Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police Rajesh Deo has told the Delhi High Court it has not seen the video of Kapil Mishra threatening violence in northeast Delhi. This one headline alone tells you everything you need to know about the violence in Delhi. Kapil Mishra is a BJP leader, the Delhi Police is run directly by Home Minister Amit Shah, the right-hand man of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kapil Mishra made his provocative speech in the presence of a senior Delhi Police officer, making it clear that he wanted his followers to take the law in their own hands.
The Delhi pogrom of 2020 is state-sponsored. Anyone who cannot see that is pretending to be blind. In numerous accounts, videos and photos, we see the Delhi Police purportedly aiding and abetting the violence, either by looking away or actually participating in it.
A Delhi Police constable has been killed, as has an Intelligence Bureau official. The 24 dead (so far) include people from both religions — but more Muslims. When mass violence is provoked against a community, the community strikes back in defence. That’s how it becomes a riot, spun as an ‘equal fight’ between two sides. Both are then blamed. But the truth is that it is primarily Muslims who have been targeted, Muslim shops burnt, a cemetery desecrated, a mosque taken over, pages of the Quran burnt, and so on.
What was the purpose of this violence? First, it was to prevent the scaling up of the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests. The women sitting in Seelampur, a Muslim-dominated slum area, rightly felt it was no use sitting there. Shaheen Bagh got attention by virtue of being in south Delhi, even though it is in a Muslim-dominated area. But Seelampur? It was like speaking to themselves.
Responding to a Bharat Bandh call by Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, the women decided to move their protest to a road underneath the Jaffrabad metro station Saturday night. This blocked a road. Unless you block a main road, how do you get the attention of the mainstream? This is not the first time a road has been blocked by a group of protesting people.
But BJP’s Kapil Mishra said the blocking of a road was somehow a matter serious enough for people to take law in their own hands. He demanded that the road be cleared in both Jaffrabad and nearby Chand Bagh.
Also read: Riot-hit Northeast Delhi has 1 MP, 7 MLAs but only one has visited his constituency
The Jaffrabad model of silencing dissent
What unfolded then was a clear diabolical plan. Make it look like a ‘clash’ between “pro-” and “anti-” CAA protesters. The clash goes violent. Muslims provoked and forced to respond in self-defence. It looks like a riot. Use the violence as an excuse to clear the anti-CAA protests — the peaceful and democratic anti-CAA protests.
When the Jaffrabad protest site was cleared, a top BJP-RSS leader declared victory. B.L. Santhosh is the BJP’s general secretary (organisation), a post reserved for the RSS representative. Here was his tweet just as news came in of the Jaffrabad site being cleared:
Santhosh then deleted this tweet, to remove “game starts now” and replace it with “time to enforce law in its entire spirit” in a new tweet:
Jaffrabad Metro protest area totally cleared . Time to enforce law in its entire spirit . Rioters need to be taught a lesson or two of Indian laws . #PlannedDelhiRiots
— B L Santhosh (@blsanthosh) February 25, 2020
Similarly, the Chand Bagh protest site nearby was also cleared.
This is a model that could well be applied soon to other protest sites, Shaheen Bagh and others, in Delhi and elsewhere. We saw a trailer of this in some BJP-ruled states earlier: Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, even in Jamia area in Delhi. In the Jamia Millia Islamia violence, the excuse of a burnt bus was used to beat up students even inside the university library. The idea is to use violence to create a consensus that the anti-CAA protesters are violent Islamists.
At the heart of this debate is also a claim to public space. Section 144 does not seem to apply to state-backed mobs. The police provides them security or stands by. But for anti-CAA protesters, all the laws come down heavily on them, preventing them from protesting.
Reply from Amit Shah
The BJP’s calculation about the CAA-NRC-NPR laws was that people will take them lying down, with the same sense of defeat and surrender with which they accepted the dilution of Article 370, verdict on Ram Mandir and so on.
Taken aback, the BJP thought the protests would fizzle out in weeks. When the protesters, who could not even be discredited as opposition-backed, found an ‘occupy’ model led by women, the BJP thought it might actually help it polarise people on Hindu-Muslim lines. So, for instance, a Delhi BJP MP, the foul-mouthed Parvesh Verma, said of Shaheen Bagh protesters last month that they might enter people’s homes and rape women.
Such attempts at hatemongering did not succeed, as the Delhi election got the BJP only eight of the 70 seats, and the rise in vote-share was marginal. The anti-CAA/NPR/NRC or ‘Chronology’ protests, not even good for polarisation, are now a nuisance to the Narendra Modi government, which does not like dissent. It doesn’t want people speaking up against the threat of being made stateless through ‘Chronology’ laws. It is likely now that the ‘Chronology’ protests everywhere could face similar violence.
