By Pervez Bari
BHOPAL – After Muslims of Khargone and Sendhwa in Madhya Pradesh bore the brunt of the violence perpetrated by the rioters during the Ran Navami rally a few days ago, their co-religionists in the old city of Bhopal are passing sleepless nights following the announcement of a rally by a Hindu organization on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on Saturday that falls on April 6.
Though the religious procession has not been granted police permission yet, hoardings, billboards, and banners in the walled city giving details of the route and timing of the rally while exhorting Hindus to participate in large numbers are sending a chill down the spine of residents of Muslim-dominated areas of the designated route. People of the area are resigned, saying police permission or no permission to rally the right-wing activists will not hesitate to carry out their plan as announced.
FIR against Hindu-outfit man for trying to incite violence
Meanwhile, police have registered an FIR against a right-wing activist based on a social media post on Wednesday. He is heard calling for violence during a rally in Muslim-dominated areas on Hanuman Jayanti.
The accused identified in the FIR is Pramod Hindu. The FIR was filed after a complaint was sent in this regard to the Bhopal police commissioner.
Pramod has been identified as a member of Jai Maa Bhawani Hindu Sangathan that is planning to take out a procession (Shobha Yatra) in the Muslim-dominated areas of Bhopal. The procession to begin at 5.30 pm is scheduled to pass through Qasaipura, Itwara and Jumerati, and Sindhi Colony.
The coordinator of Barkatullah Youth Forum, Anas Ali, said: “The procession will coincide with the evening prayers of the Muslim community. Bhopal is an example for the entire nation when it comes to communal harmony.” The complaint against Pramod Hindu was filed by Ali, alleging the accused was trying to incite violence.
Commissioner of Police Makrand Deoskar tweeted, “Taking cognizance of the matter, an FIR has been registered in Mangalwara police station, and legal action will be taken. We won’t let anyone disrupt the harmony in our city. Special arrangements will be made on the occasion to ensure no violence is instigated.”
APCR memorandum
Meanwhile, the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has submitted a memorandum to Home Secretary and Bhopal Police Commissioner, apprehending a breach of peace following the procession of Hanuman Jayanti by Hindu organizations on April 16.
The memorandum said the timing of the rally had been deliberately fixed in the evening, which is the time just before ‘Iftar’ (breaking of fast) during the ongoing Ramzan. Before “Iftar”, small kiosks and hand-carts spring up on both sides of the road in Muslim-dominated areas doing a brisk business of “Iftari” articles wherein people come out to buy fruits and other essential items for their family.
The memorandum further points out that there have been recent attempts to disturb communal harmony in some districts of Madhya Pradesh in which there has been a loss of public property and life also. Bhopal has been an island of peace, but the way efforts are being made to disturb the atmosphere of communal harmony, there is a lurking danger of breach of stability of the city.
Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), Madhya Pradesh unit, led by state vice-president of Irfan-ul-Haq Ansari, also called on the DGP to emphasize taking the take impartial action in the Khargone riots. During the Ram Navami procession, sectarian violence erupted due to raising objectionable, indecent, and obscene slogans that hurt Muslims’ feelings. On the contrary, Muslims were arrested, and their houses were also demolished.
The delegation included SDPI State Vice President Adv. Vijay Malviya, State General Secretary Dr. Mumtaz Qureshi, District President Amjad Khan, Vice President Badshah Khan, and Aziz Qureshi. The delegation also handed over to the DGP a copy of the online FIR lodged by the party, a CD containing video and photographs taken during the riots.
Intelligence failure or police negligence?
Meanwhile, in a statement, SDPI, Madhya Pradesh unit, has alleged that violence during the Ram Navami procession in Khargone, the police intelligence and administration has wholly failed to stop this incident. The police were unable to identify such people who could indulge in violence while participating in the procession.
Dr. Mumtaz Qureshi said the police administration should identify and arrest such people who violated the prescribed route of the procession and committed the crime of spreading communal violence by raising communal slogans in the procession and pelting stones at a mosque in the presence of police. He appealed to the people to maintain peace.
Dr. Mumtaz has demanded from the police administration that they adopt an impartial attitude in normalizing the situation. The Khargone district administration should take legal action without discrimination, without targeting a particular section.
Expressing anguish over reports of police negligence coupled with its biased attitude after the incident, he said such incidents pose a challenge to the police’s pragmatic and just image. On the other hand, the Khargone administration is destroying their houses and shops to take revenge on Muslims. This action of the administration needs to be strictly stopped.
Bhopal Shahar Qazi meets DGP & Home Minister
Meanwhile, Bhopal Shahar Qazi Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadvi and Bhopal Mufti Abdul Kalaam Qasmi and Ulema met the state DGP Sudhir Saxena and Home Minister Narottam Mishra amid the rising incidents of violence and government actions against the Muslim community. A memorandum was submitted to the DGP and Home Minister in which it was alleged that the police and rioters were targeting Muslim society. Their houses and shops are being demolished, referring to the violence that took place on Ram Navami in Khargone in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday.
City Qazi Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadvi and Ulema said that for a few months, efforts had been made to spoil the atmosphere of Madhya Pradesh. Under this, saffron flags were raised on mosques’ walls, and provocative slogans were raised during Ram Navami processions in Khargone and Sendhwa. This led to a communal riot. In this, the police and rioters have targeted Muslim society. Their houses and shops were vandalized and burnt.
They further alleged that innocent people were thrown in jails. The administration also hurriedly demolished many houses and shops of Muslims without investigation, due to which 100 families had to flee from Khargone. This is sheer oppression, excess, and open violation of the law against Muslims.
He quoted a similar incident in village Khamaria of Raisen district where without investigation, one-sided action was taken against Muslims, and their houses were demolished.
At the same time, he also asked Muslims to install CCTV cameras around all the mosques in the city so that it is easy to bring out the truth when there is a riot. At the same time, Home Minister Narottam Mishra welcomed the initiative to install CCTV cameras at mosques.
