On Friday, riots erupted in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal following BJP spokesman Nupur Sharma’s inflammatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad, with demonstrators demanding that she be arrested.
Hundreds of demonstrators carrying placards chanted anti-Sharma chants outside Delhi’s landmark Jama Masjid. While some demonstrators left the scene after some time, others continued to demonstrate, according to a senior police officer.
There was no call to protests, according to Shahi Imam Bukhari of Jama Masjid, and rallies erupted unexpectedly. “We have to keep the peace.” This was a spur-of-the-moment outburst. Slogans were thrown around. It is still unknown who was behind the protest. Jama Masjid did not issue a protest call, according to the esteemed priest.
For allegedly propagating hate and hurting religious sensibilities, Delhi Police have filed a FIR against 31 people, including AIMIM chairman Asaduddin Owaisi and controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand, as well as a separate complaint against former BJP spokeswoman Nupur Sharma.
According to them, the two FIRs were filed on Wednesday following a social media study. The FIR names former Delhi BJP media unit chief Naveen Kumar Jindal, who was fired from the party for allegedly making anti-Muslim statements, and journalist Saba Naqvi.
Meanwhile, in West Bengal, demonstrators clashed with police in Uluberia, Howrah district, who attempted to dismantle roadblocks and opened fire on them.
At least ten protestors were detained, and the IG of South Bengal hurried to the scene with a huge police force.
Demonstrators have blocked NH-16 in many locations, as well as train tracks at the nearby Chengail station.
BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal were removed from the party, and there were violent protests in parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Top police officials arrived at the Ghantaghar crossroads in Lucknow and used little force to disperse the demonstrators.
Piyush Mordia, the Lucknow Police Commissioner, has appealed to the public to preserve peace and order. “There is a state-wide alert.” Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, is investigating the matter. We’ve made contact with the Maulanas. We held a flag march and are maintaining a high level of security around the state. “We would want the people of Lucknow to keep the state law and order,” he remarked.
Cops in Saharanpur, on the other hand, had to use force to disperse protestors. The police are also keeping an eye on social media for any provocative posts that could exacerbate tensions.
Miscreants in Karnataka hung an effigy of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma from an electric wire outside a mosque on Fort Road in Belagavi, mimicking a public execution, police said. They stated that because the matter sparked public concern, police and the city municipal corporation swiftly removed it.
Unknown miscreants have been charged with fostering hostility amongst communities and disrupting society’s harmony, according to the police. As the uproar over their alleged offensive remarks about Prophet Mohammad grew with complaints from certain Muslim countries, the BJP suspended Sharma and fired its Delhi unit media leader Naveen Kumar Jindal on June 5. Sharma and her family were given security by the Delhi Police after a FIR was filed on a charge that she was receiving death threats as a result of her controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad. She had asked the police to provide security since she had been harassed and threatened.