Islamists and ‘liberals’ have now flocked to the defence of Javed Ahmed, the alleged mastermind of the Prayagraj riots, whose unlawfully constructed residence is set to be razed as per the competent authorities’ directives. Self-proclaimed intellectuals and activists like Sharjeel Usmani and Suchitra Vijayan stood up to the defence of Javed Ahmed, who has been arrested by the police over his role in the violence in Prayagraj on Friday.
Sharjeel Usmani resorted to Twitter to defend the riot-accused Ahmed whose unlawfully constructed home is being razed by authorities. Usmani defended the accused in a series of tweets. He even mentioned Javed’s daughter, Afreen Fatima, who has been a JNU student and has periodically defended terrorists.
Usmani characterised the entire investigation and action by the Prayagraj Development Authority as “revenge.” In a tweet, he wrote, “Afreen Fatima and her family is paying a price for who they are. This is dangerously cruel. This is a witch hunt. May Allah have his mercy on all the families who keep the wheels of struggle moving despite huge personal risks. May Allah protect them and all families. Ameen.”
Afreen Fatima and her family is paying a price for who they are. This is dangerously cruel. This is a witch hunt. May Allah have his mercy on all the families who keep the wheels of struggle moving despite huge person risks. May Allah protect them and all families. Ameen.
— Sharjeel Usmani (@SharjeelUsmani) June 11, 2022
Similarly, ‘intellectual’ Suchitra Vijayan came to Twitter to express her solidarity with Afreen Fatima and Javed Ahmed. Suchitra posted a tweet with the hashtag #StandWithAfreenFatima and a picture urging people to storm Twitter with additional hashtags such as #MuslimLivesMatter.
#StandWithAfreenFatima pic.twitter.com/et7JJMzGRg
— Suchitra Vijayan சுசித்ரா விஜயன் (@suchitrav) June 11, 2022
Rana Ayyub, a Washington Post columnist accused of financial fraud, also joined in to defend the family accused of instigating riots. Rana employed the same strategy to play the victim when wrongdoing is unearthed. Labeling the action by the authorities as ‘oppression,’ she tweeted, “Another day of Oppression in India. The injustices against #AfreenFatima ; the teenagers who were murdered for protesting, the brazen demolition of houses. Muslims in India are being made to pay for the international outrage.”
Another day of Oppression in India. The injustices against #AfreenFatima ; the teenagers who were murdered for protesting, the brazen demolition of houses. Muslims in India are being made to pay for the international outrage. My podcast here. Listen in https://t.co/zsIN56vweJ
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) June 12, 2022
Legal demolition of the illegal residence of Javed Ahmed
Javed Ahmed, the accused mastermind of the riots in Prayagraj on June 10th, was detained by the Uttar Pradesh Police. On June 10, the Prayagraj Development Authority served him a notice to abandon the premises of his illegally constructed residence by 11 AM on June 12.
The notice was issued by the zonal officer of the Prayagraj Development Authority. According to the notice, the property in the Kareli Police Station area was erected illegally and without the consent of the competent authorities. A show-cause notice was issued in this regard on May 10 of this year.
As per the notice, Javed Ahmed failed to appear before the authority, thus the authority issued orders on May 25 for the house to be self-demolished by June 9th. However, the authority discovered that the orders had not been observed and that the house had not been demolished, thereafter the authority issued this notice to evacuate the premises by June 12.
