A youth from Hailakandi in Assam has been arrested for claiming to be associated with Al-Qaeda and threatening Bangladesh-like violence in India including Assam to change the govt. Rezuwan Ulla Mazarbhuiya had posted on Facebook that after Bangladesh, it is the turn of India, adding that the effect of Bangladesh will start in Assam very soon.
When one Facebook user asked where he is from, Rezuwan replied in Bengali that while he works in India, but he is working with Al Qaeda. ‘My work is in India but always we are working with Al Qaeda organization in Pakistan, I keep Bangladesh in my heart Bangladesh and always keep Bangladesh close. Because Bangladesh is the main reason for our friendship,’ he replied.
Rezuwan was arrested him from his residence in Rangpur in Haliakandi district in Southern Assam after Social Media Monitoring Cell of the Hailakandi Police noticed the Facebook post. He was rigorously interrogated at the Lala Police Station over his claims of links with Al Qaeda in Pakistan. Reportedly, he claimed during the questioning that he has connections with the Al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistan.
Anti-india comments on social media and one 24-year-old youth has been arrested in Hailakandi.
— Nandan Pratim Sharma Bordoloi (@NANDANPRATIM) August 8, 2024
He stated, after Bangladesh, violence would be carried out in Assam this time.
He was arrested in Lala town and had identified himself as a member of al-Qaeda on social media. pic.twitter.com/I0gmSWPx20
The police said that Rezuwan had shared the post on a Facebook group called “Amader Hailakandi”. He also posted a similar message on his personal profile. “He has been arrested after evidence was found against him,” Samir Daptar Barua, Addl SP (Crime), Hailakandi said, adding that he will be produced in the court on Friday.
The ASP added that he has been arrested under Sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 147 (waging war against the government of India), and 196 (Promoting enmity) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita, 2023 (BNS) along with Section 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA).
However, the youth from Hailakandi is on the only to have such views. Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina govt in Bangladesh after the anti-reservation protests were hijacked by Islamist groups like Jamaat-e-Islami, many opposition leaders and Islamists are dreaming of similar violence in India to overthrow the BJP govt centre and from states where it is in power.
Several Congress leaders have made comments hoping for similar ‘revolt’ in India. Congress leaders Salman Khurshid, Mani Shankar Aiyer, and others have said that situation in India is similar to Bangladesh, and therefore a similar violence movement to remove the govt can start anytime soon.
