On Sunday (June 12), a young Muslim boy named Saad Ashfaq Ansari was arrested by the Bhiwandi police in Maharashtra for supporting ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and questioning the nature of the relationship between the Prophet Muhammad and his wife Ayesha. Earlier yesterday he was assaulted and abused by a Muslim mob for his stand in the ongoing blasphemy row and supporting Nupur Sharma.
In an Instagram story, Ashfaq had written, “A 50-year-old man marrying a 6-9-year-old kid is clear child abuse. And I don’t know how you people support this. Will you give your 6-year-old daughter to a 50-year-old man? (think about it).”
An engineering student by occupation, he had extended his support to Nupur Sharma and referred to her as a ‘brave lady.’
In one Instagram story, Ashfaq had posted, “I am not in support of any religion. I fucking hate them all. I am just scared to live in a world where you and your family can be killed just because you spoke something about a man who died many years ago.”
“Grow up guys. Ditch the religions which spread terrorism in the world and be human being. It’s just that simple. I already know how much hate I will get from posting this and prepared to be misunderstood because you people are still kids,” he had written.
Muslim mob assaulted Ashfaq at his house
On Saturday (June 11) night, a frenzied Muslim mob reached the residence of Saad Ashfaq Ansari and forced him to come out of his house to confront him over the social media posts. After having mustered enough courage, the Muslim boy managed to address the mob.
With a terrified look on his face, he said, “If I wanted, I could have stayed inside. But I came out to talk to you.” After hearing this, a man in the crowd threatened, “If you had stayed inside, we would have dragged you out and thrashed you.”
The boy pleaded with folded hands but the crowd refused to relent. He was forced to read the Kalma (Islamic phrases). As he proceeded to recite the verses, a man slapped him on his face while others continued to threaten him with physical harm.
Cops were intimidated to take action against the Muslim boy
On Sunday (June 12), a Muslim mob again reach the the house of Ashfaq and held demonstrations outside the house. They later filed a complaint at the Nizampura police station in Bhiwandi city in Thane district of Maharashtra against Saad Ashfaq Ansari alleging blasphemy. According to a man, who was part of the violent mob, Ashfaq had supposedly made ‘objectionable remarks’ against Islam and Prophet Muhammad.
“The lovers of the Prophet (Aashiq-e-Rasool) of Bhiwandi went to his house immediately, and nabbed him. They also thrashed him at his house,” the man told Express News Hindi.
“In the morning, when the news spread, I and others received phone calls that a police complaint must be registered against the blasphemy accused. The matter will not rest with merely an apology,” he added.
After offering Namaz, he along with other community members submitted a memorandum to the Nizampura police. “I want to make it clear that if such an incident is repeated, then, the law will take its own course and we will take ours,” he threatened.
Bhiwandi police summon Nupur Sharma
The blasphemy row seems to be a burning issue in Bhiwandi as the police there have also summoned Nupur Sharma to question her. An FIR was registered by Bhiwandi police on May 30 against Nupur Sharma on the complaint of a Raza Academy representative, and the police have confirmed that they have a issued a summon asking her to appear before them on an undisclosed date. Mumbai police have also summoned Nupur Sharma asking her to appear on June 25. Similarly, Mumbra police in Thane has summoned her on June 22. Bhiwandi police have booked Naveen Kumar Jindal also, and issued a summon to appear on June 15.
