By Masihuzzama Ansari / India Tomorrow
KARAULI(Rajasthan)—Was the anti-Muslim violence in this town, about 160 kms from Jaipur, pre-planned? Interviews with a cross-section of the population, including victims, NGO workers and the state government officials and police indicate that the violence was planned in advance and executed during the Ram Navami celebrations on April 2.
Eyewitnesses say that participants in the Ram Navami processions played DJ music and shouted highly offensive slogans in front of the town’s mosque. Some of the videos that were taken before the attacks on Muslim properties show that miscreants shouted slogans like “Topi wala bhi sar jhuka ke bolega Jai Shri Ram.” This seems to be aimed at provoking the Muslim community.
Director General of Police (DGP) Mohanlal Lather, in his media briefings, has conceded that provocative slogans were raised by processionists and there was also negligence on the part of the police.
Lather admitted that permission for playing DJ music was not given. He candidly admitted that the songs were objectionable and that was the reason for stone pelting. He assured that action would be taken against the guilty policemen.
However, Sahib Singh Gujar and Raja Ram of the Hindu Sena, who were the chief organisers of the procession, have not been arrested so far.
As many as 14 FIRs have been filed by the Muslims, naming the accused involved in attack on Muslims and their properties. Besides, seven FIRs have been filed from Hindu side naming Muslims as accused. A total of 30 persons have been arrested so far in connection with the Karauli violence. Out of them, 20 are Muslims.
According to locals as also the police, 59 persons suffered property losses in the violence. A total of 43 properties, including shops belonging to Muslims, and five others belonging to Hindus, were set afire.
Locals told India Tomorrow that a meeting of the local “peace committee” was held by the district administration for safe passage of the procession. The administration permitted the procession only on certain routes. However, the organisers changed the route while taking out the procession and participants raised objectionable slogans.
The route that was approved for the processions was via Collector Circle, Hindo Gate, Khoonta Kot and Hatbara Bazar. Khoonta Kot and Hatbara Bazar are Muslim majority areas. The administration had initially not given approval for passage of the procession through the two Muslim-dominated areas.
However, the administration, later on, succumbed to the pressure of the organisers and allowed the procession through Muslim areas also. Though the administration had made it clear the rally must be peaceful, no DJ would be played, no objectionable slogans would be raised but these conditions were flouted by the processionists.
A fact-finding team comprising representatives from Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity (FDCA), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Rajasthan Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Rajasthan Nagarik Manch and Haryana Jan Adhikar Manch has questioned the role of police and the state administration in the whole episode.
The team members told mediapersons that the violence could have been averted had the police performed its duties properly. The team noted that the rally not only stayed for quite a long time in Muslim area but also raised anti-Muslim and offensive slogans.
Pointing fingers at the role of police, the team members said that the police had not mentioned the raising of provocative slogans by the processionists in the FIR. While police have mentioned the names of Muslims involved in stone-throwing, they have not recorded the names of those involved in torching of Muslim shops and other properties. “This makes the police FIR one-sided,” says the fact-finding report.
The fact-finding report notes that the police was present when the miscreants were looting and burning the Muslim shops. Instead of taking action, police remained a mute spectator.
The report also accused the police of not implementing the curfew orders properly. The report said that miscreants set afire the Muslim shops even during the curfew period.
The report accused the police of physical assault on Muslims after arresting them in connection with the riots, indicating police bias on communal and religion basis.
The fact-finding team has demand a high-level judicial inquiry and action against the policemen on duty in the affected area on that day. It also demanded full compensation to those who suffered losses due to the demolition and torching of their shops, houses and other properties.
Many families whose houses were set afire have nowhere to go. Shops belonging to several of such families were also looted and burnt. Sayeed (43), a tailor by profession, said the miscreants first looted his shop and then set it ablaze. He was running his shop for the last 15 years. He suffered a loss of Rs. 6 lakh approximately. However, a shop belonging to Giriraj, adjoining Sayeed’s, did not suffer any damage. While none of the two shops had any name plate, they were marked by the miscreants who targetted Sayeed’s shop during the violence and spared Giriraj’s.
Sayeed had taken loan for his shop. He is very much disturbed because the state government has not announced any compensation plan so far.
Fakhruddin Anjum (72), another victim said, “Miscreants selectively targeted Muslim shops. Rioters broke open the locks of the shops in police presence. They first looted the goods and then burnt them. All this happened in presence of police.” Fakhruddin suffered a loss of Rs. 16 lakh.
“Police imposed curfew and asked us to remain indoors. And then our shops were burnt. This happened after imposition of curfew,” said Fakhruddin. Another victim Jamaluddin alleged that his shop was looted and burnt during curfew.
This article first appeared on indiatomorrow.net