The Clueless Crowd and the Truth of Protests

In a series of violent protests in Delhi’s Jamia University, where many outsiders believed to be infiltrated as students, this was another incident of violence that took place over the CAA, within a span of 24 hours. More than a thousand protesters had hit the streets and clashed with the police, pelted stones, and damaged public vehicles as well as school buses. Responding to the violence, the police had to use tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.

After talking to the youths on ground zero, one thing that shocked me was the level of ignorance and misperception that the protestors were ingrained in about the CAA or NRC. Even many of them do not know the full form of NRC or CAA. They had no idea whether the government has implemented it or not. Without knowing anything they took part in the violent protests. One of the protesters told Organiser that they were there to ‘save’ Islam. One can see the youths covering their faces like youths in Kashmir used to do it while attacking the Army and local police.

There was chaos, so I hardly managed to catch a group of protesters. When I asked a youth what his name was, he said his name was Laden. He paused a while and then said, “Osama Bin Laden”. His answer made me wonder how a parent could name their son ‘Osama Bin Laden’! We all know who Osama Bin Laden was, the founder of the pan-Islamic terrorist outfit al-Qaeda that was involved in 9/11 attack on US Trade Tower. He was later killed by the US Navy Seal in 2011 in Pakistan. Then I asked him why he was there? He said, “Hum log yahan NRC aur CAB ke virodh me pradarshan karne aye hain.” (We are here to protest against NRC and CAB). ‘Bin Laden’ was blank and was asking his friends for the full form of CAB and NRC in a hilarious way, when I asked him what is NRC and CAB? The teenage protesters were saying that they came here with their friends without knowing the CAB or the purpose of the protest.

A local businessman in his fifties told this reporter that it is Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress behind the violence in Seelampur. “We all know that Seelampur is a Muslim-dominated area and Delhi is going to face assembly elections next year. Both the parties are trying to portray themselves as the only ‘guardian’ of Muslims. Even some leaders of these parties are manipulating and misguiding the youths of Seelampur in the name of CAA and NRC”, said the local businessman.

“Just after the Ayodhya verdict, there has been a sense of discomfort among a section of Muslims and politicians are taking advantage of that”, added the businessman.

One of the youth at the ground zero, when asked why they were here, he said, “We are protesting because Modi Government is planning to send all Muslims to the refugee camps and that is why we are here. BJP is doing atrocities on Muslims and we are here to save our Muslim brothers”. This shows how the ordinary Muslims are being misguided and instigated in the name of CAA and NRC by the radicals and the leaders of some political parties.

The shocking part was when I told a kid, “itne chotte ho, ghar jao, padhai-likhai kro” (you are a kid, go home and do your study, his instantly replied, “padhai to hoti rahegi, Muslaman bhaiyon ka saaath kaun dega”, the clear indication of growing radicalisation of Muslim minds.

The problem is not limited to Seelampur alone. These radicalised youths are burning the whole nation where they are in majority. One could have seen the level of violence that took place in Bengal. They are targeting Hindu families, looting their shops, burning public and government property in the name of NRC and CAA. And the sad part is larger part of educated section of Muslim society is misguiding these youths by telling them that you will be kicked out of this country if you will not raise voice against CAA. The relationship of Aligarh Muslim University with Jamia University was explained through the slogan in the Aligarh protest as it goes, ‘La ilaha illallah’ (There is no god only Allah). This radicalising potential is the one with which ‘secular’ politicians seems to be playing their game.