Prophet row: Protesters demand Nupur Sharma, Naveen Jindal's arrest across India
The Jama Masjid's Shahi Imam later emphasised that no call for protests was issued by Masjid leadership. "We don't know who is demonstrating, but I believe they are AIMIM or Owaisi's supporters. We made it plain that they are free to demonstrate, but we would not assist them," he stated.
FollowProtests is being held in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal on Friday in response to BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's inflammatory statements about Prophet Muhammad, with protestors demanding that she be arrested.
Hundreds of demonstrators holding banners chanted anti-Sharma chants outside Delhi's landmark Jama Masjid. According to a senior police officer, while some protestors left the scene after a while, others stayed to demonstrate. A sizable throng gathered on the steps of the iconic mosque, some carrying banners and yelling anti-Sharma chants. According to a senior police officer, while some protestors left the scene after a while, others stayed to demonstrate. The calm demonstration lasted around 10-15 minutes.
The Jama Masjid's Shahi Imam later emphasised that no call for protests was issued by Masjid leadership. "We don't know who is demonstrating, but I believe they are AIMIM or Owaisi's supporters. We made it plain that they are free to demonstrate, but we would not assist them," he stated.
Protests erupted outside mosques in many districts of northern India following Friday prayers. Such rioting was also witnessed outside mosques in Saharanpur and Moradabad.
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Meanwhile, Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, has asked the state police to conduct tight inspections in sensitive areas after widespread protests against Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal. Stones were thrown during riots in Prayagaraj, UP, following controversial statements made by suspended BJP leaders. Additionally, in Telangana, protests were held outside Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid in response to controversial statements made by suspended BJP politician Nupur Sharma. Protesters were eventually removed from the area when police intervened. The police and the CRPF have been deployed in the area.
The Delhi Police have filed a FIR against 31 persons, including AIMIM chairman Asaduddin Owaisi and controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand, and a separate case against former BJP spokesman Nupur Sharma for allegedly inciting hatred and hurting religious sensibilities. According to them, the two FIRs were filed on Wednesday following a social media study. The FIR also names former Delhi BJP media unit chief Naveen Kumar Jindal, who was fired from the party for allegedly making anti-Muslim statements, and journalist Saba Naqvi.
The BJP suspended Sharma and fired its Delhi unit media leader Naveen Kumar Jindal on Sunday after a dispute over their alleged offensive statements about Prophet Mohammad erupted into protests from Muslim countries.
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Sharma's recent TV debate statements, as well as Jindal's now-deleted tweets, generated a Twitter trend asking for a boycott of Indian products in various Arab nations. In Kanpur, where violence occurred last week after Friday prayers between two communities, security was also ramped up. Section 144 was implemented in the city, and sections of Uttar Pradesh such as Unnao, Bulandshahr, and Lucknow were placed on high alert.
(With PTI inputs)
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