As violence grips US over the killing of a black man name George Floyd by the police with lootings, arson and vandalism being reported from across the country, Ashok Swain, a professor with the University of Uppsala in Sweden put out a tweet on Sunday (May 31) calling for a similar ‘mobilization’ of Muslims in India.
Citing the protest in the wake of the death of George Floyd, Swain in his tweet said that that there need to be a similar kind of ‘mobilization’ to oppose ‘extra-judicial killings’ of Muslims in the country.
A 46yr-old Black man's murder by police has brought nationwide protest in the USA, & even in Canada under the banner of #BLACK_LIVES_MATTER! India badly needs a similar type of mobilization to oppose extra-judicial killings of Muslims in the country. Why not #Muslim_LIVES_MATTER
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) May 30, 2020
He questioned the encounter of SIMI terrorists who had attempted a jail break by slitting the throat of the jail guard by giving a link to one of his earlier articles published in 2016.
In another tweet, Swain said that protest are key to democracy and emphasized that “occasional inconvenience” and “limited violence” are a small price to pay to live in free and democratic country.
Protest a key measurement of a functioning democracy! Occasional inconvenience & limited violence are a small price to pay to live in a free & democratic country in comparison to rebellion in an authoritarian state. Protests in the USA show that their democracy alive and kicking.
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) May 31, 2020
This has come across as an open attempt to instigate violence. Many on twitter called out the inciting nature of the tweet saying that the man is attempting to instigate violence sitting on a foreign land.
Loot and vandalism isn't democracy. Neither is theft of Louis Vuitton n Gucci. Peaceful protest is democracy. There is never a justification for x% / limited violence because no one can define what x or limited is. Is breaking legs limited violence?
— Grumpygump (@Grumpygump1) May 31, 2020
@SwedishPM @SweMFA This person living in Sweden and justifying violence happened in USA, India for some political gains. If the same continues he will work against the interest of Sweden. Please do investigate and find out the anti elements links with him. Arrest ASAP
— ನಾನು ಉಮಾಪತಿ (@umatlk) May 31, 2020
Swain has made numerous remarks undermining India’s national interests. He had called the Pulwama terror attack on CRPF jawans an inside job that sought to secure Prime Minister Modi’s relection. This claim was used by Pakistani media too. He had even mocked later External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s death.
