[Volume.1,
Issue.1]
AN UGLY FACE OF COMMUNAL POLITICS MUZAFFAR NAGAR RIOTS
D.S. Verma
The communal riots in District
Muzaffarnagar, U.P. is a result of the casual and irresponsible approach of the
District Administration and the Stat Government. The communal riots at Muzaffarnagar
are being politicized to garner muslim support in the coming elections. The
facts are being distorted and the jats are being projected as villians by the
politicians. The Samajwadi rulling party, was all out to woo the muslims to
their fold, which at the last phase boomranged on it.
fpjkx vius fy;s jkS’ku fd;s Fks]
mtkyk nwljs ?kj gks x;k gSA
“The lamps were lit for the self, but light slipped to the
neighbour’s house.”
The jat community is primarily
agriculturist, hardworking peaceful God fearing and karm-yogi in their general
conduct. The jats do not nurture any fanatic fervour or religious bigotism.
They are purely secular in their daily life and in their inter-personal
relationship. They are miles away from ostenteous religious insignias, rituals
or segregation on religious lines. In the rural areas of western U.P. there had
been no communal riots since independence. It is a well known fact that no
communal riots took place in Western U.P. between jats and muslims even in 1947
when the entire country was burning with communal frenzy. The proximity and
bhaichara between the jats and muslims had been traditional and exemplary and
they live in peace and harmony. The muslim jats popularly known as Mule Jats
and the Hindu jats have common gotras and they are very much part of the kisan
fraternity and they were the active participants in all kisan panchayats and
other Farmers Andolans. In fact, in the year 1989 when a 22 years old Muslim
girl namely Naima was abducted, then Jat farmers under the leadership of Ch.
Mahendra Singh Tikait sat on Dharna for 40 days at P.S. Bhopa for the recovery
of above mentioned Muslim girl. This famous agitation known as Bhopa Kand was
called off on the intervention of the then Chief Minister of U.P. Mr. N.D.
Tiwari.
Due to eve-teasing an unfortunate incident
took place on 27th August, 2013 at village Kawal, Distt.
Muzaffarnagar in which three persons namely Gaurav, Sachin and Shahnawaz were
killed. Shahnawaz was severely injured by Gaurav and Sachin in the fight that
took place between them on account of eve-teasing. Before Sachin and Gaurav
could escape, they were caught by Shahnawaz’s family members and other Muslims.
They were attacked with sharp knives, bricks and Atta chakki stones and they
were beaten to their death. Their heads
were crushed badly and both of them died on the spot. Shahnawaz was taken to
the hospital and the doctors declared him, “brought dead”. The police was
informed about the killings of three boys. The police from Jansat police
station reached the site of killing in Kawal. The then District Magistrate Sh.
Surender Singh alongwith Senior Superintendent of Police Ms. Manzil Saini, also
arrived on the spot and enqired about the entire matter. The police searched
Shahnawaz’s house and neighbouring houses and found some people whose clothes
were blood stained. The police arrested seven persons and they were brought to
Police Station Jansat. On the intervention of some influential muslim leaders
of Ruling Party from Muzaffarnagar and Lucknow, the District Magistrate Sh.
Surender Singh and the Senior Superintendent of Police Ms. Manzil Saini were
immediately transferred. The SHO, Police Station Jansat was also ordered by the
above mentioned leaders to release the arrested accused persons of the murder
of Gaurav and Sachin and not to register original FIR against them. The SHO,
P.S. Jansat immediately released six of the seven arrested accused persons.
Thereafter the SHO, P.S. Jansat registered a false FIR against the family
members of deceased Gaurav and Sachin for the murder of Shahnawaz. Despite the
proclamation of prohibitory orders u/s 144 Cr.P.C., thousands of Muslims
assembled at Shahid Chowk at Muzaffarnagar on 30.08.2013 and the meeting was
addressed by various muslim leaders of different political parties. In the
above said meeting Qadir Rana BSP (M.P.), Noor Salim Rana BSP (MLA), Rashid
Siddiqui (Samajwadi Party leader), Amir Alam (SP), Saeedujjama Congress (Former
M.P.) and other prominent Muslim leaders were present. The Local Administration
and the police authorities did nothing to stop them from violating the
prohibitory orders u/s 144 Cr.P.C. On the contrary the District Magistrate and
SSP Muzaffarnagar attended that meeting on 30.08.2013 and accepted their
representation. The District Magistrate even addressed the above said unlawful
assembly. The Muslim leaders of various political parties delivered provocative
speeches against the jats in the above said meeting. Seeing the partial
behaviour of the District Administration and police authorities of
Muzaffarnagar, it became apparent to the jats that the local administration was
working under the pressue of the Muslim leaders of Ruling Party. Hence, the
jats decided to hold a peaceful meeting on 31.08.2013 at Nagla Mandour to
protest against the partiality of the District Administration. The jats held a
peaceful meeting at Nagla Mandour and requested the government and the local
administration to stop the harassment of innocent jats in the murder of
Shahnawaz and to register the FIR against the persons accused in the murder of
Gaurav and Sachin. In that meeting the jats also declared that if their demands
were not met then a Mahapanchayat would be held at Nagla Mandour on 07.09.2013.