The northeast Delhi pogrom of 2020 serves another purpose. It is Amit Shah’s way of reminding everyone that the Delhi election results mean nothing, and that Arvind Kejriwal is a nobody. Kapil Mishra is Amit Shah’s answer to the Delhi electorate. It’s his way of saying who’s boss. It’s a catharsis of the anger of the defeat of Delhi.
The author is contributing editor to ThePrint. Views are personal.
I had read somewhere that some authors have the head of the size of a pin but much less point. The author of this piece symbolizes such type of authors. What was nauseating about this article is that it is hate-driven and echoes the viciousness of people who are out to destroy the fabric of this country
Mr. Goswami, how many pegs of Gaumutra are you down today ?? Okay, better question …do you consume it on the rocks or mix it something super filthy like the communalism n hatred in your black heart.
?
Totally biased journalism ,and asking for donations. They didn’t mention the mastermind of delhi pogrom tahir husain(a muslim and formor AAP member ,currently ruling in delhi). Shame on you The print!
You should retire from journalism. We don’t need your biased report. Stupidity at its peak, nay Everest.
Bikaoo journalist…. Dalle hoon tum log…
You idiot journalist! We dont need your explanation.
You idiot journalist!
For all those who have criticized the journalist must know they are nobody to defame anybody’s job. They as indians have proved themselves why this nation is on the verge of a civil war. But kudos to Shyam Vij who’s analysis and words are nailing every bit of a government that will backfire its “own” or followers if required. Why can’t anybody tolerate criticism and dissent in this democracy?
You idiot you do a right thing and then expect to hear criticism then you are none other than a bigot animal in human form what is right is right this writer is paid or has lost all righteousness and consciousness he knows whats the truth himself but hes corrupted beyond repair and is speaking dirt if you want to know reality go ask a resident their and see the hindus killed stabbed 600 times intestines taken out and drilled in the head then come back and see what truth and criticsm really mean
Breathe, breathe…
Or better, ask the “YogRishi Baba”
@Ma’az Kalim, kuch bhi bc? Stop reading your hatemongering “Hindu khatre mein hai” (fake) journalism.
I dare you to tolerate criticism when you know you are right, you are blinded corrupted and damaged beyond repair like the journalist ,bigots animals brainless just ask one real resudent and analyze the hindus killed stabbing 600 times tearing the intestines drilling in the head then come back and see what truth criticism means if you still remain in oblivion beleive me you have irreversibly crossed the lowest levels of being a human
Okeydoke, then.
Don’t tolerate, but at least rise up to the level and follow the laws of scientific-reasoning to respond: Why can’t you and your like-minded “folks” manage to do the same when challenged?
Or to make you understand by appropriating one of your hotshot favourite-tools never seeming to vain in the frequency of applications: You’re more righteous, than the rest, no? We’ve all heard the grandiose “fables”, “folklores” and “parables” about how the Sanaatanis are the “most-tolerant around the Brahmaanda” simply because of the teachings of Sanaatana Dharma — then why that never seems to be the case in practice°?
Every Institution,Police, Administration is occupied, weakened.Those who claim it is world biggest democracy, is complete lie. When no institution will able to do justice, then people will have no choice to save himself and their family in self defence.
gutter level of journalism …. but what do we expect from these psuedo secular anti india anti hindu pro muslim terrorists
People with cheap mentality will destroy our beautiful country, while they are sitting faraway judging Hindu muslims, thanks to the current government, andhbhakts have forgotten the basics of humanity norms, their minds are filled with poisonous cowdung and urine. Anyone questions the government becomes a traitor and the idiotic supporters start talking Hindu Muslim, spit out poison quoting fake information regarding a particular community, they never check on facts just blurt out their biased views. None talks about fairness or give out solutions, everyone talks about destruction. When a journalist presents a picture of a particular community they start crying foul, calling him biased, nonsense, pseudo liberal etc., when the same journalist presents an article about the people of their liking, they cheer and start praising him. This is sheer Hippocratic, it shows up their narrow mindedness and cheap mentality.
All this talk of ours will remain on papers, but Providence will take it’s own course.
I beleive you are such a intelligent person but all the things you have said apply to you rather than the majority here you are andhbhakt fakely crying for things that never happened you boast you know the facts i dare you to prove them to me
Speaking the truth is never easy….people who call uh a biased journalist are the once who praise the Godi media…May the blood shed stop and peace prevail..
