Uttarakhand Police have arrested Mufti Mujeeb, a resident of Daryal Tanda in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur district, over remarks he allegedly made about the closure of madrasas during an Eid Milad-un-Nabi procession in Rudrapur.
Mujeeb was taken into custody on August 29, three days after a video of his speech at a programme near Trishul Chowk in Udham Singh Nagar district surfaced on social media. Police subsequently registered an FIR and began investigating the remarks as well as the circumstances surrounding the event.
In the video, Mujeeb is purportedly heard objecting to government action against madrasas and warning of consequences if the institutions were closed.
“Madrasas ke baare mein aap faisla mat karo. Yaad rakhna, agar madarse band kar diye to phir dekhna aap, hum kya haal karenge,” he is heard saying in the clip.
Police said Mujeeb was questioned before his arrest and was subsequently sent to jail. Investigators are also looking into the organisation of the procession, including whether the organisers had obtained the required permission for the stage programme.
Those involved in organising the event have been questioned, while police are also gathering information about people who attended the gathering and others who addressed it.
The video has been sent for forensic examination to establish its authenticity and examine its contents. Police said the investigation is continuing.
The matter also drew a response from Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who criticised the remarks and said they reflected a broader attitude towards the Constitution and the law.
“This is not merely the statement of one maulana; it reflects a mindset and an ideology that does not respect the Constitution and seeks to intimidate society,” Dhami said. He added that no one would be permitted to threaten others or take the law into their own hands in the state.
Rudrapur Mayor Vikas Sharma also welcomed the arrest, saying the action demonstrated the government’s position against statements that could disturb the atmosphere in the city.
The case comes against the backdrop of an ongoing dispute over the functioning of madrasas in Uttarakhand. The state government has taken action against institutions it describes as unauthorised, while changes to the madrasa education system have also drawn criticism and debate.
Mujeeb, however, has contested the interpretation of his remarks. According to Amar Ujala, he said his comments concerned madrasas and land and were not directed at the government. He also claimed that his words had been presented out of context.
The chief minister, talking to reporters, described Mufti’s statement as highlighting the ideology that promotes encroachment 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,” the chief minister said.
Circle Officer Vibhav Saini said that the inflammatory statement made by the mufti was an attempt to disrupt social harmony, and the FIR against the mufti has been registered against the mufti on the basis of the video.
Following the video, Rudrapur Mayor Vikas Sharma said pressure associated with government land would not be tolerated.
“Let alone eight acres, not even an inch of government land will be relinquished under anyone’s pressure,” he said.
