NEW DELHI – The Assam government’s response to Monday’s Red Fort blast in Delhi has sparked controversy, with allegations of targeting innocent Muslims. Five Muslim men, including a retired principal, were arrested for allegedly spreading inflammatory content online. Critics argue these arrests reflect a broader pattern of targeting Muslim communities in Assam, exacerbating communal tensions.
The arrests on Tuesday have been criticised for potentially being politically motivated, aiming to stigmatise and marginalise Muslims. Rights groups and opposition parties question the government’s intentions, highlighting concerns about freedom of expression and religious discrimination. The situation warrants scrutiny to ensure actions are fair and unbiased.
Those falling in the police net are Mattiur Rahman, Hassan Ali Mondal, Abdul Latif, Wajhul Kamal, and Nur Amin Ahmed.
Sharing the information about the arrests on Twitter, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated, “The arrested individuals have been arrested in the Delhi blast case. They are the main accused in spreading inflammatory content on the internet. Assam Police will continue to take strict and swift action against those who misuse social media to spread hatred or glorify terrorism.”
According to the chief minister, these arrests underscore the state government’s commitment to maintaining peace and preventing misuse of social platforms to incite violence.
Separately, speaking on the blast in Delhi, Sarma chose to launch a diatribe against Muslims questioning the community’s patriotism. Referring to the ongoing controversy on singing of ‘Vande Mataram’, Sarma said those who cannot sing it cannot be Indians.
The chief minister further said one of the doctors arrested in connection with the blast was involved in ‘Love Jihad’. “When he was studying in college, he used to get Hindu women lured by and marry Muslim men, and get converted. So, we have to be alert. If we relax, only then does something end up happening. We need to learn from Pahalgam and Delhi,” he said.
