Ever since the central government announced phased reopening of the country following monthslong coronavirus induced lockdown, some nefarious elements appear to have seized the moment to incite violence and protests across the country.
Recently, netizens highlighted how the nefarious elements in the society are planning to launch a deadlier wave of violent protest on the lines of the riotous demonstrations that are happening across the United States following the murder of African American George Floyd by a white cop. Social media users stumbled upon an inflammatory post uploaded by a man named Afsaar Bhai who posted a provocative message on Facebook to egg people on aping violent American protests as the country restarts once again.
“America ne kuch hamse seekha hai, America se kuch ham seekhe. Protest 2.0 zabardast hona chahiye,” the comment read which roughly translates to: “America had learnt some things from us. It is time we learn something from the United States. Protest 2.0 should be more powerful.” One of the respondents on the post commented, “bilkul and most powerful and violent hoga Insha Allah,” which in English translates to: “No doubt, it (protest) would be more powerful and violent.”
Several netizens took note of the inflammatory nature of the post and lodged their complaint with the UP Police on Twitter against Afsaar Bhai for inciting another wave of protest, dubbed as “Protest 2.0”. A Twitter user @NidarNaari took cognisance of the incendiary comment made by Afsaar bhai and tagged UP CM Yogi Adityanath, UP Police, DGP UP, ADG Zone Lucknow and demanded action against Afsaar.
Dear @adgzonelucknow @Uppolice@dgpup,
— Sunaina Vinod (@NidarNaari) June 6, 2020
A person named @afsaar_bhai is planning Violent Protest 2.0 in Lucknow & provoking others for riots.
PS: He is an employee of @bankofbaroda
FB profile link 👇 https://t.co/iZE6yeh0UX
Please arrest him🙏 @myogiadityanath, @myogioffice pic.twitter.com/vreXjE1dFN
The Twitter user also shared the Facebook profile link of the man and his employer, Bank of Baroda, for easy identification of the culprit who is yearning a fresh bout of more violent protests across the country. At the time of writing this article, the man in question, Afsaar, possibly got spooked by the attention his inflammatory comment was receiving on social media and locked his Facebook profile. However, the Twitter user @NidarNaari was prompt in sharing the snapshots of his Facebook link and screenshots of his bigotry-laced Twitter conversations.
Dear @adgzonelucknow @Uppolice@dgpup,
— Sunaina Vinod (@NidarNaari) June 6, 2020
A person named @afsaar_bhai is planning Violent Protest 2.0 in Lucknow & provoking others for riots.
PS: He is an employee of @bankofbaroda
FB profile link 👇 https://t.co/iZE6yeh0UX
Please arrest him🙏 @myogiadityanath, @myogioffice pic.twitter.com/vreXjE1dFN
The official Twitter account of Bank of Baroda took cognisance of the raging controversy and assured the netizens that an investigation will be lodged into the matter and necessary corrective action will be initiated against the culprit.
“Madam, The Bank does not tolerate violation of the social media policy by any of its employee. The instant issue will be investigated into and followed by necessary corrective action against the delinquent staff at the appropriate level, after ascertaining facts of the case,” Bank of Baroda tweeted.
Madam, The Bank does not tolerate violation of the social media policy by any of its employee. The instant issue will be investigated into and followed by necessary corrective action against the delinquent staff at the appropriate level, after ascertaining facts of the case.
— Bank of Baroda (@bankofbaroda) June 6, 2020
Anti-CAA lobby trying to foment unrest
The emergence of incendiary elements wishing to have the country in the grips of violent protests comes on the heels of the anti-CAA lobby’s call for a mass protest movement even as the country gears itself up for revival after staggering under the economic shadow of coronavirus lockdown.
Days after the government announced resuscitation of a slumbering economy, the anti-CAA lobby swung into action, announcing a nationwide protest on June 3 termed as ‘Sab Yaad Rakha Jaega’ on the pretext of opposing the “repression on anti-CAA activists and democratic voices of dissent”. The release of all anti-CAA activists, Immediate attention to the plight of migrant workers and toiling masses instead of repression of democratic voices of dissent, arrests of the real culprits of the Delhi riots, the release of political prisoners, and repealing of CAA-NPR-NRC, as well as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act(UAPA), are the slated demand posed by the group.
Last time protests culminated into anti-Hindu riots in Delhi
It is pertinent to note that the last time the protests against the government and CAA culminated into violent anti-Hindu riots in northeast Delhi. Scores of people lost their lives while several Hindu temples were vandalised.
In one such incident that captured the national attention, IB sleuth Ankit Sharma was mercilessly dragged by a ferocious Muslim mob operating from AAP leader Tahir Hussain’s building. A video of a frenzied Muslim mob standing atop the Hussain’s bungalow hurling petrol bombs and stones in the opposite lane had gone viral. The witnesses claimed that it was this mob which dragged Sharma and 2 other inside the bungalow. Later, Sharma’s badly mutilated body with hundreds of stab wounds was found abandoned in a ditch in Chand Bagh.
The unruly Muslim mob perched on the top of Hussain’s building also flung bricks and petrol bombs at the opposite street, in order to attack a Shiv temple located there. A building adjoining to the temple was burnt down by the rampaging mob. The incessant attack on the temple structure had rendered the entire edifice rickety and tottering, on the verge of collapse.
In another such gruesome incident, a Hindu man-Dilbar Singh Negi was burnt by a mob of rioters in the burning house after being cut off with a sword. The rioters, after cutting Dilbar Singh Negi’s hands and feet, threw the rest of his body into the burning fire.
