PM Narendra Modi (File photo)

NEW DELHI: Last week’s communal riots in Delhi have found mention in an article published by an Islamic State-aligned media group, Al Talaal Media, on Telegram, with the author alleging that Muslims of India were being “misguided” and fed with “poison of nationalism”. The article called upon Muslims of India to “crush” the Narendra Modi government and join the Islamic State .

According to an update on SITE News Intelligence Group’s website, the English-language article published by Al Talaal Media on February 26, 2020, seeks to cater to an audience in the Indian sub-continent and describes the historical and recent “oppression” faced by Muslims in India. The author claims that Muslims of India have been “misguided” and were fed with the “poison of nationalism”, citing the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat, the recent “massacre” of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh and current “oppression of Muslims in Delhi” as examples.

The article concludes with a call to Muslims in India to “join the caravan of Islamic State, protect the deen, and establish Caliphate inshallah,” and asks for protection from the “harsh conditions” and to “crush the fascist government of Modi.”

Delhi witnessed communal riots on February 24 and 25 in parts of northeast district. The violence followed in the wake of continuing protests by a section of Muslims against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Islamic State-linked groups now seem to be taking an interest in the Delhi violence in what intelligence sources said could be a bid to exploit the negative sentiment to radicalise and influence Indian Muslims to join its ranks.

A graphic published on February 27, 2020, attributed to al-Qitaal Media Center, had featured an image of a Muslim man being beaten up by a mob during the recent Delhi violence, with the Quranic verse: “Permission (To Fight) has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory. (They are) those who have been evicted from their homes without right – only because they say ‘Our Lord is Allah’.”