The District Administration and police authorities of Muzaffarnagar did nothing
to arrest the accused persons in the murder of Gaurav and Sachin and continued
to harass the innocent members of jat community for the murder of Shahnawaz. As
a result the Mahapanchayat was held at Nagla Mandour on 07.09.2013. The jats
came to Nagla Mandour from the different districts and from different routes by
the different modes of transportation. Most of the jats from the villages came
to Mahapanchayat in tractor-trollies. The first attack on the jats was carried
out by the Muslims at village Basikalan while they were going to attend the Mahapanchayat
at Nagla Mandour on 07.09.2013 in their tractor-trollies. Many persons
sustained injuries due to pelting of stones and bricks from the house tops by
the muslims at Basikalan. On arrival at Mahapanchayat the injured persons went
to the stage and narrated the story. This aroused the fury and management of
the stage became uncontrolable. The organisers and Sober elements were pushed
to the background. Leaders of BJP and Bajrang Dal took over the charge of
stage. They delivered infuriating speaches which surcharged the atmosphere and
emotions. Fortunately, there was no incident of violence on the ground of
Mahapanchayat.
At the end of Mahapanchayat, jats started to
return to their villages by tractor-trollies. They were attacked by muslims by
fire arms, stones and bricks near village Jolly P.S. Bhopa. About 19 tractors
and 24 trollies were burnt. Three persons, one each from villages Bhokarheri,
Rahmatpur and Baseda were killed by muslims in this pre-planned attack. People
going on route Muzaffarnagar, Mansoorpur-Purbaliyan-Shahpur were attacked by
muslims of village purbaliyan. Four persons three from village Kakda, one from
Village Soram both under P.S. Shahpur died in this attack. About 4 dozen jats
sustained injuries in this attack. Two persons were killed at village Mujheda
on road Muzaffarnagar-Jansat-Mirapur. About a dozen persons sustained injuries
here. In addition to the above, three Hindus were killed at Muzaffarnagar.
Consequent to the attack on jats at three
places, muslims residing in villages-Phugana, Kutba-Kutbi, Lihsad, Lankh
Bahawadi are said to have been attacked by bad elements. Some of their houses
were set on fire and as per the news published in papers about 30-35 muslims
are said to have been killed. About 10 muslims are said to be missing. Three
persons out of these missing names were later found involved with the Indian
Muzahiddin activities.
The District Administration failed to
control the situation as the fire of animosity and revenge spread in rural
areas. While Hindus found police as partisan, Muslims found them inefficacious.
Hence, it became in evitable to call the Army in aid-to-civil Authorities.
Silent war had started between the two communities. Muslims families not only
from riot affected villages but also from other villages of majority
population, were evacuated and Shifted to Camps established in Muslim majority
towns/villages.
It is worth mentioning that the Secular
Credential af Jat Community are proved by the fact, that no incident of violence
against muslims took place in the villages viz. Bhokarheri, Rahmatpur, Baseda,
Soram and Kakda of Muzaffarnagar district, whose residents were killed in the
communal violence on 07.09.2013 by the muslims. In addition two persons, namely
Virender Singh and Yogender Singh of villages Modkhurd and Mohamdpur Shikst,
both under P.S. Bahsuma, district Meerut were also killed by muslims at Mujheda
on 07.09.2013. About a dozen jats sustained injuries in this attack. 80 bighas
of sugarcane crop of villages Nawada, Kheda, Pali and Nahli under P.S. Sardhana
district Meerut was burnt on 01.10.2013
by muslims. On night ¾ October 2013 five tub-wells in village Chhur, P.S.
Sardhana district Meerut were completely destroyed. It is further stated that
two muslims belonging to village Niloha P.S. Mawana District Meerut were killed
by miscreants. Jat Sabha Zila Meerut alongwith other jat activists held a
meeting with jats and muslims of Niloha village. A peace committee of 11
persons from each community was constituted to establish peace and harmony in
the village. As a result of this, peace has been established in the village and
families who had left the village have since returned back. Further Sadbhavana
meeting of Jats, Kissan Unions and Muslims was held in police lines on
............ at the instance of District Magistrate Meerut Mr. Navdeep Rinwa.
These meetings went a long way in establishing peace and harmony in Meerut
district.
The storm of violence left many problems for
both the communities. The Social Activists Groups from both the communities viz
Jat Sabha, Zila Meerut, Ghaziabad and Bijnore and Zamiat E-Islami Hind under
leadership of Mr. Shaifi Madni (secretary) and Mr. Alouddin (Flah-Aam) Ahmed of
Meerut held meetings to proceed together to bring about rapprochement. The Zamait-E-Islami
Hind people visited various camps and tried their best to persuade muslims to
return to their villages. They also tried to convince the camps management to
impress upon the displaced persons there, to go back to their parental places.
