Modi govt declares ‘war on Muslims’ in Uttar Pradesh
At least 18 people have died since UP chief minister unleashes reign of 'revenge' against the Muslim community
In this picture taken on December 20, 2019 police personnel baton charge a protester during a demonstration against the controversial citizenship law in Varanasi. PHOTO: AFP
Authorities in India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh have declared a war on Muslims after UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath vowed to “take revenge” on people protesting against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Law.
According to Indian media report, at least 18 people have died, mostly due to bullet injuries, while hundreds of people, including minors, have been taken into custody and thousands have been booked.
In Kanpur city alone, police have registered cases against 21,500 people, according to Anant Deo, the city’s top police officer.
Though, the police have denied firing at protesters but media has shown videos of police officers shooting with pistols. So far, police force have admitted killing only one protester, identified as 20-year-old man called Suleiman, who died after he was shot in the stomach in Bijnor city.
Such protests have broken out across the country after Indian parliament passed the anti-Muslim citizenship law.
On December 11, the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) passed Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lacks a majority, by 125 votes to 105. It had cleared, Lok Sabha, the lower house, two days earlier.
The new controversial law offers amnesty to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from three neighbouring countries – Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
“The property of each element involved in this violence [protest] will be confiscated, and used to recover compensation for public property which was damaged. All their faces have been identified. They are visible in the videography and CCTV footage. We will take revenge by confiscating their properties, I have ordered strict action,” the UP chief minister was quoted as saying in Indian Express on December 20.
What has followed since the fiery statement in Uttar Pradesh is a widespread and brutal crackdown on Muslims on a scale not seen in recent decades. Media reports have methodically documented arrests, deaths and assaults.
CCTV footage gathered by The Quint website showed police vandalism and even breaking CCTV cameras in Muzaffarnagar.
The story originally appeared on Gulf News
According to Indian media report, at least 18 people have died, mostly due to bullet injuries, while hundreds of people, including minors, have been taken into custody and thousands have been booked.
In Kanpur city alone, police have registered cases against 21,500 people, according to Anant Deo, the city’s top police officer.
Though, the police have denied firing at protesters but media has shown videos of police officers shooting with pistols. So far, police force have admitted killing only one protester, identified as 20-year-old man called Suleiman, who died after he was shot in the stomach in Bijnor city.
Such protests have broken out across the country after Indian parliament passed the anti-Muslim citizenship law.
On December 11, the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) passed Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lacks a majority, by 125 votes to 105. It had cleared, Lok Sabha, the lower house, two days earlier.
The new controversial law offers amnesty to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from three neighbouring countries – Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
“The property of each element involved in this violence [protest] will be confiscated, and used to recover compensation for public property which was damaged. All their faces have been identified. They are visible in the videography and CCTV footage. We will take revenge by confiscating their properties, I have ordered strict action,” the UP chief minister was quoted as saying in Indian Express on December 20.
What has followed since the fiery statement in Uttar Pradesh is a widespread and brutal crackdown on Muslims on a scale not seen in recent decades. Media reports have methodically documented arrests, deaths and assaults.
CCTV footage gathered by The Quint website showed police vandalism and even breaking CCTV cameras in Muzaffarnagar.
The story originally appeared on Gulf News