On a day when the leaders of the two largest democracies were showing camaraderie like never before, taking the relationship between India and the United States (US) to the next level, an ugly episode started unfolding in North East Delhi where rioters went on a rampage after clashes broke between pro-CAA and anti-CAA groups in Maujpur near Jafarabad. Ratan Lal, Head Constable of Delhi Police laid down his life in line of duty when rioters in the name of protests ran amok for more than 12 hours in Delhi. Another senior officer DCP Amit Sharma remains critical. An Intelligence Bureau officer, Ankit Sharma (26) has been killed by the rioters. As on February 26, 2020, 18 people have died in Delhi as a result of the anti-CAA protests.

 

 

It all started on the night of February 22, when 500 Muslim women ganged up near Jafrabad metro station to protest against the CAA and NRC and blocked road number 66 that connects Seelampur to Maujpur and Yamuna Vihar. They warned that the road would be blocked until the CAA is withdrawn. The following morning, senior officers of the police tried to negotiate with the protestors and asked them to not cause public inconvenience as traffic started building up. Meanwhile, protestors from Babarpur hurled stones at pro-CAA gathering at Maujpur Chowk and near a temple. Clashes started emerging in different parts and paramilitary forces were brought in to contain the situation. On February 24, the pro-CAA groups came close to the anti-CAA protestors and raised slogans. They refused to budge until those protesting in Jafrabad metro station leave. Again, stones were hurled from the anti-CAA side. The anti-CAA protestors wearing masks and carrying swords clashed with the police. Security forces were called in to bring the situation under control. Meanwhile, several videos that started hitting social media showed the anti-CAA rioters mostly Muslims throwing stones, burning vehicles and damaging public property. The police resorted to shelling tear gas to disperse the crowd. In one of the videos, a man wearing a maroon shirt can be seen opening fire and pointing the gun at the police. Very soon several prominent journalists and personalities on Twitter concluded that the rioter is a member of the ‘right wing’. However, the man was later identified as ‘Shahrukh’ by the Delhi police.

 

 

Some people point out that it was Kapil Mishra’s call to restore law and order that triggered the violence while others point out the provocative speech of Waris Pathan, the national spokesperson of AIMIM, where he calls for the ethnic cleansing of “100 crores” by the “15 crores”.

 

 

 

 

Close to a fortnight ago, we had a Shaheenbagh-esque protest in the northern part of Chennai. On 14th February 2020, close to 300 people primarily belonging to the Muslim community started agitating against the CAA-NRC-NPR. Despite requests and repeated warning from higher police officials, members agitated and grew violent. They started throwing slippers, stone and bottles at the police. In the ensuing riot, Rajamangalam station inspector was hurt in the right hand and a female constable Vijayakumari was hurt in the eyes and shoulder. Another female constable Kala was hurt in the right eye.

 

 

Meanwhile, six streets away from the protest site, a 70 year old man named Bazurullah died a natural death due to his ailing health conditions. However, news started spreading that the man died due to police brutality. Following the spread of this fake news, Islamic outfits from different parts of the state took to the streets. Crucial junctions and arterial roads like Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, Anna Salai, GST road and parts of East Coast Road saw huge traffic snarls. Mofussil and town buses were stranded in traffic jam that stretched to more than kilometre as ‘protestors’ staged demonstration in the New Bus Stand in Salem. In Tiruchy too, members of the TMMK came out to ‘protest’ and sought the release of their leader Hyder Ali.

 

 

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami mentioned in the floor of the Assembly that there is credible information about certain miscreant elements who have infiltrated the protests. He requested the Muslim community to not fall prey to false news and propaganda.

 

 

 

 

All these protests, violence and riots seem to be clearly orchestrated by vested interests. The on-going violence in Delhi is a culmination of 2 months long ‘protest’. It comes against the backdrop of Trump’s visit to India. Could it be the ISI? Could it be the breaking India forces functioning within the country? Or is it an outcome of the both shaking hands? This is not the first time that those against India are working hard to show India in bad light on international stage. Major General Gagandeep Bakshi says that every time that India had a US Presidential visit, the ISI had staged a major terror attack to coincide with it. Since, the Modi Government came to power, the number of terrorist attack on civilians has reduced. This has upset the establishment in Pakistan as their attempts to carry out terror strikes have caught up with the law of diminishing returns. In his Facebook post, he says that the ISI had engineered the riots and the armed violence in Delhi and is a deliberate attempt to tarnish India’s image globally. Mentioning that the violence was a pre-planned and a deliberate one, he pointed that it is a failure of intelligence. He called out the Leftist bureaucracy for giving a free run to separatists and Maoists under the pretext of free speech. He said that the “ISI operatives in Delhi have taken advantage of the focus on VVIP security to stage well timed riots in the capital to make a mockery of the republic.”

 

 

At this moment, it is important that situation is brought under control by the Delhi Police and law and order is maintained. Further permissions to protests should not be given in any part of the country and any attempt to protest should be dealt with an iron hand. The government should come out openly to assuage concerns of Muslims who are being falsely led by certain politicians, media groups, intellectuals from the ideological and political Left, and other public personalities.