New Delhi: Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has sought “immediate” action against a Meerut cop who was caught on camera asking protesters against the contentious new citizenship law to “go to Pakistan”.
“If it is true that he made that statement in the video, then it is condemnable. Immediate action must be taken against him,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
"Violence at any level, be it by police or by mob, it is unacceptable. It can't be a part of a democratic country. Police should take care that those who are innocent should not suffer," Naqvi added.
In the video, SP City Akhilesh Singh can be seen on camera asking the local residents to tell protesters to “go to Pakistan”. The incident is reported to be of December 20 when four persons died during the protests there.
“Kahan jaoge? Is gali ko theek kar doonga (Where will you go? I will sort out this lane),” Singh can be heard saying in the video which has been shot in Lisari Gate, the Indian Express reported. The police were reportedly chasing four protesters in the lane when the top cop was recorded warning the few locals around him.
“Ye jo kaali aur peeli patti baande huye hain, inse keh do Pakistan chale jao…khaoge yahan ka, gaoge kahin aur ka… Yeh gali mujhe yaad ho gayi hai. Aur jab mujhe yaad ho jaata hai toh mein naani tak pahunch jaata hun (The ones tying black and yellow bands, tell them to go to Pakistan. You eat here but sing praises of another place… This lane is now familiar to me. And once I remember, I can even reach your grandmother).”
Singh is seen accompanied by other security personnel and he further warns the locals telling them that they would pay the price if anything happens. “Every man from each house will be arrested,” the official can be heard saying.
Singh said some boys had started raising pro-Pakistan slogans on seeing the police. "I told them if you raise Pakistan zindabad slogans and hate India so much that you throw stones then go to Pakistan. We are trying to identify them," the police officer said.
However, Additional Director General of Police Prashant Kumar said the police showed ' a lot of restraint in the situation' and there was no firing. "The choice of word could have been better in normal situation. But that day the situation was extremely volatile," Kumar was quoted as saying by ANI. He said stones were being thrown at the police and 'pro-Pakistan and anti-India' slogans were being raised.
"PFI pamphlets were being distributed.This was despite all appeals,including by religious leaders," he added.
The police also got support from UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, who defended the Meerut cop. "He did not say it for all Muslims but probably to those who were raising pro-Pakistan slogans while pelting stones. For anyone involved in such activities, SP city's statement is not wrong," Maurya said.
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