Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana Monday, rubbished social media claims that the violence erupted during the Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpuri after saffron flags were hoisted atop a mosque in the area. On April 17, a day after the violence, OpIndia reported how the liberal cabal took to social media to whitewash the perpetrators and contextualise the orgy of violence.
Jahangirpuri clashes: Delhi Police chief says no attempt was made to hoist saffron flag at a mosque during Hanuman Jayanti procession
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 18, 2022
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Asthana warned that some people on social media have been indulging in spreading fake news to create communal discord and impede the investigation. He warned strict action against such fake news peddlers.
At around 5.29 minutes into the press conference, Asthana said, “Some people are trying to disturb peace through the medium of social media. We are monitoring social media closely, and legal action will be taken against those who are found spreading misinformation. The public should not pay heed to rumours.”
Asthana promised action in the Jahangirpuri violence case, saying that no one involved in the clashes would be spared, regardless of class, creed, or religion. “Action will be taken against any person found guilty irrespective of their class, creed, community and religion,” he added.
The Delhi Police Commissioner added that a total of 23 people have been held so far in connection with the clashes. Eight of these held have a history of criminal cases against them.
“23 accused arrested till now. Nine people including police personnel and one civilian received injuries during the incident. The analysis of CCTV footage and digital media is being done. FSL teams have visited the scene of crime today,” the Delhi Police Commissioner said.
He further informed that there are 14 teams that have been formed to look at the case from all angles.
Asthana’s statement rejecting the claims about the hoisting of a saffron flag atop the mosque is a slap in the face to the assorted gang of left-liberals who took to social media to peddle fake news in order to shift the public discourse away from Islamists’ role in the Delhi violence and toward the Hindu community, which organised the ‘Shobha Yatra’ on Hanuman Jayanti.
Left Liberals rush to whitewash accused in Jahangirpuri violence
On April 17, OpIndia reported how the liberal cabal initially made ‘appeals’ for peace when video footage showed men in skull caps, pelting stones and brandishing swords. They later went on to allege that the Hindus who took out the procession not only pelted stones at the mosque but also tried to hoist a saffron flag atop the Islamic place of prayer, which led to the clashes.
The first to come up with this conspiracy theory was Hindustan Times journalist Hemani Bhandari. Citing one Sajid Saifi, she claimed that the clashes began after Hindu worshippers forcibly entered the mosque and tried to hoist saffron flags. She also alleged the presence of ‘outsiders’ in the ‘Shobha Yatra’ by citing one resident named Wasim Qureshi. “Hindus and Muslims live in peace in this area. All these people were outsiders,” she tweeted quoting Qureshi.
This Tweet by a Hindustan Times journalist triggered a chain reaction. Mohammad Zubair, the co-founder of Islamist propaganda site Alt News and a fake news peddler, was quick to give credence to Hemani Bhandari’s fabrication by retweeting her Tweet.
Likewise, Amit Pandey, who has bylines in Newslaundry, alleged that the Hindus who took out the procession not only pelted stones at the mosque but also tried to hoist a saffron flag atop the Islamic place of prayer. As a mark of ‘evidence’, he had posted a video that showed a saffron cloth placed on the mosque’s boundary wall.
India Today Deputy Editor Chaiti Narula claimed that the stone-pelting began exactly at the spot where Hindu devotees were seen brandishing shotguns and pistols.
Leftist propaganda website NDTV went a step ahead and published a ground report of the main accused Ansar. Instead of focusing on his role in the Jahangirpuri riots, the channel attempted to create a sympathy wave for the accused.
Former Radio Jockey Sayema also jumped into the fray to cast aspersions on the investigations being carried out by the Delhi police in the case, to paint the Islamists as the ‘perpetual victims.’
The false narratives these propagandists carefully attempted to weave to absolve the Islamists from the crime and project Hindus as the provocateurs fell flat after Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana debunked their claims on Monday.
Meanwhile, on Sunday (April 17), the Delhi police informed that they are investigating the angle of a larger conspiracy in connection to the deadly violence that took place in Jahangirpuri on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.
The police are also tracing Rohingyas, illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and local criminals, who participated in the orgy of violence and pelted stones at the ‘Shobha yatra’ procession. Citing sources, The Times of India reported that the police had to widen the scope of investigation after witnessing the quick mobilisation of arms and weapons by the attacking mob.
Jangipuri riots: Hindus face the brunt of Islamists during Hanuman Jayanti
On Saturday (April 16), a Hanuman Jayanti procession was attacked by Islamists in the Jahangarapuri area of Delhi. According to the FIR, the procession was moving peacefully. However, when it approached the Jama Masjid in C Block at 6 PM, a man named Ansar approached the procession with some of his companions and initiated an argument. The dispute quickly escalated into stone-pelting, resulting in a stampede in the procession.
