Gujarat Police SOP Draws Criticism

Credit: The Wire

The Gujarat Police has reportedly released an SOP for its newly operationalised Anti-Radicalisation Cell. The SOP has sparked sharp criticism for treating ordinary Muslim identity and symbols as a sign of extremism and radicalism. The list includes identity symbols, such as keeping a beard, wearing a niqab and frequently using Arabic words. Mere use of messenger apps like Signal is also included as a radicalisation, as per the SOP. 

Gujarat has witnessed severe instances of discrimination against Muslims and their boycott, including in terms of housing and residential spaces. Surprisingly, the checklist is silent on the activities of cow vigilantes, the calls by Hindutva radicals for boycotting Muslims. 

The document has triggered concerns about profiling and communal bias, especially because it singles out Muslim practices while framing them through a security lens. This has the potential to normalise and legitimise discrimination, hate crimes and violence against Muslims by making ordinary expressions of faith look like a symbol of extremism and radicalisation. The list is not limited to visible symbols of expression but it also considers a person’s concern for the global Muslim issues as a signal of extremism. The SOP mentions that if you express intense protest or resentment towards the events happening to the Muslim community globally, this will be marked as extremism. The SOP may allow authorities to suspect people because of their appearance, religion, use of Arabic phrases, or simply for having an eye on the global issues concerning Muslims.

This shows how counter-radicalisation measures can be perceived as overreaching when they cast suspicion on routine religious practices. The SOP raises a deeper question – is the state really concerned with radicalism? Or is it curtailing the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression and religious freedoms of the minorities under the garb of countering radicalism?