Islamists have continued to hound and threaten the ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and her family since the time Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair shared her video with a commentary on Prophet Mohammad to encourage trolls to attack her. In the last week of May 2022, during a news debate, Nupur Sharma asked what if she makes offensive remarks about Islam the way people were making offensive remarks about Shivling and Hinduism.
Since then, the intimidation campaign against the former BJP spokesperson has continued unabated, with domestic and foreign Islamists baying for her blood. Multiple death and beheading threats have come her way. A number of FIRs have also been filed against her in different states of India. Despite her suspension from the BJP over her alleged ‘blasphemy’ and subsequent apology, Islamists have continued to target her with threats. There are multiple bounties on her head as well now ranging from Rs 20 lakhs to 1 Crore.
The worsening situation over the remarks reached rock bottom today, on the 10th of June 2022 as Islamist mobs ran riot in numerous parts of the country following the Friday Namaz. In some places, the enraged mob set fire to Nupur Sharma’s effigy and posters, while in others, stones were thrown, injuring cops and citizens, and causing property damage.
Huge protests at Delhi’s Jama Masjid
According to reports, after today’s Friday Namaz or Jumma, a large number of people gathered to protest against suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma outside Delhi’s Jama Masjid. Visuals have emerged showing the Muslims raising slogans against the ex-BJP spokesperson and former BJP leader Naveen Kumar Jindal and demanding their arrest.
#WATCH People in large numbers protest at Delhi’s Jama Masjid over inflammatory remarks by suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma & expelled leader Naveen Jindal, earlier today
— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2022
No call for protest given by Masjid, says Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid. pic.twitter.com/Kysiz4SdxH
The situation in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur is tense after Islamists launched a protest against Nupur Sharma
Meanwhile, a similar protest was also reported in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur area. In a video that has emerged from the protest site, tens of thousands of Islamists can be seen crowding onto the streets raising anti-Nupur Sharma slogans. The police intervened and tried to disperse the crowd but seemed incapable to do so in front of the huge crowd of protestors.
#WATCH Huge protest in UP’s Saharanpur over inflammatory statements of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma and expelled BJP leader Naveen Kumar Jindal pic.twitter.com/H9z9sDvFWx
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 10, 2022
According to Hindustan Times, the protestors tried to march toward the Ghantaghar in Saharanpur. Police had to then resort to light lathicharge to disperse the mob. The situation there is said to be tense but under control.
In another video shared by NDTV, Muslims in large numbers gathered in a locality in Saharanpur after the Friday Namaz and forced shopkeepers to shut their shops. They also raised slogans against the ex-BJP spokesperson and demanded her immediate arrest.
🔴 #BREAKING | Prophet remark row: Massive protests in multiple cities after Friday prayers
— NDTV (@ndtv) June 10, 2022
NDTV’s Alok Pandey reports pic.twitter.com/zgh80Y3aSt
Muslim mob go on a rampage in Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh
A huge crowd had gathered in UP’s Moradabad after Namaz, demanding the arrest of Nupur Sharma. In a video that emerged on social media from the protest site, the Islamist mob could be seen running away as the police resorted to lathicharge to control the situation.
#WATCH Huge crowd in UP’s Moradabad protests against suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma demanding her arrest over her inflammatory remarks pic.twitter.com/DHWzKErs5p
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 10, 2022
Enraged over the alleged ‘blasphemous’ comments by Nupur Sharma, Islamists pelt stones at police in UP’s Prayagraj
Like many other places in the country, the holy city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh also saw heavy stone-pelting on the police forces by Islamists on the 10th of June. The situation continues to remain tense despite the use of tear gas and lathicharge by the police to control the situation.
Stone pelting in Prayagraj. The protest over Nupur Sharma’s inflammatory remark turned violent. Several police and para military personnel have been injured. pic.twitter.com/UfJKfLQ5mo
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) June 10, 2022
The incident took place in Kareli Police Station area of Atala in Prayagraj district. According to reports, the protest staged against Nupur Sharma quickly turned violent with the protestors pelting stones at the security forces after sloganeering. After the protests turned violent, Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) lathi-charged the protestors to clear the area. However, the stone-pelting continued intermittently despite the best efforts of the security forces.
