Author: Mohsin Mulla
Publication: The Times of India
Date: April 12, 2008
The city remained tense for few hours on Friday
afternoon, when the Hindu activists and the Muslim groups roughed up in the
city. The Iossue boiled up with the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) destroying
an illegally constructed madrassa in Kanan Nagar slum area in the city.
The deputy city engineer M. M. Nirmale on
Thursday afternoon had razed down an illegal constructed madrassa in Kanan
Nagar. To condemn the action of the KMC, the Muslim groups in the city held
a fast in Bindu Chowk area.
However, few Muslim youths entered in the
kmc'S WARD OFFICE IN Rajarampuri and ransacked Nirmale's office and even assaulted
him. He was later, rushed to the govbernment hospital.
The news spread immediately and the workers
of the civic body and the Hindu activists gathered around the ward office.
While the workers union of the civic body called for a bandh, the Hindu activists
staged a protest in Shivaji Chowk area. The a=saffron activists demanded the
immediate arrest of the Muslim youths who assaulted Nirmale.
After Friday porayers, a large number of Muslim
gathered in the Bindu Chowk area, demanding the action against the citic body
officers who demolished the madrassa. Muslim leader Gani Ajarekar claimed
that they had sought permission for the construction of the Madrassa.
To avoid any untoward incident, the additional
superintendentg of the police Shahaji Umap requested the Muslims groups as
well as Hindu activists to withdraw their agitation.
A complaint has been registered for assaulting
Nirmale under the IPC section 353, 324, 401.
The KMC administration said that the madrassa
was illegal and the action taken was as per the rules. "The permission
for construction of any religious bjuildings cannot be granted as per the
provisions of Maharashtra Slum Rule 1971. The plot on which the slum was constructed
was vacant in 1996 when the Kanan Nagar was declared as slum area", reads
the press note given by the civil body.
