4.7k arrested for hurting religious sentiments, UP tops chart: Centre
A total of 4,794 people were arrested across the country between 2018 and 2020 for promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, the Union home ministry informed Parliament on Tuesday.
A total of 4,794 people were arrested across the country between 2018 and 2020 for promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, the Union home ministry informed Parliament on Tuesday.
Seventeen cases were registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in this regard from 2017 till July 29, 2022, it added.
Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai provided the data of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in a written response to a query by Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty in Lok Sabha.
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Rai said 1,763 people were arrested in different parts of the country in 2020. A total of 1,315 people were arrested in 2019 and 1,716 in 2018, he added.
Among 28 states and eight Union Territories, the maximum arrests took place in Uttar Pradesh (628), followed by Tamil Nadu (613) and Kerala (552) in the last three years.
The number of arrests in such cases was much lesser in north-eastern states, barring Assam which recorded 351 instances, according to the minister.
A total of 34 arrests were made in Jammu and Kashmir in these three years while 31 such arrests were made from Delhi.
Religion-wise crime data is not maintained by the NCRB, Rai said.
Besides, the NIA registered 17 cases on charges of hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity during the last five years.
Of these, the agency registered one case in 2017, four in 2018, two in 2019, three each in 2020 and 2021, and four this year till July 29.
“Such cases registered by NIA are often those which have terror links as well,” an NIA officer said, seeking anonymity.
Reacting to the data, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson said most of the arrests were “preventive”.
He also lauded Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath for “preventing untoward incidents”. “Full credit to the chief minister for preventing untoward incidents such as a major riot and for a brilliant law and order situation existing there,” he said.
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The opposition Samajwadi Party, however, claimed the state government was using police “for fulfilling political agenda”.
“There is always selective action as far as cases related to hurting religious sentiments are concerned. The police have been highly politicised in UP. Police toe the government agenda and its action is guided by the religious affiliation of rabble-rousers. There is no reason to take credit for this. This is all about using police for fulfilling one’s political agenda,” party spokesperson Abdul Hafiz Gandhi said.