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Protests Erupt At NIT Srinagar Over Alleged Blasphemy By Hindu Student, FIR Filed

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On 28 November 2023, a Hindu student named Prathamesh Shinde studying at Srinagar National Institute of Technology (NIT), faced accusations of blasphemy. The charges were filed after he shared a video on his Instagram story featuring Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of the former Hamas chief, criticising Prophet Muhammad. 

It is noteworthy that Prathamesh did not create the video himself nor did he appear or add anything to it and had only shared an edited version of it from a YouTuber. The sharing of this video led to widespread protests and slogans by the Muslim students at the NIT campus, resulting in an FIR against Prathamesh. Muslim students at NIT Srinagar demanded his arrest, citing “blasphemy”. 

As per a News9 report, the student accused of “hurting religious sentiments” has been barred from appearing in the semester exams and has been rusticated from the college. According to a report by Greater Kashmir, the school authorities have sent him on leave in response to the incident.

IGP Kashmir VK Birdi provided insights into the situation, stating that upon receiving information about the incident and a formal letter from the registrar of the NIT campus requesting legal action, the police have initiated proceedings under applicable laws and have commenced an investigation into the matter. As reported in OpIndia, he said, “Today evening at around 4.30, we received information that some students are protesting at the NIT campus (in Srinagar). After an initial investigation, it came to the fore that a student had posted some video on social media. It was not his own post but he had taken it from YouTube.”

What Was The Controversial Video About

The video due to which this whole ruckus came about has been in circulation for several months now. Mosab Hassan Yousef, the estranged son of senior Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef, is seen addressing a conference. He said, “Let’s look at Prophet Muhammad’s life. Did he kill people? Yes. Did he marry a 9-year-old child? Yes, he did. Did he kill the Jewish community of Khyber because they did not give him the treasures? And did he have physical relations with Sophia the wife of Kinana the leader of that community the same night he killed her husband? Yes, he did. So where is the tolerance in that? I understand the Muslims are tolerant, But the real nature of Islam is Evil.”

Although the video resurfaced on social media recently, it is actually an 11-year-old recording originating from a debate event that took place on March 15, 2012, at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, United States. During this event, Yousef participated in a panel alongside Imam Jihad Turk, Reverend Canon Brian Cox, and Rabbi Mark Diamond.

Why Are The Islamists Reacting In This Manner

Once the issue broke out, social media users alleged that the implicated student was in a relationship with a local Kashmiri Muslim girl. A faction of Islamist groups on social media has accused the Hindu youth of enticing the girl into what they refer to as a “Bhagwa love trap.” It’s essential to highlight that the Bhagwa love trap is a conspiracy theory propagated by various Muslim organizations and Islamists, suggesting that Hindu men are scheming to ensnare Muslim women. Unfortunately, this unfounded theory has led to instances where groups of Islamists have pursued and assaulted Hindu men traveling with their Muslim female friends.

In what came as no surprise, slogans of Sar Tan Se Juda were making the rounds on social media platform X, and the girl was also made a target by Islamists.

They kept calling the Marathi boy a Bihari as he was an outsider to Kashmir. The SportsGrail reported that Prathamesh is a native of Bihar but of Marathi descent.  

This incident brings to mind the violent unrest in the country and the international outcry in Islamic nations following the remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma about Prophet Muhammad. Sharma faced accusations of making offensive comments based on Hadith. During that period, slogans like “Sar tan se juda” were raised, and several individuals, including a Hindu tailor in Rajasthan, were tragically killed for supporting Nupur Sharma. She continues to lead a restricted life in hiding. In a disturbing parallel, Islamists are now revealing personal information about Prathamesh and his Kashmiri girlfriend, accompanied by threats of hanging and the ominous chant of ‘Sar tan se juda.’ It also begs the question of the safety of non-Kashmiris in the state, especially after the abrogation of Article 370. 

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