Rihai Manch slams UP Govt. for threatening and attacking citizens

Headed by Yogi Adityanath, UP's police officers have been acting as footsoldiers waging a war against dissenters and the marginalised, especially Muslims.

rihai manch

Recently, Rihai Manch released a statement condemning Uttar Pradesh’s brutal state-sanctioned violence against its own citizens. Headed by Yogi Adityanath, UP’s police officers have been acting as footsoldiers waging a war against dissenters and the marginalised, especially Muslims.

Rihai Manch is a political advocacy group based in Uttar Pradesh, consisting of lawyers and human rights activist who provide legal assistance to victims of police deceit and suppression. Besides legal aid, they also try to bring issues of the marginalised into mainstream discourse. They describe themselves as a “resistance against repression.”

The statement issued by Rihai Manch General Secretary Rajeev Yadav:

Recently, Lucknow based social worker Zainab Siddiqui attested that police went to her and questioned her family members, asking if “their daughter is part of the CAA and NRC movement.” Family members denied the same, stating that she works in a women’s organization. The police left after this but returned after one or one and a half hours and started beating them up with lathis and sticks.

The police chased Zainab’s young sisters on to the street and beat them up. While shouting profanities, around 10 to 15 policemen took her father, sister, and mother to the Hasanganj police station.

Rihai Manch opposes this police action and demands that Zainab’s family be released and provided protection immediately. Unlawfully arresting someone without giving a reason for their arrest is absolutely wrong. This is blatant harassment and is being done to suppress dissenters.

Rihai Manch is a political advocacy group based in Uttar Pradesh, consisting of lawyers and human rights activist who provide legal assistance to victims of police deceit and suppression. Besides legal aid, they also try to bring issues of the marginalised into mainstream discourse. They describe themselves as a “resistance against repression.”

In a new cycle of repression, Uttar Pradesh Police has declared eight protesters as fugitives. They once again have issued “wanted” posters with their photos, and have announced a reward of five thousand for giving information about these protesters. Another similar poster has also been issue along with this.

UP “Wanted” Posters of CAA-NRC protestors | Courtesy IANS

Targeting Communal Harmony and Inter-faith Couples 

Recently, the Yogi Government also arrested social activist Faisal Khan, who had been working towards peace and communal harmony. Apart from this, the Chief Minister also gave an objectionable statement on ‘Love Jihad‘.

Yogi Adityanath, who threatened interfaith couples with death. He stated that if they don’t “mend their ways”, they will soon have to take the “raam ke naam satya hai” journey. This refers to the journey carried out by many Hindu, where they carry a dead corpse while chanting “raam ke naam satya hai.”

Rihai Manch General Secretary Rajeev Yadav argues that though, on one hand, Yogi claimed that the country will not run by any fatwa but by the constitution, he is working against the basic spirit of the constitution by issuing such coded threats. Rajiv stated that the graph of law and order in Uttar Pradesh is already very low and such statements by a Chief Minister will further increase communal sentiments and violence. He said that instead of making concerted efforts to control the increasing incidents of rape and murder in the state, Yogi is releasing statements that will encourage mob violence.

Uttar Pradesh yogi
File Photo: Yogi Adityanath

The forum general secretary lodged a complaint against the arrest of Faisal Khan stating that arresting him on the charge of inciting communal tension for offering prayers at a temple is ridiculous; he founded “Sabka Ghar” (Everyone’s Home) dedicated to those who lost their lives due to discrimination. In ‘Sabka Ghar’, people of different religions live and celebrate Holi, Diwali, Eid, Christmas festivals. Moreover, Faisal Khan not only read the Quran but also the Ramcharitra Manas. He also performed 84 Kosi parikrama of Brij before offering namaz in the temple premises with the permission of the priest.

Rajiv Yadav said that a person like Faisal Khan accused of spreading communal malfeasance or terming inter-faith relationships as “love jihaad” and threatening to kill them is only against the core sentiments of the Constitution but is part of anti-human and divisive politics.

Related: UP Police arrests Faisal Khan, an activist working for communal harmony

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March 2024
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