At least 3 people were killed in clashes with police in the city of Bangalore (southern India), after an offensive Facebook post sparked protests in which protesters attacked a police station and burned a politician's house and police vehicles.
Thousands of Muslims had organized protests against the abuse of the Prophet Muhammad, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, by a relative of the parliamentarian of the opposition Indian National Congress Party Srinivas Murthy.
Clashes escalated between the demonstrators and the Indian police in front of the "Technology" city police station. The demonstrators also burned a number of police cars, and attacked the house of Parliament member Srinivas Murthy.
The confrontations caused dozens of wounded protesters and police forces, and security forces announced the arrest of 110 people as part of the protests.
The city police said that they resorted to shooting at the demonstrators to disperse them, after they surrounded a police station, burning police vehicles, and imposed a curfew in the area surrounding the protests.
Police Commissioner Kamal Pant confirmed that the person responsible for the offending post was arrested, and the post that was offensive to Islam was removed.
Activists shared on Twitter a video clip showing Muslim youths forming a human chain to protect a Hindu temple at the site of the demonstrations.
#muslim youth from #bangalore stands outside #temples to safeguard against unruly Mob. #bangaloreriots pic.twitter.com/RyWCFVsVW2
- Noor Zahira (@ NoorZahira2) August 11, 2020
Member of Parliament Srinivas Murthy published a video clip in which he apologized for what happened, saying, "I am submitting a request to my Muslim brothers; I will ensure that legal measures are taken against the perpetrators, and I ask you to preserve peace and harmony between us, and I will be with you for this."
A Muslim leader - called "Mufti Muzammil" - from the Ummah Group in India called on the protesters to control their emotions, control their behavior and distance from violence, saying that the police will punish the perpetrator based on the preliminary information provided after his arrest and investigation.
"FIR is lodged and police will arrest him (the perpetrator) tomorrow. He will be punished. It is my request that all of you should keep your emotions under control," appeals Mufti PM Muzammil Sab of Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, a religious leader in #Bengaluru. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/uxV1A7pgul
- Ralph Alex Arakal (@ralpharakal) August 11, 2020
Systematic Repression
According to a report issued by the state's Delhi Committee for Minorities, Muslims in India were subjected to a widespread crackdown on their objection to the change of the nationality law last February.
The 130-page report emphasized that the discriminatory policies directed against Muslims have caused massive human rights violations by the security forces and members of extremist Hindu gangs.
The report emphasized that gangs consisting of 100 to a thousand people attacked Muslims, their homes, shops, cars, mosques and property, as well as looted and burned Muslim shops and homes.
The report indicated that 5 Muslims were beaten by police officers who used physical violence against Muslims, and it indicated that Muslim women were subjected to sexual assault by members of those gangs.
The report of the Delhi Committee for Minorities stressed that the violence began after the inflammatory speech on February 23 of last February by Kapil Mishra, a politician affiliated with the ruling Hindu nationalist party "Bharatiya Janata", who has not taken any action against him.
The report called on the Delhi government and the central government to put in place appropriate legislation to protect minorities from social violence and hold police accountable.