Published 10:22 IST, December 29th 2019
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi demands action on Meerut cop's 'Go to Pakistan' comment
Union Minister for Minorities, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi demanded "immediate action" against a UP cop who purportedly asked Muslims to "go to Pakistan" during protest
Union Minister for Minorities, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, on Saturday, demanded "immediate action" against an Uttar Pradesh cop who purportedly asked Muslims to "go to Pakistan" during a protest. This statement of Naqvi comes after a viral video, where a police officer was seen abusing and asking Muslims to go to Pakistan during an anti-CAA protest in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
"It is condemnable if it is true. Immediate action should be taken against the police officer," Naqvi told media in response to a question on the incident.
Further, Naqvi termed the alleged police excesses on people during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in UP as "unacceptable". "Violence, whether it is being perpetrated by a mob or by the police, cannot be part of a democratic system and is unacceptable. Police and administration should also keep in mind that innocents should be not subjected to violence and brutality. The UP government will take action if police or administration has committed any kind of atrocities on the people," he said.
Meerut ADG's statement
Meerut ADG Prashant Kumar, however, defended the cop saying that he was trying to control the violent situation as the protesters were raising slogans hailing the neighbouring country. After the video of Meerut 's SP went viral in which he can be seen saying "Go to Pakistan", he has released a statement saying they were provoked.
Speaking to news agency ANI, SP Akhilesh Narayan Singh has said that pro-Pakistan slogans were raised. He justified his action saying that they had information that such elements stay in that lane. "When they said Pakistan Zindabad as soon as they saw us, then we said that if you are so much in love with that country then you can go there", he said.
The ADG of Meerut also responded on the video. ADG Prashant Kumar said: "Stones were being pelted, anti-India & pro-Pakistan slogans were being raised there. The situation was very very tense."
He further explained, "PFI pamphlets were being distributed. This was despite all appeals, including by religious leaders. The officer only asked them to stop pelting stones and they can go there (Pakistan) if they wanted to."
Several leaders including Congress' Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, journalists and other noted citizens have condemned the Meerut cop's behaviour and police excesses against the protestors. Opposition leaders including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi have alleged that police ransacked people's houses, destroyed private properties and used unjustified force against people of the minority community in UP.
(with ANI inputs)
Updated 10:22 IST, December 29th 2019