Viral video appears to show Indian police religiously profiling Muslims

A viral video purportedly showing Indian police arresting an unidentified, bearded man — clad in a black jacket over white shalwar kameez — as he peacefully walked on a street in New Delhi has sparked fears of law enforcement religiously profiling suspects amidst protests against a controversial citizenship law. 

In a video shared on Twitter by Saahil Murli Menghani, a correspondent for English language Indian television news channel CNN-News18, at least four policemen can be seen arresting the unidentified man as he peacefully walks on the street.

As the man is apprehended and led away by the police officials, he can be seen asking why he is being arrested. People who witnessed the incident can also be heard shouting, "Modi has said identify them by their clothes. These are the people, identifiable by their clothes". 

Also read: India's ‘provocative statements' an attempt to divert attention from protests: DG ISPR

'Identify them by their clothes'

In the wake of the massive protests that have erupted across India against the Citizenship Amendment Act passed by the parliament earlier this month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said last week that those indulging in violence "can be identified by their clothes". 

"Decision to pass Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament is 1,000 per cent correct. People who are setting fire (to property) can be seen on TV... They can be identified by the clothes they are wearing," Modi was quoted as saying during a rally in Jharkand by Indian news website Live Mint. 

The statement, a racist dog-whistle targeting Muslims, drew lots of condemnations from activists and journalists in India. Modi was accused of encouraging the police to engage in religious profiling. 

"Look at the religious profiling, the bullying, the shaming. I hang my head in shame," journalist Shivam Vij said on Twitter in reference to the video shared above.

Also read: Malaysian PM condemns new citizenship law in India as death toll rises in clashes

'Country is burning, Modi's remarks shallow'

"The whole country is burning and they are talking about the clothes you are wearing. Can you tell who I am from seeing me and what I am wearing?" West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was quoted as saying by Indian news website Firstpost. 

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also termed the remarks made by the Indian premier as 'shallow'. Singh took to Twitter to share a picture of five people of the All India Professional Congress wearing skull caps, saying, “Modi’s remark shows how shallow his thoughts are," he wrote. 

Six more protesters died in India on Friday in fresh clashes between police and demonstrators, taking the death toll to 15 in more than a week of unrest over the successful passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act in both houses of the Indian parliament earlier this month.

The Act, signed into law by the Indian president, makes it easier for persecuted minorities from three neighbouring countries to gain citizenship, but not if they are Muslim. It has stoked fears that Modi wants to remould India as a Hindu nation, a charge he denies.