This article has exactly spot on the real motive and the politicking and the high level culprits behind the Delhi 2020 pogrom orchestrated by none other than Amit shah. Shah vented his fury out for revenging an ignominious defeat 62/8 in Delhi. How much the truth speak of this article has hit the sanghis on head is strikingly obvious from the scream and mayhem in the comment space by sanghis or its sympathizers. It is Amit shah who is the main culprit who behaves like a thug revelling in his lunacity and utter disregard for human concerns. It is damn sure that BJP will replicate this model in shaheen bagh and elsewhere against common citizens. But he does not comprehend the strategic blunder that this will only further consolidate opposotion and hence more protests to be seen in coming days. Better remember Hitler and his pathetic downfall. Dictatorship won’t last long. A avoawed criminal gang of Modi and Shah will invetably be caught under the law in near future.
The print is stupidity by stupid people for stupid people.
And you read it. Good for you.
Bulls eye. Rare to have someone speak against all odds.
It is time India move forward with NRC , NPR and UCC. We want a strong nationalistic govt in the centre.
This is not the first election that amit shah lost. According to the writer shivam vij we should have seen wide spread riots in all the states bjp lost in the recent months. Why only Delhi? Coz Delhi was a laboratory for a dangerous experiment called shaheen bagh and what has happened is just a trailer of a sinister plan to break India. INDIA should wake up and stand united against this leftist idealogy which thrives on anarchy and chaos
Print is one of the unbiased group of real journalists. Shekhar Gupta and his gang of 11 is real, new age journos. I read this article just cos it was on print else I completely ignore such articles.
Though these are personal views of the writer, how could it go through the print editor?
Pls avoid any piece that tries to give conclusions. Someone like Shekhar Gupta who has sufficient data and research to back his conclusion is different than someone like this writer fit ro write a bollywood script.
Print, pls avoid to give platform like the print to such non serious and casual writers.
Wow!!!!
This is a wonderful theory, the best among conspiracy theories. Impressed!
Amit Shah orchestrated this violence so as to avenge his defeat in the Delhi election. Can we know why he didn’t do a similar thing in MP or Rajasthan or Punjab or Jharkhand or Orissa???
Is the writer still researching or he can’t find the data??
Strange that people in media dish out opinion and not facts or news. This has been the bad luck of this nation and will prove to be very dear as days pass by.
Strange that councillor and MLA of AAP chose to listen to Shah and not Kejriwal’s dictum.
Looks like a bed time story being narrated to a sleepy toddler.
This is not the first time I am seeing articles criticizing the government made to sound like they are worthless by a mob of cyber goons!
I wish that the Sanaatani Privilege by many commenters( most of them Anonymous Cowards) here on could be anything more than tiresomely boring.
Their conspiracy-theorising, as proposed by their opinion-leaders/-makers such as AAPian-turned-terrorist leader Mishra( no salutation!) aside: They’re so pitiful that they can’t even get that..
…Nitpicking on Shaheen Bagh protests by always regurgitating “whatabout school and first-response services” as if they actually are Customer Care/Service representatives moonlighting in addition to their very pressing jobs — to your one-of-select-favourites tool of “Whatabout”, I respond: Well..
What about the DAILY, REGULAR, INSTANCE of VIP and VVIPs( almost all of them politicos, “leaders” or otherwise) getting the public-roads blocked before and after their convoy steadily passes, huh?
This sounds funny because it sounds a direct-parallel to picking on temple loudspeakers for unannounced, random instances of Bhajana/Jagaraata marathons whilst ignoring the daily, few-minutes of audio from mosque 5 TIMES across the whole of 24 hours!(
Which of course, is antithetical to what they actually do in that debate. Hence the drawing of parallels.)
P.S. On the immediate-hindsight after posting this, I got reminded of the role by opinion-leading “genius” aka B L Santhosh( no salutation, for obvious reasons!) who managed to even got on the wide global-international spotlight..
…by threatening in response to the open-opposition by the Senator of US state of Vermont and Presidential-hopeful Mr Bernie Sanders against the incumbent POTUS’ apathy( much welcomed by the herd oh-so-rarely chanting “iNdIA’s iNtErNaL maTtErS” to evade criticism, let alone intervention — every single time) towards the pogrom-in-question, by oh-so-ingeniously making a not-so-veiled threat by dog-whistling his army of keyboard-warriors, opinion-leaders/-makers and spin-doctors( collectively dubbed “IT Cell”*) to be ready for “intervening in US 2020 Presidential Election”( paraphrased).
He( luckily, the latter) soon deleted the tweet, I see he has done the same in the related-case here — as well. Is this RSS mascot wearing that oh-so-rare persona of “Grandpa Grumps”? From what it’s looking like: At least he’s making a pattern.
*A collective which is the greatest in number on US-based social media platforms, let’s be honest even in this as well — no?
