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.