Prophet remarks row: AIMPLB, Jamiat condemn police action against protesters

In a statement, AIMPLB general secretary Hazrat Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani pointed to the “demonstration of lawlessness by the government” and “violence by the State” against the protestors. He said, “Those who are peacefully protesting against this indecent act and hate speech are facing cases being registered against them, lathi-charge, and their houses being demolished. Unless a person is found guilty in a court of law – he/she is only an accused, and to treat them as a criminal is nothing but anarchy.”

Rahmani further said that although Sharma has been suspended from her party, no “meaningful action” has been taken against her by the law-enforcing agencies. “This is a complete miscarriage of justice,” the statement said.

The AIMPLB has also demanded the immediate release of all those who have been arrested for protesting on the issue. It said a police investigation should be carried out and the accused tried in a court of law.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind visited Ranchi Monday, where two persons were killed and over a dozen injured in protests Friday.

“The police force in Ranchi displayed the worst example of barbarism against the persons who took out a procession to protest against blasphemy against the Prophet. Two persons were killed and more than a dozen persons were severely injured in police indiscriminate firing,’’ said a statement from the Jamiat.

The delegation also called on the family members of Mohammad Mudassir and Mohammad Sahil, who died in alleged police firing.

The Jamiat delegation met with Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Chhavi Ranjan and demanded justice and adequate compensation for the families of the deceased.

“The teenagers of the city were treated as foreign enemies by the police force. It’s very saddening and deserves our condemnation. There are other ways to stop the protesters. In the presence of other possible options, shooting in the back and chest is just barbarism. The families of the deceased should be given reasonable compensation and any deserving member of the household should be provided with a job. The Ranchi police have set a wrong precedent, which has not happened anywhere in the country. This attitude of the police is highly barbaric and shows that they treat members of the minority community as enemies,” said Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi, general secretary of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind.

The Jamiat delegation also met with Jharkhand DIG Anis Gupta and ADGP Sanjay Latkar.