The Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday, 2 August, said that between 2018 and 2020, a total of 4,794 people were arrested in offences connected with promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth etc.
The government's reply came in a series of questions asked by Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Mimi Chakraboty, including one in which she had sought to know, "The number of people arrested on charges of hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity by NIA, Delhi Police and other agencies in the country, during the last three years, State-wise."
In a written reply to Chakraborty's question, Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, wrote that of those arrested, 1,716 people were arrested in 2018, 1,315 in 2019 and 1,763 in 2020.
State/UT-wise number of persons arrested for offence relating to promoting enmity between groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth etc. during 2018-2020
(Photo: Screengrab from Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2858)
Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 628 arrests in the three years, while Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh recoded 613, 552, and 387 arrests respectively.
Telangana, Gujarat and Rajasthan also saw a high number of cases that saw arrests. Comparatively, north-eastern states saw a substantially lower number of such cases.
However, Assam reported 351 arrests, more than other north-eastern states like Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh who saw 23 and 7 cases between 2018 and 2020.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir saw a total of 34 arrests in these three years, while 21 arrests were made from Delhi.
Recording the one of the lowest numbers among states, Goa saw only two arrests while Meghalaya recorded a single arrest on the ground of promoting enmity between groups within the time period.
Citing data complied by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), Rai said, "Not a single arrest was made from Ladakh, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Chandigarh Union Territories,” news agency ANI reported.
Cases Lodged by NIA on Charges of Hurting Religious Sentiment & Promoting Enmity
Rai added that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) lodged 17 cases from 2017 to 29 July, 2022, based on charges of hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity.
Cases registered by the NIA on charges of hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity during the last 5 years
(Photo: Screengrab from Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2858)
Out of these 17 cases, the NIA registered a single case in 2017, four in 2018, two in 2019, three per year in 2020 and 2021, and four till 29 July 2022.
(With inputs from ANI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)