Maulana Tauqeer Raza, known for his contentious remarks, has sparked yet another controversy. This time, he has declared his intention to eliminate those who even attempt to harm any member of his community.
Speaking after the Haldawni violence, where a frenzied Muslim mob attacked police personnel and civil authorities who went to demolish a madarsa built on illegally encroached govt land near the Banbhulpura police station, the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Maulana Taufeeq Raza Khan threatened the administration with violence.
Irked by the bulldozer action on the illegally constructed structure in Haldwani, which some labelled as a madarsa while others called it a namaz place, he threatened both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami with violence. Tauqeer declared that the Muslim community won’t tolerate any further bulldozer action. He continued by saying that they would kill anyone who attempted to harm them since it was their constitutional right to do so.
हल्द्वानी हिंसा पर तौकीर रजा का सीएम धामी और पीएम पर बयान, कहा- जो हम पर हमला करेगा, उसे मार देंगे, बुलडोजर बर्दाशत नहीं किया जाएगा#Lucknow #HaldwaniRiots #HaldwaniNews #HaldwaniViolence #UttarakhandPolice | @thakur_shivangi @priyasi90 pic.twitter.com/dPa2g8QCQ6
— Zee News (@ZeeNews) February 9, 2024
Tauqeer Raza Khan is a repeat offender
Notably, Tauqeer Raza is known for his incendiary remarks. It may be recalled that on 3rd February, Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan had threatened a civil war in the country. He made the remark after the central government announced that it would award Bharat Ratna to veteran politician Lal Krishna Advani.
He said that it is due to the patience practised by Muslims that religious tensions are not escalating. Cautioning against Muslims losing control, he said, “If our youth go out of control, then no one can save India from a civil war.”
The controversial remarks by Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan are not new. Tauqeer Raza, who came out in support of Congress in the 2022 Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh, has repeatedly warned of riots.
In April 2022, irked by the bulldozer action against criminals in UP, he said, “If this government continues to do such injustice, the countrywide Jail Bharo Andolan will become so big that government will be unable to contain it. And the day Muslims come to the streets, one must understand that they will be uncontrollable. Therefore, I warn the government and Narendra Modi in particular that if he fails to correct this way of taking action with immediate effect….. And his silence. You are the Prime Minister for all of us. Such acts are taking place in your country, and you remain silent?”
In January 2022, he made similar remarks while addressing a crowd of 20 lakh Muslims. He said, “I see the anger within my Muslim youths, and I am afraid that the day this anger bursts out, the day I lose control over them… I want to warn my Hindu brothers that I’m scared that the day my Muslim youths are forced to take the law into their hands, you will not find a place to hide anywhere in India.”
Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan has allied with Congress on multiple occasions. He also supported the party in the 2009 General Elections in UP.
Islamist violence in Haldwani, Uttarakhand
On Thursday, February 8, an incident of stone pelting and arson was reported in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani area. According to reports, the mob attacked authorities who went there to demolish a structure, labelled as a madarsa, built on illegally encroached govt land near the Banbhulpura police station under the ongoing drive against illegal encroachments. As many as 4 people were reported dead and over 300 police personnel were injured in the violence.
Several videos emerged showing Islamists pelting stones, shooting guns, and indulging in rampant arson and violence. There are testimonies from police officials which claim that the Muslim mob wanted to set them on fire.
Notably, after the incident took place, the DM of Nainital category explained that the violence was pre-planned and that the Islamists had decided that the day the authorities came to demolish the structure following the High Court order, they would indulge in violence against them. She also explained how there were multiple mobs and after the initial mob pelting stones was pushed back by the police, another emerged with petrol bombs. She further explained how there was an attempt to burn police officers alive.
