A day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested 17 members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Popular Front of India (PFI) in the August 11 Bengaluru riots case, the SDPI has accused the BJP government of misusing the NIA and other investigating agencies to target pro-people activists and organisations. So far, the NIA has arrested 187 persons in connection with the riots that claimed three lives.
"In August, a protest against a blasphemous statement on the prophet in DJ Halli and KG Halli had turned violent. The case was first being probed by the state police and is now being investigated by the NIA. Yesterday, some of our members, including SDPI Bangalore district president Mohammed Sharif, were arrested by NIA despite the fact they cooperated in the probe. The NIA, which confiscated the mobile phones, has not found any evidence," alleged Afsar Kodlipate, SDPI's state general secretary, who addressed a press meet in Bengaluru.
The SDPI leaders claimed that there is an attempt to build a false narrative around the Bengaluru riots. "In August, our leaders have had a series of meeting to discuss COVID-19 relief work and the Independence Day celebrations. But there has been an attempt to link these meetings to the riots saying SDPI had conspired and mobilised the crowds for rioting.”
The NIA has stated that the investigation into the Bengaluru riots case (RC-35/2020/NIA/DLI) revealed that the SDPI leaders Mohammed Sharief, Bengaluru district president, Imran Ahmed, KG Halli ward president, Rubah Waqas, Shabbar Khan and Shaikh Ajmal had conducted meetings at Thanisandra and KG Halli wards on August 11 evening and they conspired, mobilised and led the crowds to attack the KG Halli police station personnel, causing huge damage to the public and police vehicles. Also, Abbas, SDPI's Nagawara ward president, had mobilised the crowd through his associates Azil Pasha, Irfan Khan and Akbar Khan.
The probe also revealed the use of social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram to spread terror among people and mobilise the crowds from far off places. The other accused Saddam, Syed Suhel, Kaleemulla alias Shahrukh Khan were active on social media and instigated people to gather at the police station and they also participated in the riots.
The SDPI leaders claimed that the riots were a fallout of the "blasphemous post" uploaded on the social media by the nephew (Naveen) of the local MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy. The Pulakeshinagar legislator's house was gutted in the arson.
"Locals were furious after seeing the blasphemous remarks against the prophet by Naveen, a BJP supporter. He is the main culprit. But he is roaming around freely as he is on bail now. But hundreds of Muslim youth from the locality have been arrested under UAPA and denied bail, which is discriminatory," charged Kodlipate.
Demanding an unbiased investigation to bring real perpetrators to book, Kodlipate said, "Black laws such as the UAPA should not be abused," and urged the NIA not to yield to any political pressure.
"The BJP government is targeting social activists and political opponents with false cases and after Bhima Koregaon protests, CAA-NRC protest, and Delhi riots, they are now linking DJ Halli violence to conspiracy," said Afsar.
