Clarion India
BAHRAICH – Uttar Pradesh Police claimed to have arrested three persons for allegedly sharing provocative posts on social media on the day ‘Bhumi Pujan’ was held for of Ram temple at Ayodhya. The trio, including a doctor, is said to be associated with Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).
The police claimed to have caught the accused red handed while posting provocative messages on the Internet. However, they did not specifically mention what were the messages.
Given the outrage among Muslims over Wednesday’s bhumi pujan for the temple on the site where a 500-year-old mosque, Babri Masjid, stood, angry outpourings are a natural reaction. As for what constitutes freedom of speech and what prejudicial to public order, the UP police cannot be trusted. Going by their track record, for them, any opposition to the ruling establishment is an act of sedition.
Recounting how they arrested the three Muslim men, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kunwar Gyananjay said on receiving information on Wednesday about some people sitting in clinic of Dr Aleem, forwarding messages on WhatsApp and tweeting comments purported to be prejudicial communal amity and national integrity.
“When police reached there, Dr Aleem, Kamruddin and Sahibe Alam were found involved in the act,” he added.
According to the police, Sahibe Alam was the former office bearer of PFI and working as media in-charge of SDPI and Both Dr Aleem and Kamruddin. While being a member of any political party is not a crime, this claim of the police too is under cloud. It’s an assumption based on their membership of WhatsApp group.
Only a detailed probe into the matter, which is underway, can establish their political affiliations and whether their social media posts warrant any punitive action against them.
(With inputs from IANS)
