“We will keep fighting until Muslims get justice”: Delhi Police arrest Muslim leaders protesting attacks
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In the wake of continued targeting of Muslim institutions, including mosques and madrasas, across BJP-ruled states, a protest organised by the Monitoring Committee of Indian Muslims (MCIM) at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday was met with excessive police action, with Delhi Police detaining Muslim leaders, MPs, activists, students and women protesters.
The demonstration was organised to protest repeated attacks on mosques and other places of worship, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and violence against marginalised communities. Among those detained were MPs Ziaur Rahman Barq, Mohibbullah Nadvi and Iqra Munawar Hassan, along with several other protesters.
Nadeem Khan, national secretary of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), was placed under house arrest from 9:30 am ahead of the demonstration, while Malik Mohtasim Khan, SIO president Abdul Hafeez and Zia Pathan of APCR Madhya Pradesh were also detained.
The protest brought together MPs, civil society members, activists and representatives of Muslim organisations, including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind president Syed Sadatullah Hussaini, former MP Kunwar Danish Ali, AIMIM Delhi state president Dr Shoaib Jamai and academic and activist Apoorvanand.
Iqra Munawar Hassan criticised the administration, alleging that officials who were educated and aware of the law were acting “at the government’s behest” and in a manner resembling slavery. She maintained that Muslims had a fundamental right to protest attacks on their mosques, madrasas, qabaristans and other institutions.
Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq said the protesters would not be silenced, while condemning what he described as the Delhi Police’s “attack on the protest”. “We will not be silenced. Our fight will continue until our last breath. We will keep fighting until our people get justice,” he said.
Protesters raised slogans such as “Let minorities live in peace”, “Stop bulldozer action” and “Stop attacks on mosques”, while one detained woman said they had gathered to question the violence faced by Muslims but were detained before they could voice their concerns.
Fraternity Movement national general secretary Lubaib Basheer alleged that police had denied permission for the demonstration before detaining and manhandling protesters, including elected representatives and community leaders. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind demanded the immediate release of those detained.
The protest came a day after Muslims were reportedly forced to remove parts of the historic Shahi Masjid in Ujjain to avert bulldozer action linked to a road-widening project ahead of Simhastha 2028, intensifying concerns among Muslim organisations over the treatment of their religious institutions.