The Prayagraj ADG’s vehicle was also damaged during the stone-pelting in the area.
#WATCH Prayagraj ADG’s vehicle damaged after a protest erupted in Atala area over controversial remarks of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma & expelled BJP leader Naveen Kumar Jindal, earlier today
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 10, 2022
The ADG was on ground to control the law&order situation as a protest erupted pic.twitter.com/lCCYrTyBOq
Protests against Nupur Sharma in Firozabad
Similarly, Islamists baying for Nupur Sharma’s blood also took to the streets in Firozabad. Shouting slogans and holding placards, the Islamist mob was demanding the arrest of Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal.
Stones pelted, vehicles torched, policemen injured in Jharkhand
There were also reports of policemen being injured while controlling an irate mob near Hanuman Temple in Ranchi after protests erupted with hundreds of Islamists demanding the arrest of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
According to reports, the mob which spilled out on the road after Friday prayers pelted stones and shouted slogans. They torched and vandalized several vehicles compelling the Police to fire in the air besides resorting to lathicharge to control the situation. During the violence, a senior police officer was also injured during the violence along with some other police personnel.
#WATCH | Jharkhand: Protest over the controversial remarks by suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma turned violent in Ranchi. Vehicles were torched and vandalised and stone-pelting occurred. Injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/Z5FIndjZzf
— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2022
During the protests, a video also went viral on social media where a policeman can be heard begging for reinforcements from his superiors to face the stone-pelting Islamists. The policeman even cries while making the request to his superiors.
कहीं पत्थर चला रहे हैं, कहीं गोली चल रही है। पुलिसवाला रो रहा है कि फोर्स भेजिए। कभी सर तन से जुदा गाएंगे, कभी रेप की धमकी देंगे और फिर कहेंगे लोग इस्लामोफोबिया का शिकार हैं। कभी तो खुद से भी पूछो कि जो करते हो उसको क्या कहे दुनिया। देश का तमाशा बनाकर रख दिया है। pic.twitter.com/XIWZCCvtfQ
— Sushant Sinha (@SushantBSinha) June 10, 2022
In attempts to curb the violence in Ranchi, the local police also fired at the protestors after they refused to tone down their violent protests.
Visuals coming from #Ranchi, where the police started open fire at the muslims, who were protesting against impudent comments on Prophet Muhammad by now-suspended spokesperson of the BJP #NupurSharma pic.twitter.com/eu1vNXtxEC
— Razik Basrur | رازق بسرور (@razik_basrur) June 10, 2022
A large number of Islamists protested outside Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad demanding the arrest of Nupur Sharma
Like several places in the country, protests also erupted in the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, with Islamists gathering outside the Mecca Masjid after the Friday prayers. The protesters raised slogans against Nupur Sharma for her alleged ‘blasphemous’ remarks against Prophet Mohammad.
Hyderabad Police, taking cognizance of the event, deployed heavy force and CRPF staff on the spot. The officers tried to pacify the situation and dispersed the Islamists from the spot. Reports mention that similar protests were also held at Kalapather, Mehdipatnam, Chandrayangutta, Shaheennagar, Saidabad, and other places in the city.
Islamists hit the streets in Kolkata to demand Nupur Sharma’s arrest
Thousands of Islamists thronged the road in Kolkata’s Park Circus 7-point crossing after the Friday Namaz to stage a protest against Nupur Sharma. During the protest, the Islamists carried black flags and raised slogans against Sharma. The 7-point crossing is one of the busiest intersections connecting important commercial areas like Ballygunge, Park Street, and Park Circus in Kolkata, and the Islamists kept this road blocked for hours to protest against Sharma, causing immense inconvenience to commuters.
#WATCH | West Bengal: A large number of people gather in protest at Park Circus in Kolkata against the controversial religious remarks by suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma & expelled leader Naveen Jindal pic.twitter.com/a8n5HQ0nky
— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2022
Images have appeared wherein Islamists are seen hurling slippers at Nupur Sharma’s poster during the protest in Kolkata’s park circus area. The posters also have shoe marks on them, to deride the ex-BJP Spokesperson.
