Thread by @OmairTAhmad

1. Today's attacks in Delhi are not a surprise.

The groundwork was laid in the run up to the Delhi elections.

It was not a question of "if", but "when" and "where".

These questions have been answered, in part only, because these attacks will continue.

2. The Delhi elections were fought by the BJP specifically on the weaponisation of anti-Muslim prejudice.

This had already been explained clearly by Amit Shah in his speech about how NRC and CAA would work in conjunction - a declaration of war on Muslims.

3. The Bal Narendra posters plastered on the DND highway mentioned 3 "achievements" only: the ending of the moth-eaten autonomy in Kashmir, the criminalisation of triple talaq, and the NRC in Assam.

Whatever you think of each initiative, put together the intent is clear.

4. Just to underline this BJP politicians helpfully made it clearer by asking for peaceful protestors against NRC/CAA to be shot (choreographed by the ANI reporter's leading questions) repeatedly.

They were shot at, the police not stopping the shooter, and handling him gently.

5. Publicly calling for murder is the very definition of criminal speech.

The BJP rewarded these politicians by given them leading roles in the Budget session and in leading the thanks to the President.

The Supreme Court, which takes suo moto cognizance of traffic, was silent.

6. The police have now been caught on camera with their brutal violence in Jamia's library - and despite all the obfuscation by propangandists - it is clear they were attacking unarmed students who were doing nothing.

Then the police broke the CCTV camera.

7. The pathetic bleating noises by Kejriwal, while going on about road openings, showed very clearly that there was going to be no resistance to violence against peaceful protestors - maybe even support.

The Congress, which did rally at times, as did the Left, were decimated.

8. Had Opposition parties coalesced, had CMs from given the signal to gather and confront an election on the dehumanisation of citizens, and the violation of the Constitution, the outcome might have been different.

As it is, the BJP saw the way was clear to escalate, and have.

9. Doing it during Drumpf's visit is no accident.

It is not merely because the media is distracted.

Let's be clear the media is a bad actor, please remember the role of ANI, of the Doorknob trying to paint the Jamia shooter as an anti-NRC/CAA protestor.

10. No, the timing is to show that the government can get away with murder in its capital, under an opposition party, while the head of the world's most powerful country is visiting, and nobody will do anything.

Kapil Mishra's timing was chosen, otherwise he'd have been rebuked.

11. What does this mean going forward?

The BJP has made it very clear that no Muslim (except its pets) are secure, in any state, at any time.

No political party will challenge it.

State institutions will abet the crimes.

The media will cheer.

The world will shrug.

12. The only way remains the civil society resistance, that has been spawned and generated a debate on citizenship like never before.

This is an attack precisely on this coming together of Indian citizens around the Constitution, at its weakest link: vulnerable Muslims.

13. If hope is to remain in a peaceful resolution, we cannot give this up, but nor can the most vulnerable be cannon fodder for this.

That is immoral.

We need strategies that can non-violently confront without (unnecessarily) putting people in harm's way.

14. This will require careful thinking, and smart organising.

It will require building networks of trust, of mutual support, and taking care of each other.

This is a long fight, we cannot decimate the very community whose rights we are fighting for.

I wish I had the answers.