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No decline in communal violence in India

No decline in communal violence in India

Author: Asghar Ali Engineer
Publication: Dawn
Date: January 17, 2004
URL: http://www.dawn.com/weekly/encounter/encounter.htm#3

Communal riots have become the fate of India, thanks to our politicians and their selfish interests. And ironically most of the riots are engineered by those politicians who claim to be most patriotic. Their patriotism is designed to win power by propagating hate politics against minority communities.

The year 2003, too, like previous years, saw its own quota of communal violence in which numerous lives were lost and hundreds were injured and properties worth crores of rupees were damaged. Most of the major states both in north and south were affected by communal violence. It is in smaller states with small Muslim population like Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh etc., which did not witness incidents of violence.

Assam and other North Eastern states generally experience ethnic violence but not so much communal violence. Last year there were hardly any incidents of communal violence in this zone. Also, West Bengal was free of major communal incidents. Since the Left Front government has taken over West Bengal has been free of communal violence, though not of communalism. Bihar too, since Laloo Prasad Yadav has been in command has not seen major riots. Thus it is clear that if governments are determined to curb communal violence it can be effectively checked.

The communal violence began in Gujarat as the New Year began. Gujarat is ruled by Narendra Modi, a hard core RSS man who was responsible for Gujarat carnage of 2002. It witnessed a series of communal clashes on 2nd January 2003. Most of these incidents occurred in Central Gujarat, the region from where the BJP won maximum number of seats. And no wonder most of the victims were from minority community.

On 2nd January, Darbhanga, Bihar, witnessed communal riot in Lalbagh area in which eight persons were injured including two policemen and police had to impose curfew. And on the same day communal violence took place in Ahmad Nagar, Maharashtra, in which five persons were injured including one 70 year old woman.

The hate propagandists have created such polarisation between Hindus and Muslims that any small incident like scooterists knocking down a member of another community or cricket game involving two communities results in communal clashes. In Vidarbha towns of Akot and Risod cricket resulted in communal clashes on 9th January in which one person was stabbed and six injured and in Risod 150 shops were gutted resulting in loss of crores of rupees. Risod is a sleepy town in Washim district.

On 14th January violence erupted in Ganjbasoda town in Vidisha district of M.P. due to alleged case of cow slaughter. Cow slaughter is another issue on which violence erupts time and again. On hearing about cow slaughter the mob went on rampage setting 60 shops belonging to Muslims were on fire. Members of Bajrang Dal are alleged to be behind these communal disturbances. These Bajrang Dals were encouraged by the success of BJP in Gujarat. Some houses and vehicles were also set on fire. Twenty two persons were arrested.

Bhivandi is another communally sensitive town where communal situation worsened two days before Eidul Azha on February 9 when some Bajrang Dal men attacked cows being brought by Muslims. The police took nine cows in custody and police-Muslim clashes flared up in which 34 persons were injured including 26 policemen. The Rapid Action Force was immediately brought to control the situation. The communal cauldron in Bhivandi was first stirred by Bajrang Dals and incitement by some Muslims leaders added to the gravity of the situation.

For Gujarat, communal violence has become so common that if it does not take place it is a news. Communal violence took place in Mehsana district on the occasion of Eidul Azha on 12th February in which at least eight persons including a police constable received stab and sword injuries in Takodi village of Mehsana district. It all started with some Muslims allegedly bringing calves for slaughter.

When the police tried to stop it, they were greeted by volley of stones. It is interesting to note as some sources said that the real cause of trouble was Panchayat election in which a Hindu was elected Sarpanch with the help of some Muslims and the other group of Muslims opposing the Hindu Sarpanch did not allow these Muslims to enter the mosque.

On 19th February there was trouble in Dhar, M.P. when some Bajrang Dal members tried to enter the Kamalmoula mosque forcibly. When the police did not allow them there was call for bandh and violence erupted. There were incidents of violence and some one threw petrol bomb on police and police fired back in which two persons were injured. Another police station was gheraoed and some motor vehicles were set afire. One police van was also set on fire.

On 26th February clashes broke out between Hindus and Muslims in Bangalore while a Hindu religious procession was passing from near a mosque. There was stone throwing from both sides in Vedika and Ashok Nagar areas. Many shops and vehicles were damaged.

Ahmedabad and Baroda also witnessed communal clashes on 2nd March after Indo-Pak cricket match. The police fired in which one Muslim youth was killed in Shahpur area. Same day stray incidents were also reported from Baroda and a group of Hindus celebrating India's victory over Pakistan clashed with a group of Muslims also celebrating India's victory.

The next round of communal flare up was reported from Gorakhpur in U.P. on 20th March. It is a highly sensitive town where Gorakhnath temple is situated and Mahant Adityanath of BJP contests election from there. Adityanath is known for his militancy and extremism. He is a BJP M.P. from this area. The clashes took place on the occasion of Holi when a procession of Holi revellers led by Mahant Aditynath was going through Zafra locality. An argument broke out with some members of a minority community and the Holi revellers in a fit of anger broke down the 'wall of Kerbala'. The two groups began to throw brickbats at each other and some people started firing.

