The protests by the Islamists against Nupur Sharma over her comments on Prophet Muhammad continue to disrupt normal life in India. On 12th June 2022, large mobs of Muslims took to the streets of various cities in Gujarat in protest against Nupur Sharma. The protest marches were organized in Surat, Ahmedabad, and Rajkot in Gujarat. As the women involved in the march created a ruckus, police had to resort to lathi-charge in the Juhapura area of Ahmedabad.
Besides, the Surat police have arrested 3 persons for spreading communal hatred, while the Rajkot police have detained 5 persons for sticking posters of death threats to Nupur Sharma.
Lathi-charge in Ahmedabad
A large number of people had gathered at the protest rally in the Juhapura area of Ahmedabad. To prevent any unwanted incident, senior police officials rushed to the spot, and tight security was put in place. During the protest, clashes broke out between police and protesters and police had to resort to lathi-charge to control the situation. Some women leaders were also detained after they clashed with the police.
Also in Ahmedabad, the Cyber Crime Branch has registered a case against a person who shared a provocative post on his Facebook profile calling the people to come on the streets after Namaz.
Arrests in Rajkot and Surat over putting up provocative posters and sharing inflammatory messages on WhatsApp
A large number of posters demanding the arrest of Nupur Sharma were found near Azad Chowk in Rajkot. Upon receiving the information, the police removed the posters and tight security was deployed in sensitive areas.
After a video went viral on social media showing posters of ex-BJP spokesman Nupur Sharma being pasted outside Hussaini chowk in Ramnathpara, the Rajkot police nabbed five people. After examining CCTV footage, the police were able to identify all five suspects. It’s worth noting that three days earlier, prominent members of the minority community submitted a memorandum to the Rajkot district collector in protest of Nupur Sharma’s controversial statements against Prophet Mohammed.
Arrests have also been made in Surat for affixing posters of ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma with the impression of a shoe on them, as well as for spreading a message on Whatsapp calling on Muslims to ensure that what happened in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand happens in Gujarat.
According to a report by Desh Gujarat, a WhatsApp video of two persons putting posters of Nupur Sharma with a sign of a shoe painted on her face had gone viral in the last 2-3 days. Another text message, telling Muslims that their goal would not be achieved by simply printing 40-50 posters, but that more needed to be done to ensure the events of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand repeat in Gujarat, went viral on Whatsapp with the goal of spreading hatred between Hindus and Muslims.
Following a thorough investigation of the viral video and text message, police identified Mohammed Taufiq Mohammed Rafiq Shaikh (Resident of Chand Subedar Building, Nanpura) and Saddam Rauf Syed (Resident of Jamalsha Mohalla, Kadasha Ni Naal) as the individuals pasting Nupur Sharma posters in the video. Interrogation of these two led the police to Imran Habib Khan Pathan, a printing press employee in the city who printed Nupur Sharma’s posters for the two. All three have been arrested by the police.
Gujarat police on alert
In Gujarat, the police and cyber cell are keeping a close eye on the controversial posts about religion and individuals. Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghvi has clearly instructed the police to take stern action against all those who shared provocative posts and incited people to take to the streets. The police are on high alert to control the law and order situation in the state. Action is also being taken against those who put up provocative posters on streets across the state.
