the Delhi unit of Bharatiya Janata Party Ashwini Upadhyay posted several tweets asking people to join the event. Another BJP leader, Gajendra Chauhan, was also among the participants in the rally.
People took to Twitter in indignation and a trending hashtag took precedence with netizens tweeting, “The height of insolence!! Police behavior under the patronage of their masters is criminal. Hope the hon’ble Supreme Court takes suo moto cognisance of the same.”
The incident has eerie similarities to the source of the Delhi riots which erupted through the starting slogans.
The 2020 Delhi riots or North East Delhi riots were extremely violent multiple waves of bloodshed, property destruction, and rioting in North East Delhi, beginning on 23 February 2020 and caused chiefly by Hindu mobs attacking Muslims.
Of the 53 people killed, two-thirds were Muslims who were shot, slashed with repeated blows, or set on fire.
The dead also included a policeman, an intelligence officer, and over a dozen Hindus, who were shot or assaulted.
More than a week after the violence had ended, hundreds of wounded were languishing in inadequately staffed medical facilities and corpses were being found in open drains. By mid-March many Muslims had remained missing.
Muslims were marked as targets for violence. In order to have their religion ascertained, Muslim males—who unlike Hindus are commonly circumcised—were at times forced to remove their lower garments before being brutalized.
Among the injuries recorded in one hospital were lacerated genitals. The properties destroyed were disproportionately Muslim-owned and included four mosques, which were set ablaze by rioters.
By the end of February, many Muslims had left these neighbourhoods. Even in areas of Delhi untouched by the violence, some Muslims had left for their ancestral villages, fearful for their personal safety in India’s capital.
The Chief Minister of Delhi is also criticized for his silence during these present slogans raised at Jantar Mantar due to the fear of another Delhi riot occurring and netizens are setting off another hashtag trending#KejriwalChuppiTodo
If kejriwal ji can't say anything then he said this. The name of our government is Aam Aadmi Party but Actually it is run by BJP#KejriwalChuppiTodo#ArrestAshwiniUpadhyay pic.twitter.com/EKt1mPl9Ip
— B_Parween (@TSP_Parween) August 9, 2021
Such criminals-should not be allowed to roam free in the society #ArrestAshwiniUpadhyay
— harinder singh??proud indian (@harinde97698163) August 9, 2021
Now No hatred is acceptable in the society. Enough is enough.
We are already going through a lot.
Ashwini Upadhyay must be arrested.#ArrestAshwiniUpadhyay
— Swati Dixit âš½ ( JPC for Rafale Deal ) (@SwatiIKR) August 9, 2021
One who abuses minority and threatens to kill them is an MP candidate.
One who cracks joke on Majority is put behind bars.#NewIndia pic.twitter.com/j4yik8kETt— Madhav Mantri (@madhavmantri) August 9, 2021
Enough is enough!
If this is being tolerated among the plural society then it will be not good for the future of society!
Everyone knows the negative impact of hate on society… @DelhiPolice why no one action should be taken so far???We demand #ArrestAshwiniUpadhyay NOW! https://t.co/MzKu6qxJtY
— Ù…Øمد ABUZAR (@AbuzarSpeaks2) August 9, 2021
These videos are from Delhi capital of India where Muslims are being threatened openly and @DelhiPolice is register FIR against unknown persons #ArrestAshwiniUpadhyay pic.twitter.com/UgtCVLYFfC
— Md Toushif (@MdToush00786) August 9, 2021
This should not be normalised#ArrestAshwiniUpadhyay pic.twitter.com/E6elH1h7Fs
— Vinamra (@Duneemperorpaul) August 9, 2021
