Student activist and former Jawaharlal Nehru Students' Union vice-president Shehla Rashid has been booked by Uttarakhand Police for fanning communal violence and inciting minority community.
Shehla had earlier posted tweets about 15-20 Kashmiri girls being trapped inside a hostel room in Dolphin College, Dehradun. Uttarakhand Police had confronted the student activist and accused her of spreading lies and inciting hatred.
Ashok Kumar, ADG (Law&Order), Uttarakhand: The incident of students being trapped in a girls hostel is a rumour being spread on social media. A procession was taken up by locals in wake of the #PulwamaAttack where people were chanting 'Pakistan murdabad'. pic.twitter.com/4DGkVxn7YP
— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2019
However, Shehla stood by her statement on the harassment of the Kashmiri girl students which fuelled a social media debate. Shehla posted a copy of the FIR registered by the Uttarakhand Police on February 19 saying that she had to pay the price for revolting under the BJP-led government.
So, @uttarakhandcops have filed an FIR against me, but they have yet to take any action against Vikas Verma Bajrang Dal convenor who is speaking to national newspapers, owning up to the mob attacks, ordering Kashmiris to leave Dehradun. Can't say who rules Uttarakhand anymore! — Shehla Rashid شہلا رشید (@Shehla_Rashid) February 18, 2019
Meanwhile, the Senior Superintendent of Uttarakhand Police, Nivedita Kukreti, said that the student activist has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for inciting two communities against each other, indulging in wanton vilification and attacks and intentional insult with an intent to disturb the peace in the region.
Uttarakhand: Case registered against Shehla Rashid in Prem Nagar police station for allegedly spreading misinformation in a tweet about the condition of Kashmiri students in the state after the #PulwamaAttack. Case registered under sections 505, 153 and 504 of the IPC.
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2019
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh also dismissed the rumours of the harassment of the Kashmiri students.
Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat in a statement said "rumours being spread regarding ill-treatment&thrashing of Kashmiri students in Dehradun are wrong."He told ANI,"Maintaining law&order is responsibility of all of us & strong action will be taken against those who break it" pic.twitter.com/oFwOz4Ymvm — ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2019
J&K politicians support Shehla Rashid
Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah accused the Uttarakhand Police of supporting the Bajrang Dal and taking sides rather than delivering justice.
By filing a FIR against @Shehla_Rashid instead of the Bajrang Dal & it's convenor Verma @uttarakhandcops have shown they'd rather take sides than deliver justice by upholding the rule of law. https://t.co/OuhyYurBUQ
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 19, 2019
Former IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faisal also supported Shehla's claims and said that various student helplines are getting distress calls from Kashmiri students in Dehradun.
FIR against @Shehla_Rashid will make the make the matters worse. @ukcopsonline please focus on real spoilers. There are still too many distress calls coming from Dehradun. An environment of peace and brotherhood can't be built by shooting the messengers. — Shah Faesal (@shahfaesal) February 19, 2019