This is not the first election that amit shah lost. According to the writer shivam vij we should have seen wide spread riots in all the states bjp lost in the recent months. Why only Delhi??? Coz Delhi was the petridish for a dangerous experiment called shaheen bagh and what has happened is just a trailer of a sinister plan to break India. INDIA should wake up and stand united against this leftist idealogy which thrives on anarchy and chaos.
Complete one sided report ……. Public is more update than you Mr. Editor …. This is wrong information you are spreading looks like
“More update”???
Long Live the lingo of BPO — eh? ?
Thank you for the article, Shivam Vij. It tells the truth.
The fountainhead of head and violence is reporting s like such. Author wanted to know why did it happen, it happened because people like you have been stroking fire all along.
I am ashtornished as to how is this article allowed by Shekhar ji. This is utter , useless crap in the name of writing.
The litany of abuse against the piece is proof that it has hit the nail on the head.
100%. This also means that they don’t like the face they see on the mirror. Which leads to the frustration and anger culminating in abuse for the journalist.
This is the best abd the frankest article on the Delhi pogrom organized by Shah. It was Shah who was the home minister in Gujarat when the 2002 riots took place, and again when he became the home minister of the country, he has burnt the capital. Shah and Modi duo is lethal for this country. They will really burn this nation.
Thanks for speaking the truth. India needs journalists like you. Please don’t be disappointed with the IT cell and their negative comments.
Yet another diarrheal vomit due to sickness. Y’all are sick.
You are a Hindu heater & journ like you only instigated these riots against Hindus. Shame on you & your group. You are are antisocial element.
Bloody hell ! I have seen ,read a lot of lousy journalists ,who keep dishing out one crappy article after another ,but this guys takes the cake ! ?
I just shudder to think if this guy had a gun in his hand instead of a pen, he would have by now wiped off the total BJP top brass by now .
Shameful, spiteful, unprofessional piece of Shit.
This joker looks like is floating in his’ Oceans of Fantasy’, his imagination running wild with all kinds of perverted thought process ,highly condemnable . Saala kuch bhi !
This journo seems so fond of crap that I think he should join some sewage cleaning contractor/firm so that he remains in close proximity to shit and remains happy with it.
Thereby sparing the poor news consumers of this pathetic experience.
BJP IT cell joker will not like the truth
Instead of saying some bad words you could have counter him
Better for us to understand your point
One thing is crystal clear
There are leaders in bjp
And they just vomit words to please some voters
SHAME ON MoDee moDeL of Communal disharmony roasters
All chaddeess are similar
Have same Venom spewing ideology like their forefathers who formed RSS
Better that it’s eXposed..
Losers r Common man…but…it’s now no more… InternalIndia….,it’s secular Fabric moDee sHaH DuO have shattered
In the words of American General Anthony McAuliffe, to Print ‘ Nuts’….
This guy is talking all crap and seems to be of the same ilk as Pappu, Mamta, Kejriwal, Owaisi, left-liberals etc., and the radical Islamic fundamentalists !!
These meaningless anti- CAA protests and the planned rioting done on the eve of POTUS’s visit only further emphasizes the need for Modi & Shah to ensure that CAA, NRC, NPR, UCC, etc are implemented at the earliest without wasting any time so that the concept of Ghazwa-e-hind doesn’t take root here !!
The print editor is Biased. The article reaks of conclusion first and then selected facts presented and other facts which don’t fit are Ommited. Shame on such articles.
Nice article
The article is biased and one sided.
Mr Shyam Vij you are a disgrace in the name of unbiased, factual reporting of events. You have the gall to suggest, quote “Responding to a Bharat Bandh call by Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, the women decided to move their protest to a road underneath the Jaffrabad metro station Saturday night. This blocked a road. Unless you block a main road, how do you get the attention of the mainstream?” unquote.
This is exactly what the tukde-tukde gang of JNU indulge in. Anything for maximum eyeballs and enough shock effect that the pseudo liberal presstitutes like you are paid to report. You are no better than a gutter media reporting one side of the story, the real bigot, apologist and intolerant.
This article is total BS….. The writer is a moron, and an idiot rolled into one…… Best ignored.
Horrible journalism…pls go back to journalism school. You badly need to learn…Hate mongering article.
Yes every truth said is horrible for monsters. Didn’t BJP said defeat of Delhi was coz of hate speech but what worse it can be then such atrocite on protesters whereas such protest as per court is allowed. It’s sheer shamelessness of centre
Obviously you have not heasrd of Tahsir Khan and his riot bsse. Eat humble shit.
I completely agree with this analysis! More so, i see a ‘replica’ of guj riots in delhi where evrythng ws sponsored n lead by the state! I hope btr sense prevails for people all over the country!
Thank God for one positive comment. Agree with author Shivam Vij.