Congress MP Imran Masood was put under house arrest by Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday, just hours before he was to leave for Bareilly. The move came in the backdrop of violent protests linked to the ‘I Love Muhammad’ row.
A large contingent of police has been stationed outside his Saharanpur residence since late Tuesday night to restrict his movement. Speaking to IANS, Masood confirmed that he, along with his team, had planned a visit to Bareilly to take stock of the situation on the ground.
“We had planned to go to Bareilly, and the entire delegation was on its way. There, we were supposed to meet the officials, the DIG and the ADG, and review the prevailing situation. We are guardians of peace and, under no circumstances, do we promote hatred,” he said.
He added that the government’s approach was “discriminatory”.
“However, all the sides should understand the problem. Now, the country works by two types of laws, one for us and one for others,” Masood stated.
Violence erupted in Bareilly on September 26 after a crowd carrying ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters gathered outside a mosque, following cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan’s decision to call off a planned protest.
The demonstration soon turned violent, forcing police to step in with a crackdown. Tauqeer Raza Khan, chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, was arrested the next day for allegedly instigating the unrest and has since been sent to judicial custody.
Referring to Khan’s arrest, Masood said, “This was bound to happen, but only with us. In Fatehpur, rioters were vandalising the mosque, breaking through barricades and entering, while the police watched on. What action did the police administration take at that time? What action was taken in the violence that erupted on the streets of Muzaffarnagar three months ago? What action was taken in the police station where we were only reciting the scriptures?”
He accused the police of selectively targeting Muslims.
“They lathi-charge us, use batons and bullets on us, which clearly shows that there are two laws in this country. Every Muslim in the country should understand this,” he said.
“I request the responsible Muslims and Ulemas of the country to come forward and take the initiative to ensure that mosques are for prayers. Mosques should not be used in such a way that people come to pray and then start protesting with posters in hand, and all the worshippers become part of that crowd, and then the police use lathis and batons. The BJP’s agenda will continue to strengthen in this way,” Masood added.
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With Inputs From IANS