The Imam of Ghazi Rauza mosque was hit in the cross -fire and died. More than a dozen scooters and vehicles were burnt and shops looted. Two more persons were killed and thus in all three persons died during the disturbances. Mayawati, the then Chief Minister removed Director General of Police for his failure to control communal violence.

Though Kerala is comparatively free from communal clashes but for last two years there have been clashes between Muslims and RSS activists. In January 2002, some five persons were killed when the Hindus attacked Muslim fishermen. The Muslims retaliated this time and on May 2, seven persons were killed in Marad beach area under Beypore police station in Kerala.

In 2002, RSS had killed Muslims and in 2003 a brother of one of the deceased took revenge by killing seven persons. The Muslims had used a nearby mosque for hiding weapons and the mosque was later taken over by the state authorities. The Muslims fled from the village in fear and Sangh Parivar did not allow them to return. They could return only after a few months when the chief minister intervened.

Normally Jammu and Kashmir has been free from communal violence despite repeated attempts by militants to cause communal violence. However, a small communal incident occurred on 1st July between Hindus and Muslims and shops were burnt and looted in Jammu. The trouble started when 150 Hindus who had fled from Kullar area due to threats from militants were sitting on dharna. They started pelting stones on the shops belonging to Muslims as they objected to blocking the road. The authorities rushed to the trouble spot. Sub-divisional magistrate of Kishtwar was roughed up by the demonstrators. Four shops and three small structures were set ablaze. Police fired to disperse the mob. Four civilians and seven policemen were injured.

There was serious communal trouble in Kodinar town of Junagarh district in Gujarat. The VHP and Bajrang Dal people looted and burnt 26 shops belonging to Muslims. The police arrested 53 persons, which included one Bajrang Dal leader. The police seized one car, one tractor, swords, gas cutter, tins of kerosene and gas cylinders from the rioters. According to the police there was short circuit in one Hindu shop and it was burnt. But the VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders without verifying set rumour afloat that Muslims have burnt the shop. The VHP organised bandh in protest against the arrest of 53 persons.

Bihar experiences not much communal violence thanks to Laloo Prasad's efforts. But that does not mean there is no communalism and RSS is inactive. RSS-VHP are quite active in spreading communal hatred. In Ara, Bihar, communal violence broke out on 5th October on the occasion of Durga Puja. The RSS controls some puja samitis.

According to eye -witnesses there was a garbage dump near the pooja pandal and people used it as open urinal also. On that day a Muslim youth was urinating when members of pooja samiti tried to stop him and there was harsh argument. The RSS gave it a communal colour.

Some RSS youth went round on motor cycles spreading the rumour that the Muslim youth not only urinated on the Durga idol but broke the kalash also. Some miscreants gathered and started burning and looting Muslim shops. When the situation became out of control the police opened fire killing two Hindu youths. Some 70 shops were burnt and 48 cars set ablaze. It is obvious that it was conspiracy by the RSS to spread communal violence in Bihar and try to seize power from Laloo Prasad Yadav. Laloo knows this well and he not only took immediate step to curb the violence but also denounced it as a RSS conspiracy.

On October 15 Kurla, an eastern suburb of Mumbai went up in flames when a Muslim girl was teased by some Hindu youths at night. There was argument between members of the two communities and then violence erupted. Kurla has large Muslim population and is highly communally sensitive. Police was rushed and Jt. Commissioner of Police Javed Ahmed also visited the area.

The situation calmed down but erupted next morning again. Some miscreants pelted stones at Jama Masjid on New Mill road. In retaliation petrol bombs and soda water bottles were thrown at Hanuman Mandir. Several persons were injured grievously. State Reserve police, Rapid Action Force and Riot Police were rushed.

Gujarat cauldron continues to boil since the post-Godhra carnage and communal incidents occur every few days. Such violence revisited on 2nd November leaving three persons dead and 45 injured. This time it occurred in Viramgam, 65 kms. from Ahmedabad. There was heavy stone pelting, arson and firing.

One person was killed when police fired 15 rounds and two persons fell to bullets from private arms. Trouble broke out when a cricket ball landed in the nearby temple. This was enough provocation for communal violence. Marauding began and at least 30 shops were looted and burnt.

Curfew was imposed at 12.40 p.m. In all twenty five persons were arrested including the BJP councillor Puroshottambhai Vasrambhai Jadav who fired from his gun killing one person. His gun was also seized. Those killed were identified as Zakir Allah Rakkha Multani (30), Zakir Yousuf Multani (35) and Sharif Shafibhai (25).

On 17th November violence broke out in Vai in Satara district of Maharashtra. Vai is a sacred town for Hindus. The violence broke out when some members of Pratabgadh Utsav Samiti forcibly tried to stop a truck taking some cattle. More than 500 persons collected near a place of worship and stone pelting and arson began. The Hindutvawadis spread rumour in the town which intensified violence.

On 21st November violence broke out in Parbhani in Marathwada area when a bomb exploded near Jama Masjid after last Juma prayer of Ramadan in which 35 Muslims were injured and curfew was imposed in Parbhani district. According to the police two motorcycle riders threw the bomb when prayers was going on in Rahmatnagar mosque. It is said that Shiv Sena-BJP workers are involved in the explosion. The writer is an Indian scholar and chairman, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, Mumbai.
 


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