Uttar Pradesh Government Falsely Claims Demolition Of Muslim Homes Is Not Revenge Against Muslims Protesting Insult To Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
In a blatant lie that is proved by the many statements of its own leaders, the Uttar Pradesh government has told India’s Supreme Court that it was wrong to say that its demolition of homes of Muslims was in response to the protests by Muslims earlier this month against the public hate speeches against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the government said authorities had demolished the homes of Muslims “as per the procedure established by law,” which too is a blatant lie.
On June 12, UP officials demolished the home of Muslim rights activist Afreen Fatima whose father they have accused of “masterminding” the protests. He has been jailed.
The petition before the Supreme Court has been brought by the Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, an important Indian Muslim organization. The UP Government claimed the Jamiat had relied its petition on one-sided media reporting of a few incidents and extrapolating sweeping allegations from the same against the state government.
“It is submitted that the said demolitions…have been carried out by the local development authorities, which are statutory autonomous bodies, independent of state administration, as per law as part of their routine efforts against unauthorized/illegal constructions and encroachments, in accordance with the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, 1972,” said the affidavit.
The state government justified demolitions, which were carried out in Prayagraj and Kanpur following protests against the remarks on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made by leaders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu extremist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rules UP.
National Human Rights Commission Seeks Police Report On Custodial Torture Of Muslims Seen In Viral Video
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India, an autonomous statutory body, has directed the police in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh to submit a report in four weeks over a complaint of police brutality and inhuman treatment against Muslims.
The complaint against the police is based on the viral video that was shared online.
A complainant urged NHRC to “investigate the police excesses” and “recommend strict disciplinary actions against the police officers.”
According to the complaint, a team of police officers in Saharanpur arrested Muslims protesting police inaction.
“On 11 June 2022, a video was posted on Twitter by Shalabh Mani Tripathi (@shalabhmani), Member of UP Legislative Assembly celebrating the brutal and inhuman treatment by the police with the persons in custody,” reads the complaint.
After the video of police brutality went viral, the BJP leader later deleted the tweet. But the video continued to be shared and drew massive outrage.
“The concerned authority shall also intimate the Commission, if any, notice, order etc., has been received by him/them in the instant matter from the State Human Rights Commission? If yes, a copy of such order be also sent to the Commission within four weeks,” responded NHRC.
“Let a copy of the complaint be also transmitted to the Secretary of the concerned State Human Rights Commission, calling upon him to inform this Commission the date of cognizance, if any, taken at their end in the instant matter within four weeks.”
Police in India Severely Beat Christian Pastor for Singing Hymns During Family Devotional Meeting
Almost two months after police in India pulled a Christian pastor from his grandmother’s home, tied him to a tree, and severely beat him, threats from officers and other individuals have kept him from filing a complaint.
Morning Star News reports that Pastor Pravesh Kumar, 26, of Amamahua, Uttar Pradesh state, was visiting a sick uncle at his grandmother’s house in nearby Bhais Khur village on April 22 when police arrested him after a Hindu neighbor videotaped them singing during a family devotional on the roof.
The neighbor sent the video to the police after recording it from another rooftop. When the officers arrived on the scene, they questioned Kumar about his visit and why the family was singing.
When he explained that they were singing hymns, the officers told him they were arresting him on suspicion of forcible conversion because hymns were part of converting people, Kumar told Morning Star News.
“They completely ignored the fact that the family we were visiting were all followers of Christ,” he said. Kumar told the outlet he was taken to the Bijauli police station where officers tied him to a tree and assaulted him.
“I was beaten so brutally on my legs that they swelled up, and I was not able to walk,” he told Morning Star News. “I was limping.” Kumar’s uncle arrived at the station and called on the officers to stop the assault. In order to gain their release, the officers told the pair they would have to pay from $256 to $320. Kumar told them he had no money and committed no crime, so the officers sent the two to the police station in Bardah.
Once at the next station, Kumar said he was lashed 30 to 40 times with a leather strap by a senior officer who demanded the pastor shout praises hailing Hindu gods and goddesses.
When one of the junior officers asked the senior officer if they should release Kumar’s uncle, he refused, saying they would fabricate a report that the pastor and his uncle fought each other. He then allegedly ordered the other policemen to assault Kumar’s uncle. Once the word spread about the pair being assaulted while in police custody, concerned Christians began to call the police station.
“When my well-wishers and concerned Christians called the police station, the officer came and told me that he received a call and beat me all the more, accusing me of having a ‘big group’ of supporters,” Pastor Kumar told Morning Star News.
The two Christians sustained several internal and external injuries. Kumar was beaten on all major joints of his body, including the wrists and knees, with a ruptured nerve on a wrist that turned black.
