Meerut Police Clarifies on 'Go to Pakistan' Rant by Top Cop, Says 'Anti-India Slogans Were Being Raised, Our Officers Showed Restraint'
Additional Director General (ADG) of Meerut police, Prashant Kumar, said the choice of words would had been unfortunate had the situation been normal. The security personnel, he said, should rather be lauded for showing restraint despite the protesters raising anti-national slogans and resorting to stone pelting.
Lucknow, December 28: While noting that the choice of words used by a senior police officer while dealing with hostile protesters could had been "better", the Meerut police said their officers were subjected to "anti-India slogans" by a mob of Muslim men. The clarification from police comes amid a video going viral, which shows City Supredintendent of Police Akhilesh Narayan Singh telling three men in skull caps to "go to Pakistan". Yogi Adityanath Justifies Police Crackdown on Anti-CAA Protesters, Says ‘Every Rioter Is Shocked, They Will Cry Now’.
The video, which was shot using a cellphone on Friday afternoon - after the congregational prayers - created a flutter on social media today. Critics of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the government of using police force to further "polarise and divide" the people of Uttar Pradesh.
Additional Director General (ADG) of Meerut police, Prashant Kumar, said the choice of words would had been unfortunate had the situation been normal. The security personnel, he said, should rather be lauded for showing restraint despite the protesters raising anti-national slogans and resorting to stone pelting.
"Stones were being pelted,anti-India and pro-neighbouring country slogans were being raised there. Situation was very very tense. PFI (Popular Front of India) pamphlets were being distributed. This was despite all appeals, including by religious leaders," Kumar said.
"Yes if situation was normal then choice of words could have been better, but that day the situation was extremely volatile,our officers showed a lot of restraint,there was no firing by police," he further added.
Watch Video of Meerut SP's 'Go to Pakistan' Rant Against CAA Protesters
The protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has claimed the lives of 19 people in Uttar Pradesh. The police has admitted to firing in "self-defence" in some cases. 61 others, including police personnel, have been left injured in the violence over the past fortnight. Over 1,100 people have been arrested for allegedly being involved in the arson, and around 5,500 suspects have been taken into custody.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 28, 2019 12:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).