Rioters torch police booth and vehicles in Howrah, West Bengal
A video has also surfaced on social media showing a police booth and vehicles getting torched in Howrah in West Bengal during the protests against Nupur Sharma. Yesterday, a huge mob protested against Sharma in Howrah, demanding the beheading of Nupur Sharma.
This video is from Howrah. Rioters burnt down Police booth and many vehicles.
— Facts (@BefittingFacts) June 10, 2022
Yesterday CM Mamata Banerjee requested them with folded hands still they didnt listen. Dandvat Pranam may be ?
pic.twitter.com/3xU2tCpc7N
Muslims protest across Maharashtra to demand action against Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal
Like in other states, Islamists also staged protests in several cities of Maharashtra on Friday demanding action against suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and her former party colleague Naveen Jindal for their remarks on Prophet Muhammad.
At least 3,000 protesters, including around 1,000 women, marched in Panvel, Navi Mumbai, demanding the arrest of Sharma and Jindal.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Women carry out a protest march in Navi Mumbai against the controversial remarks by suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma. pic.twitter.com/hiFVeSHZRE
— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2022
According to a local police official, a delegation also presented a memorandum to the Panvel tehsildar.
Similar protests and marches were also held in the districts of Thane, Aurangabad, Solapur, Nandurbar, Parbhani, Beed, Latur, Bhandara, Chandrapur, and Pune.
In some places, the protesting Muslims burnt posters and effigies of Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.
Raza Academy in Karnataka stages protest
Meanwhile, the Raza Academy in Karnataka also staged a demonstration at Muslim Chowk in Kalaburagi against Nupur Sharma.
Protests emerge in parts of Gujarat
Demanding immediate arrest of Nupur Sharma, members of the Muslim community held protests in some areas of Gujarat’s Ahmedabad and Vadodara as well on Friday.
Vadodara: Protests Against Nupur Sharma
— Our Vadodara (@ourvadodara) June 10, 2022
ભાજપના પુર્વ રાષ્ટ્રીય પ્રવક્તા નુપુર શર્માનો વિરોધ વડોદરા શહેરમાં વધુ ઉગ્ર બની રહ્યો છે. સવારે વડોદરાના મચ્છી પીઠમાં નુપુર શર્મા અને નવીન જિંદાલના પોસ્ટર રસ્તા પર લગાડવામાં આવ્યા હતા. pic.twitter.com/Arkb6RJUpb
As part of the protest, shops and markets in the Muslim-dominated Dariyapur and Karanj neighbourhoods stayed closed. Several Muslim men gathered on a key route in Dariyapur with placards professing their love for Prophet Mohammad and demanding Sharma’s arrest.
According to them, Sharma and others who make such statements should face charges under the strict Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Tension mounts in Jammu and Kashmir as radical Islamists hit the streets in protest against ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma
Meanwhile, tension mounted in the Doda and Kishtwar areas of the Jammu region prompting authorities to impose a curfew there while parts of Kashmir observed a shutdown over Nupur Sharma’s remarks.
Sporadic incidents of stone-pelting were reported in Bhaderwah town despite the curfew. In defiance of the restrictions, some protesters took to the streets and hurled stones at security forces while shouting slogans.
As a precaution, internet services were snapped in the Kashmiri towns of Bhaderwah and Kishtwar, as well as the city of Srinagar.
Notably, a video from Jammu has also gone viral on the internet where beheading calls against Nupur Sharma were being given from a mosque. The threats, hurled by a Muslim cleric at the mosque, were directed at former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her comments on Times Now debate last month, where she cited Islamic Hadiths to comment on Prophet Muhammad.
Nupur Sharma’s effigy found hanging in Belagavi
Earlier in the day, it was reported how an effigy of Nupur Sharma was found hanging on the Fort Road in Belagavi. The local police said that the effigy was hanged at night on the cables on Fort Road in the city and it came to the notice of the police at dawn. The effigy has since been removed from the area described as ‘communally sensitive’.
