Maha BJP chief urges UP CM to order arrest of ex-AMU student neta for 'anti-Hindu' speech

On Wednesday, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil wrote to UP CM Yogi Adityanath urging him to order the arrest of ex-AMU student leader Sharjeel Usmani. Usmani has been under fire for his controversial speech at the Elgar Parishad event in Pune on January 30. Claiming that people don't have faith in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government taking any action, Patil sought Adityanath's intervention citing that Usmani is a resident of Azamgarh.

According to him, the language used by Usmani against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India's constitutional bodies was tantamount to treason. Patil demanded that strictest punishment should be meted out to a person hurting the sentiments of Hindus to ensure that no one will dare to use such words again. This comes even as Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh announced that a case has been registered against the ex-AMU student leader and a team has been formed to nab him. Incidentally, the Uttar Pradesh police had arrested Usmani last year in connection with the anti-CAA clashes which took place at Aligarh. 

Read: Bhima Koregaon Case: NIA Counters Accused Stan Swamy's Claim On Seizure Of Straw & Sipper

Usmani's controversial remarks

During his speech at the Elgar Parishad event, Sharjeel Usmani made disparaging comments about the Hindu society and referred to the lynchings. On this occasion, other attendees such as writer Arundhati Roy, journalist Prashant Kanojia and former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan also addressed the gathering. A day earlier, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis wrote to Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray seeking immediate action against Usmani. 

"Today's Hindu society has become rotten totally. Nowadays there is no reason needed - You are a Muslim, we will kill you. Non-veg is being eaten - be it chicken, goat, or beef, doesn't matter - we will kill you. While travelling in train - you are giving seat or asking for a seat - we will kill you. Theft of cattle worth Rs 2000, a life will be taken," Usmani reportedly said at the event. 

Read: Officials Appeal For Low-key Programs At Bhima Koregaon

The Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case

Violence had erupted at Koregaon-Bhima village in Pune district on January 1, 2018, where supporters had gathered to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. This resulted in the death of one person and leaving several injured. Subsequently, the Pune police arrested activists such as Sudha Bharadwaj, Shoma Sen, Arun Ferreira, and Vernon Gonsalves, Surendra Gadling, Sudhir Dhawale and P Varavara Rao for allegedly inciting the Bhima Koregoan violence through their speech at the Elgar Parishad meeting on December 31, 2017. Since the case was transferred to the NIA in January 2020, it has filed a chargesheet against 21 accused persons. 

Read: NIA Arrested 16, Chargesheeted 21 In Bhima Koregaon Case: MHA