“Jai Siya Ram, Jai Janaki, bola jaye (Go ahead and talk)“, this is how self-styled Hindutva leader 48-year-old Ragini Tiwari, who is also known by the name Janaki, introduced herself while speaking to The Quint from Bihar after her video where she threatened to end the ongoing farmers protests went viral on the night of 12 December.
In the video she can be heard saying, “If by 16th (December), farmer protests are not removed, then on 17th (December) there will again be a Jafrabad and Ragini Tiwari will herself empty roads.” Jafrabad is a highly controversial reference as this was the epicentre of violence where Tiwari was seen active during the February 2020 violence in Delhi, between Hindus and Muslims. The violence raged for days claiming the lives of at least 53 people and destroying property worth crores.
While on Twitter, Deputy Commissioner of Police of north-east Delhi directed ‘Jafrabad (police station) SHO to take necessary action’, Tiwari told us that no one from Delhi Police had reached out to her yet. Our calls to Jafrabad police station SHO as well as DCP NE Delhi went unanswered.
The protests in Delhi are taking place at the Singhu and Tikri borders. Hence, we also reached out to the SHO at Alipur police station under the jurisdiction of which Singhu falls as well as the SHO at Mundka police station, under the jurisdiction of which the Tikri border falls. Both of the SHOs said they did not know anything about Tiwari.
“No we have not got any information about this yet,” the Alipur SHO said. “I have not seen this video and have no information about such a thing,” the Mundka SHO said.
This is not the first open and controversial threat made by Tiwari. There was another made by her during the tipping point of when the Delhi violence of February 2020 brke out, on 23 February. She had said then, “Enough attacks on Hinduism. We won't tolerate such attacks anymore. Hindus, come out. Die or kill. Rest shall be seen later. If your blood hasn't boiled even now, it's not blood but it is water.”
Our exclusive story on how eyewitnesses claimed that Tiwari was seen firing and openly making calls to kill people, can be read here. Our detailed reportage on the Delhi Police’s investigation into the violence can be read here.
In the following interview with The Quint, where Tiwari called herself a Nathuram Godse bhakt (follower), she explained what she meant by her open threat to the farmer’s protest, what she plans to do and who are the organisations backing her in her quest to ‘bring an end to the farmers’ protests’.
What happened that you had to record and release such a video in the first place?
This is not about riots, this is about emptying roads. I emptied the roads once, I will do it again.
So are you saying that you were the one who emptied roads in Jafrabad during the Delhi riots?
Yes I did that, there should be no doubts about it. I am the one who ensured the roads were emptied through several displays. We said that we will not move from this side of the road, until they (anti-CAA protesters) do not move from the other side.
How exactly did you empty roads in Jafrabad?
When we sat down, when all the sanatani (Hindu) sat down, we told Delhi police that we will vacate the road from this side only when the police was able to empty the roads from the other side. It was only after the police emptied the roads from the other side, that we emptied the roads on the side we were sitting. I am a sanatani, not a rioter. Sanatani Hindus are not rioters.
So do you plan to block roads to end the ongoing farmers’ protest and where do you plan to execute it exactly?
Yes, we will block the road. Where, you will find out on 17 December only.
We are also aware that the police has taken cognizance of your video. Has anyone from Delhi Police, specifically the Jafrabad police station reached out to you at all regarding this video?
If my video has been shown to the police, or has reached them, then they should know that the video is about the various agendas that are being pushed in the name of the farmers’ protest in Delhi. They say that they want Sharjeel Imam to be let off, then they talk about the need to create a Khalistan and they also raise slogans in support of Imran Khan. The police is listening to all of this as well. The protest has been hijacked by desh drohi (terrorists) and gaddaro (traitors). Agar koi mere kaleje pe teer marein, hum thodi na sahenge, kabhi nahi seh sakte (If someone shoots arrows through my heart, we will not take it, we will never take it.)
You know these allegations of raising slogans of Khalistan were found to be fake news right?
No, it could be fake news. But the calls made to get bail for Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid are not fake news right?
But the Delhi riots investigation is pending currently. How can we assume someone was guilty, till the judge does not arrive to this conclusion himself? It is not our job to term people terrorists right?
(Some fumbling) You are also saying there is a complaint against me.
In the aftermath of the riots, The Quint reported how Tiwari was seen saying, Kaat daalo, jo bhi hai, kaat daalo... Bhimti hai kya? (Cut him up, whoever it is, cut him up. Is he a Bhimta - a disrespectful term used for Babasaheb Ambedkar’s supporters?)” in a video. There were also ‘eyewitness’ accounts alleging Tiwari had fired bullets and raised several slogans including,“Musalmaano ke do hi sthan, Pakistan ya qabristan . (There are only two places for Muslims – Pakistan and the graveyard). Tiwari had denied all allegations against her then.
Has the police inquired about your video regarding the farmers’ protest or not?
I do not even know till now if the police has seen my video or not. No, I have got no calls from the Jafrabad police station regarding my video on the farmer’s protest. I am not saying I will start riots.
Then what are you planning to do at all? Please explain what you want to do?
I will also start a protest and block the road. If they can do it, I can also do it. They are raising calls to grant bail to Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, I can not stand this.
Who are the people with you, who will help you with this? What about the BJP workers?
These are women who work with me. I only work with women and not with men. I do not have an organisation, only a community where we 30-40 women work together. It is called Janaki Dham, it is not a registered organisation. It is spread across India but I do not know of its full membership. The organisation works to get poor Hindu girls married, getting their operations, etc. The society helps me which is why I am able to do the work I do. This organisation has been working for the last eight years. I have arranged at least 70 weddings since, in Delhi, Bihar and UP.
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