Delhi Riot Conspiracy Theory: Aim Is To Make Every Muslim Guilty

The Delhi Police seems to be mocking us all, rebuking us in fact, reminding us that words and phrases like rule of law, justice, victims, fairness shall be defined only in the manner that the government pleases.

For, immediately after offering us these platitudes, the Delhi Police invoked Sections 13, 16, 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against arrested student leaders and activists involved in the anti-CAA protests. Make no mistake, the state has thus deployed the mightiest weapons in its arsenal against dissent.…

The figure of the anti-CAA protester condenses both a dissident politics and a suspect religious category. A Muslim out on the streets speaking politics and rejecting the communalisation of citizenship – from Sharjeel Imam to Safoora Zargar – is then a threatening, dangerous ‘Other’ par excellence.… Imagine that sweep.… In one stroke, the conspiracy is shown to be one in which the entire Muslim community was complicit, women and children included. ‘Instigator’, ‘conspirator’, ‘rioter’: every Muslim is guilt.