India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—A fact-finding team of the Left parties has found that more than 150 persons armed with weapons in their hands and loud DJ music were roaming in the Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpuri area since afternoon of April 16.
The fact-finding report, prepared after talking with the local residents, said that the people in procession carried pistols and sword and were raising objectionable slogans. The brandishing of weapons by the processionists was also shown on various TV channels.
The report quoting locals said that the procession was not organized by local people but Bajrang Dal with most from outside the area.
According to the report, the procession was accompanied by two police jeeps-one at the front of the procession and the other at the end. However, each jeep had two personnel.
The report questioned the police for not making adequate arrangements and allowing arms to be carried in the procession.
The report said that the procession made two rounds of that area in Block-C of Jehangirpuri in which the Bengali speaking Muslims reside. According to the report, the violence took place during third round of the procession.
The team report said that if there was a “conspiracy” by the local Muslim resi8dents to attack the procession as alleged by BJP leaders, then the attack should taken place in the first round of the procession.
“The fact is that the incidents occurred when the procession stopped outside a mosque at the exact time when those who were fasting were gathering at the mosque for the prayer’” said the report.
“Why was the procession allowed to stop outside the mosque?”, the Left leaders questioned in the report.
“Why were slogans allowed just outside the mosque? In other words, an armed procession is given license to stop outside the mosque shouting slogans at the exact time when ‘roza’ is to end and when a crowd of Muslims had gathered. If these incidents are to be described a ‘conspiracy’-it is this which is the conspiracy in which the police itself has a responsibility,” said the fact-finding report.
According to the report, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta and another BJP leader were addressing a press conference inside the premises of the police station and in presence of police officials when team members visited the police station.
“Does this not show the partiality of the police?” questioned the report.
“The team found that in the entire area, there was no confidence in the police and that it was a completely one-sided prejudiced inquiry influenced by BJP leaders. It is the also to be noted that the BJP has openly praised the role of the police. In this connection one-sided arrests by the police of mainly members of the minority community even though video evidence is available of the provocative behaviour and aggressive actions of the processionists unjust and motivated,” the report said.
