By Pervez Bari
BHOPAL–Instant “bulldozer justice” was once again at play in Madhya Pradesh when district administration of Ujjain town, about 200 kms from Bhopal, razed the houses of three accused of the Muslim community who allegedly spat on the Mahakal procession taken out on July 17, the second Shravan Somwar.
A team of officials reached the spot with bulldozers, accompanied by drums to celebrate the action. Before the action, a large police force was deployed in the area.
According to the Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC), the houses were constructed illegally.
It may be pointed out here that during the Mahakaleshwar procession on July 17, three youths allegedly spitted water on devotees from the roof of a house near Chhatri Chowk tank. The people involved in the procession made videos of their act and later handed them over to the police.
However, Ujjain Shahar Qazi Khaliq-ur-Rahman at a press conference said that some mischievous elements from outside conspired to defame the city by making a false video. He asserted that Ujjain city is known for Ganga-Jamuna culture and brotherhood.
He reportedly stated that police was forced to register a case against two minors and one adult Muslim. The police administration and the officials of the Ujjain Municipal Corporation also demolished the houses of the three, considering them guilty without investigation.
Shahar Qazi demanded that the administration should investigate the matter and if the people, whose houses were demolished, are innocent, then their houses should be re-built.
Mr. Rahman claimed that since no such incident took place, he asked on what basis and under which law the case was registered by the police? He said that demolition of houses was in violation of the rules.
He demanded that an impartial investigation be held against officials involved in demolition and a fair compensation be paid to victims.
Shahar Qazi himself had condemned the incident of alleged spitting during the Mahakal ride but media did not carry his statements.
He said that the officers of the administration and the police took over the role of the judiciary on their own and demolished the houses without investigation.
Mr Rahman questioned that if the house of an accused of a particular community was demolished in the name of a dilapidated house, then there are many other dilapidated houses in Mahakal Savari Marg. It should have also been demolished, but the officials of the Municipal Corporation took unilateral action and demolished the houses of a few particular persons of the Muslim community only.
Last time also, administration and police had taken unilateral action regarding sloganeering in a procession passing through a Muslim society. The court, however, dismissed the complaint of the victims.
He said that no incident of spitting on the Mahaklal procession has taken place. The videos that have been released do not prove that this incident has happened. In the press conference, Maulana Mohammad Ibrahim, Maulana Mohammad Aziz, Maulana Mohammad Huzaifa, Abid Mohammad Ayub and councillor leaders of Muslim society were present.
Kharakuan Police Inspector Rajveer Gurjar said that a case was registered under sections 295, 153A, 296 and 506 of the IPC against the trio, who reside at Tanki Chauraha, Anda Gali. Two of the accused were presented before a court on Tuesday and were sent to a juvenile home, while the third accused was remanded in judicial custody.
It may be mentioned here that three youths of Muslim community were arrested for allegedly spitting on Mahakal procession from their balcony in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. The video went viral on social media. In the viral video, it can be seen the three youths were watching the Mahakal procession from their balcony. They bent forward and allegedly spitted on the religious rally, when a local recorded it. The accused were identified as Adnan, Sufiyan and Ashraf.
