Police atrocities against protesters added fuel to fire,' says Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind

Following the demonstrations in various cities over the controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad made by suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled leader Naveen Jindal, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind on Saturday alleged that police atrocities during nationwide protests against blasphemy and its inability to control the situation have added fuel to the fire.

In a statement Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi, General Secretary, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind said, "Insulting the Prophet could not be tolerated at all. To protest against this is a constitutional and democratic right of Muslims and justice-loving citizens of the country. Denial to these rights through the means of indiscriminate arrests, police firing and the use of bulldozers is a disgrace to any democratic government."

He said that the governments should comprehend that the protesters are the citizens of the country, and thus they should not be treated as foreign enemies.

Qasmi said efforts were being taken at all levels to provide legal help to those arrested.

Expressing concerns over the two deaths during a demonstration in Ranchi, he demanded from the Jharkhand government to conduct a full judicial inquiry into the matter and provide reasonable compensation to the family of the deceased.

Protests erupted in various states including Punjab, Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh over the controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad made by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and expelled leader Naveen Jindal.

Notably, some Gulf nations expressed outrage against the controversial remarks against the Prophet, the country has been witnessing protests.

The protest turned violent in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Jharkhand, after which the government of each said state took necessary actions to restore peace in the stressed cities.

The administration of Ranchi had imposed a curfew in the district, however, West Bengal has suspended internet services till 6 am on June 13.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also gave full liberty to the police officials to take stringent actions against the ones involved in disturbing the peace of various cities across the state.

In Punjab, the protestors have demanded the arrest of sacked leaders, whereas the instances of stone-pelting and sloganeering were witnessed after the Friday prayers in Uttar Pradesh.

(ANI)

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