FIR against Mufti who ‘warned’ against closure of madrasas

Rudrapur: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Friday, August 28, that strict action would be taken against the Mufti who threatened over the ongoing crackdown on illegal madrasas.

He said that the era of governments caving in to threats due to appeasement politics is over.

The police have registered a first information report (FIR) against Ulema Mufti Mujeeb after taking cognisance of a purported video showing him giving an inflammatory speech at Trishul Chowk in Rudrapur (Udham Singh Nagar district) during a Milad-un-Nabi procession on Wednesday, August 26.

Ideology that promotes encroachment: Uttarakhand CM

Speaking to reporters in Khatima, the Chief Minister described the Mufti’s statement as the one reflecting an ideology that promotes encroachment, disregards the Constitution, and resorts to threats.

“Gone are the days when people would succumb to their threats and engage in appeasement for the sake of their votes… The government has changed now. Since (Narendra) Modi ji became the Prime Minister, the rule of law has been established in the country. We have constitutional norms, and things operate according to them,” he said.

The CM asserted that Uttarakhand would not be intimidated. He said that the administration would track down the Mufti and take the strictest possible action against him.

Dhami asserted that the state had previously cleared over 13,000 acre of land from encroachment and illegal occupation, and this campaign would continue.

‘If Madrasas are shut down, see what Muslims will do’

A purported video of the speech allegedly delivered from the stage by Mufti Mujeeb — identified as the principal of Kheda Madrasa — has gone viral on social media, in which he can be seen issuing threats regarding the Uttarakhand government’s actions against madrassas. In the purported video, he is heard saying that if madrassas are shut down, one should wait and see what the Muslims would do.

Additionally, the Mufti raised the issue of eight acre of Eidgah land acquired by the Municipal Corporation last year and demanded its return. 

However, Rudrapur Mayor Vikas Sharma said that no form of pressure regarding government land would be tolerated. “Let alone eight acre, not even an inch of government land will be relinquished under anyone’s pressure,” he said.

He clarified that the land taken over by the municipal corporation had been under illegal encroachment.

Mufti allegedly flees from home

Amid the controversy sparked by the viral video, the Mufti has allegedly fled from his home. However, the police have taken cognisance of the video and registered an FIR against him.

Circle Officer Vibhav Saini said that an attempt was made to disrupt social harmony through the alleged inflammatory statements made by the Mufti. He said that the FIR was registered against the Mufti based on the video, following instructions from the district’s Senior Superintendent of Police. 

On the other hand, Dr Shahid Raza, manager of the procession committee, claimed that the video circulating on social media is fake and was generated using artificial intelligence (AI).