Who is Afreen Fatima, why was her house demolished in Prayagraj?
Prayagraj: The demolition of the house belonging to student activist Afreen Fatima and her father Javed Mohammed by Prayagraj authorities on Sunday, 12 June, has elicited widespread public outrage and accusations of political vendetta. The demolition occurred in the wake of the violent protests that broke out in Uttar Pradesh over the remarks made by suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma concerning Prophet Muhammad.
Javed Mohammed, a prominent leader of the Welfare Party of India, was accused of being the key conspirator in the violent protests, which involved arson, stone-pelting, and sloganeering against Nupur Sharma. Afreen Fatima, his daughter, was accused by the police of being her father's advisor and being involved in "notorious activities."
The demolition was executed after the civic body of Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj issued a notice to Afreen Fatima's family, instructing them to vacate the house for demolition. Despite allegations of her involvement in the protests, the police has not presented any evidence against Afreen Fatima in connection with the Prayagraj violence.
Afreen Fatima: A Vocal Activist
Afreen Fatima, 22, is the National Secretary of the Fraternity Movement, the student wing of the Welfare Party. She completed her master’s degree at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 2021, where she served as a councillor of the students union. Fatima has been an active participant in various political issues, advocating against the hijab ban in Karnataka, protesting against the 'Sulli deals' controversy, the Bulli Bai app, and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
Additionally, she initiated the formation of a community for young Muslim women from Allahabad, named ‘Muslimah Allahabad,’ with the aim of fostering sisterhood and mutual support among its members. Afreen Fatima has been a vocal critic of injustice and has actively participated in demonstrations against the CAA.
Police Allegations and Public Outcry
The police alleged that Afreen Fatima frequently provided suggestions to her father, Javed Mohammed. While the police has not presented strong evidence against her, she remains under scrutiny. The action against Fatima and her family has been widely condemned as another instance of 'bulldozer politics' occurring in BJP-ruled states.
Fatima's father, Javed Mohammed, was arrested, and her mother and sister were detained by the Prayagraj Police. In a police complaint, Fatima expressed concern for her family's safety, stating that they were taken into custody without notice or warrant, and their whereabouts were unknown for several hours. The authorities refused to allow friends and family members to meet the detained individuals.
Social Media Uproar and Support for Fatima
The demolition of Afreen Fatima's house sparked outrage on social media, leading to the trending hashtag #StandWithAfreenFatima on Twitter. Public figures such as student activist Gurmehar Kaur, public interest lawyer Prashant Bhushan, and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor expressed their solidarity with Fatima and her family.
The incident has ignited a larger debate about civil liberties, political vendettas, and the treatment of activists in India, drawing attention to the challenges faced by individuals who voice dissent against the government or participate in social and political movements.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
