Yet another news of Muslims forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and beaten for not doing so has turned out to be fake. The Imam of the Jama Masjid in Unnao had warned of ‘unprecedented action’ if the Hindu boys who were involved in the fight over cricket match were not arrested.
He had even claimed that the madarsa boys were beaten up by the Hindu boys after they were asked to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. But now police had found that there was no religious angle to the incident.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0Jy8q0XRnQ]
According to the enquiry conducted by UP police, it has been found that a fight had broken out between two groups while playing cricket. In a press conference where ADG (LO) P V Ramaswamy and IG (LO) Praveen Kumar were present, they denied that anybody was forced to chant any religious slogan, and said that it was a fight between two groups on the playground that had turned violent.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Et7FsTNC9c]
The police also informed that earlier also such misleading news was spread in Kanpur, Aligarh and other places to create communal tension. But police with cooperation of local administration had foiled such intentions.
Police also informed that anti-social elements had tried to create violence in Meerut and Agra over such incidents, and such people were arrested by police. In Unnao also some people were arrested who were trying to instigate people over the allegation that Madrassa students were forced to chant Jai Shri Ram.
Three students were injured in the incident that had happened on Thursday when the students of Darul Uloom Faiz-E-Aam in Unnao were playing cricket at the GIC ground. It was alleged in the media reports that 3-4 youths associated with a right-wing group had arrived at the spot and harassed the boys. It was reported that the students had alleged that they were compelled to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and they were beaten with a cricket bat. It was also alleged that Kurtas of the students were torn and stones were thrown at them.
But now police have denied those allegations, saying the fight took place over arguments related to the cricket match they were playing. Local Police have started probing the incident and registered a case under sections 323, 352, 504 and 506 of the IPC.
Recently in various cities, there have been incidents of violence after Friday prayers by Muslim mobs protesting against “mob lynchings” and alleged incidents of Muslims being forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram”, though many of such claims have been found to be either false or unverified.
