I’m still alive, don’t use my ‘death’ to incite communal violence: Hindu youth tells media

coastaldigest.com web desk
January 30, 2018

Rahul Upadhyay, a 25-year-old Hindu youth, whose ‘death’ helped the communal outfits to unleash violence and attack Muslims in Kasganj district of Uttar Pradesh, on Monday presented himself before media to prove the he’s still alive. Meanwhile, the police have apprehended four people for spreading false rumours of his death.

“I assure you, I am alive. Don’t use my death to incite violence. I don’t want to become famous like this,” Upadhyay, who was surrounded by media persons at Kotwali Police station in Kasganj. Upadhyay was declared dead by some “rumour mongers” on social media. The “news” picked up and was carried in a number of newspapers too.

From a family of farmers, Upadhyay was at home in Nagla Khanji village in Aligarh. After learning of his “death”, he received snapshots of social media images announcing his death. “I realised there were people who were using me to try and instigate further violence. The narrative was a, out Hindus being killed and I reached out to police and district administration. Eventually I got through.”

IG, Aligarh, Sanjeev Gupta on Monday requested Upadhyay to meet as many media persons as possible. “Contrary to rumours spread on social media, Rahul Upadhyay is alive,” he told reporters.

The rumours claimed that Upadhyay died along with Abhishek Gupta in communal clashes in Kasganj on Friday. The violence was triggered by a march to mark the Republic Day. A clash erupted between two groups when Hindutva activists, who were holding saffron flags attacked a group of Muslims who were hoisting national flag. The fight intensified and both groups started hurling stones at each other, later fired shots, which left Gupta (22) dead. The next day saw a second spate of violence during which several Muslim-owned shops were gutted in retaliation to Gupta’s death.

Police has so far detained 82 people and arrested 31 persons in connection with the violence. No arrests have been made under the charges of murder yet, police said.

Meanwhile, a reporter with a media channel was allegedly shoved by relatives of the deceased Gupta Monday, said police. Speaking about the incident, IG Gupta said, “The family members were not happy with the news coverage done by the channel. It was good that police reached in time and we were able to prevent an untoward incident.”

Comments

Vinod
 - 
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2018

Indian medias are so negative and spreading lies against Hindus. This is why we are supporting Hindu country.

Ravi
 - 
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2018

UP became capital of crime because of Yogi. Interesting fact is that all atrocities were against dalits and muslims

Hari
 - 
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2018

Saffrons are making reasons for communal clash. They just wanted to kill innocent muslims to make Hindu Rashtra

Ganesh
 - 
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2018

Recently one "selfie death by train hit" video was went viral. Social media and some main stream media covered that news without checking facts. And atlast the truth got revealed that the video was just a prank

Kumar
 - 
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2018

Media spreading only lies. They are making business by circulating rumours

Mohan
 - 
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2018

Social media users used to share any fake news without cross checking facts. Now newspapers also start covering such news without thinking about that.

shaji
 - 
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2018

It is obvious that sangh parivar well planned for the disturbance in Kasgunj and BJP is the mastermind in view of election next year.  We will see more disturbance like this in the coming days unless and untill Police dept. takes strict action and arrest the master planners.   Police should arrest those hate monger channel personnels also who had deliberately spread wrong news and this was done under the influence of money.   these channels are paid by sangh parivar.  Police should arrest such channel news persons and send to jail.   I think as per sangh parivar indian flag should not be hoisted by minority and instead they should hoist bhagwa flag.  This is what happened in Kasgunj.   Sangh parivar goondas attacked minority poeple for hoisting indian flag and did not agree to hoist bhagwa flag instead. Police would have prevented the issue in case they would have arrived on time. Is there any conspiracy in late arrival of police as the attack was pre planned by sangh parivar goondas as they were carrying pistols, axes, knives etc with them. They were also carrying petrol bombs.  Administratin should be very strict on these goondas and catch the master mnder behind the pre planned attack on minorities who were gathered to hoist indian flag. Will Yogi wake up from sleep.

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News Network
June 5,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 5: An FIR has been filed against former journalist and human rights activist Aakar Anil Patel in Bengaluru here over his comments on social media under charges pertaining to provocation with intent to cause riots.

The FIR was registered under Section 117 (abetting commission of an offence by the public or by more than ten persons), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), and 505-1-B (intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the JC Nagar police station.

According to the FIR filed on June 2, Patel had tweeted that protests like the ones in the US over George Floyd's death are needed in India by the marginalised communities.

Patel, former chief of Amnesty International India, had on May 31 posted from his Twitter account, which is not verified.

On May 25, Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following which protests against police brutality and racism erupted in various cities in the United States. The protests were later replaced by incidents of violence across the country.

India also has witnessed several cases of mob lynchings and custodial deaths in recent years. In most cases victims belong to down trodden communities such as Muslims and Dalits.

Responding to the development, Amnesty International India has said that FIR against Patel is another example of how the right to dissent is being "increasingly" criminalised.

"The Bengaluru police must stop abusing its authority and put an end to the intimidation and harassment of Aakar Patel for exercising his constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression. People of this country have the right to agree or disagree with those in power, and to express these opinions in peaceful protests - without fear or unlawful interference," Amnesty International India Executive Director Avinash Kumar said.

He said that peacefully protesting against the government is not a crime and added that not agreeing with the policies of those in power does not make you a traitor.

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News Network
May 7,2020

Mangaluru, May 7: Thousands of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, led by Congress leader Mithun Rai, staged a protest here on Wednesday demanding that they be allowed to return to their native places.

The workers started a protest demonstration opposite Mangaluru City Corporation office in the city. Police dispersed the crowd for violating social distancing norms.

The workers said they have nowhere to go and nothing to eat. Therefore, they are demanding to be sent back to their states. They however, had crowded together without following the social distance norm. 

In the wake of protest, prohibitory orders under section 144(3) were imposed in Dakshina Kannada district between 7pm and 7 am till May 17 to check the spread of Covid-19.

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News Network
July 23,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 23: The Siddi community in Karnataka got its first lawmaker as Governor Vajubhai Vala nominated five persons, including Shantharama Budna Siddi, to the Karnataka Legislative Council on Wednesday.

Shantharama Siddi had been working as a social worker and was a post holder at the Vanavasi Kalyan Prakalpa, a tribal welfare initiative of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The Siddis, an ethnic group in India, are said to have descended from the people of the East African region. They are included in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Karnataka.

Apart from the Shantharama, the inclusion of CP Yogishwar, who had left Congress to join BJP in 2017 but failed to retain his seat in the 2018 Assembly polls, is also considered as a big decision.

Adagur H Vishwanath, another former JDS leader, who had quit his party and joined BJP but failed to retain his seat has also caught the attention of the people.

Further, Governor Vala has nominated Talwar Sabanna and Bharathi Shetty to the Upper House in the state.

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