In a statement made to the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, Delhi riots accused Asif Iqbal Tanha has revealed that he wanted to turn India into an Islamic republic, reported Zee News. Asif, a Jamia Millia Islamia student and member of the Student Islamist Organization (SIO) since 2014, was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in May for purportedly being a part of a larger conspiracy behind the February riots in northeast Delhi.
Besides his desire to turn India into an Islamic country, he has made several other shocking revelations to the police. In his statement to the police, he revealed that he considered the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as anti-Muslim and therefore joined the students of Jamia Milia Islamia in opposing it. He also confessed to setting buses on fire under the garb of ‘peaceful protests.’
The Conspirator behind Jamia riots
As per the report, Asif Iqbal admitted to orchestrating a march of 2500-3000 people from the Gate no.7 of Jamia Millia Islamia on December 12. He revealed that Sharjeel Imam gave a provocative speech to encourage ‘protestors’ to execute a ‘chakka jam’ on December 13.
Asif confessed to organising a ‘Gandhi peace march’ on December 15 from the Jamia metro station to the Parliament via Zakir Nagar and Batla House. He stated that the purpose of naming it after Mahatma Gandhi was to lure more people into joining the march.
Asif Iqbal provoked people to break through police barricades
Reportedly, the Delhi police had set up barricades near the Surya Hotel to prevent the ‘protestors’ from surging forward. Asif Iqbal confessed to provoking people to break through the police barricades under the impression that the cops lacked the ‘guts’ to stop them.
However, his plans did not succeed as the police soon resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the unruly mob. The Jamia students then resorted to stone pelting, setting buses on fire, and creating mayhem on the streets of Delhi. As such, both the policemen and the ‘protestors’ were injured during the course of the march.
Jamia Coordination committee had students from AAP, Congress and Left
Asif Iqbal further revealed that the infamous Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) was constituted after the violence that ensued between the ‘protestors’ and the police under the pretext of ‘Gandhi peace march.’
He informed that JCC had students from organisations such as the Communist-backed All India Students’ Association (AISA), Jamia Students Forum (JSF), Student Islamist Organization (SIO), Muslim Student Federation (MSF), Aam Aadmi party’s student wing Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS), Campus Front of India (CFI), and Congress student wing National Students’ Union of India (NSUI)
Asif Iqbal reveals abouts funds procured by JCC
The Jamia student stated that the Jamia Coordination Committee received funding from radical Islamist organisation such as Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia (AAJMI).
In December last year, an Intelligence report shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs stated, “Some political parties (names withheld considering the gravity of the case) ignited the violent acts at various places, letting opportunities to sleeper cells of extremist and militant Islamic fundamentalist organisations, Popular Front of India (PFI) and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).”
Asif Iqbal provoked common Muslims to weaponise violence
Asif Iqbal further admitted that he delivered provocative speeches at several places in the country including Kolkata, Kota, Lucknow, Kanpur, Ujjain, Indore, Jaipur, Patna, Sabzibagh, Araria, Samastipur, Ahmedabad. Reportedly, he urged common Muslims to protest against the Indian and not to shy away from engaging in violence, if such a need arose.
Asif added that JNU activist Umar Khalid had suggested the idea of blocking roads and disrupting traffic during the visit of US President Donald Trump to India. The plan of action was then executed by the likes of Meeran Haider and Safoora Zargar which later culminated into violent riots.