On the other hand, Jat Sabha zila Meerut constituted a team of about 20 persons
under the leadership of Ch. Aman Singh to visit Jat populated villages and
affected families of killed/injured persons. Accordingly, teams of jats from
Meerut visited all affected villages and persons to ascertain the actual loss
of lives, properties and crops. It was found that innumerable named and unnamed
FIRs have been lodged in different police stations against jats. The number of
FIRs against most of the persons range from 10 to 36, where the commission of
offence is reported to have occured within a span of 2-3 hours. False rape and
loot cases have been registered. Where the reporting person denies the filing of
the report. There was discrimination in providing compensation for the damage of Tube-wells, crops,
tractors-trollies and motor cycles. All the impartial officers were transferred
to eastern U.P. Hence, it was decided by Jat Sabha Zila Meerut to file a writ
in the Hon’ble Supreme Court with a prayer to have an impartial Inquiry and
Investigation and to put a stop on the excesses and high handedness on the part
of the State Govt.
On the other hand, the aforesaid social
activists team assured that if muslim families wish to return to their
villages, Jat from the concerned village will come to the camps to take muslim
families of their village with honour and ensure their safety and Security.
To give a boost to the scheme of
rehabitation, a meeting of Hindu-Muslim leaders in the presence of IG Meerut
Zone Mr. Ashutosh Pandey and SSP Meerut was held at IMA Hall Meerut on
27.11.2013. Further on 19.01.2014 a “Sadhbhavana Sammelan” was held at Zila
Panchayat Hall Muzaffarnagar at the instance of Zamait-E-Islami Hind (U.P.) and
Uttrakhand. It was attended by jats from Meerut, Bijnore and Muzaffarnagar.
Officials of Jamait-E-Islami Hind viz Maulana Saiyed Zallaluddin Umri
(President), Zaman Mohammad Ahmed (Secretary), Zanab Mohammad Asad Galib
(President Nagar Palika Sardhana Meerut), Zanab Shaifi Madni and Zanab Alauddin
Ahmad etc. Another about 150 prominent muslim leaders attended the meeting.
Shri Udhav Ji Maharaj (Mandaleshwar, Prayag Peeth Allahabad was the Chief
Guest. Representatives of Sikh Sabha Muzaffarnagar, President Arya Partinidhi
U.P. Sabha and Rashtriya Adhyaksh Sanyukt Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti Mr.
H.P.S. Prihar also addressed the gathering. From the dispassionate analysis of
the aforesaid facts, the following deductions can be safely drawn :-
(a) Firstly, the persons at the
helm of affairs were partisan and administrators were lax and subduded. They
could have conveniently averted this tragedy if impartial and strong action
against the miscreants had been taken.
;s fdlds gkFk gSa dkV D;ksa ugh
nsrs
tks lkjs ’kgj dh ’kek cq>k;s
nsrk gSA
“Why the hands which extinguish the lights
of the others city, are not chopped off”
At two
occasions Administration failed miserably :-
(i)
On 27th Aug. 2013 when
Sachin, Gaurav and Shahnawaz were killed aftermath eve teasing incident, and
(ii)
On 07.09.2013 when the planned
attacks were carried out on the unarmed people returning from Mahapanchayat.
(b)
Secondly – Divisive polity has
come to stay in our democratic system.
Every section of the society is divided on the basis of castes, clans and
religions and all the political parties try to use these divided groups as
their vote banks in the name of their welfare. Peace and harmony amongst the
people is in jeopardy and the integrity of the Nation is being compromised.
(c)
Thirdly – To bring the
conditions to normalcy, security of both the communities is to be ensured and
sincere efforts are needed to assuage the wounds and pain on both sides. The
attitude of teaching lesson with vengiance by either side or by administration
is creating hinderance. The displaced muslims families are to be rehabilitated.
They are to be taken back to their respective village with honour and assurance
of their security. The conditions laid down in affidavits, given at the time of
Sanction of rehabilitation grant of Rs. 5 lacs may be relaxed. Further, false
cases of rapes and plunder be immediately closed. Impartial investigation in
cases of arson, mischief and murder be conducted and criminal proceedings be
started only against the actual accused.
CONCLUSION
In this
backdrop a straight and strong bureaucratic set up, awakened and alert civil
society, free and impartial print and electronic media, are the essential
requirements to save the Unity and Integrity of this country.
‘’kkSys rkLlqc mNkyrs fQjrs gks
;gka&ogka
eksgCcr dk ,d fpjkx tykvks rks tkus
ekuk gtkj xkao mtkM+ ldrs gks ;kjks
ysfdu fdlh mtM+s dks clkvks rks
tkus
“Admittedly thousands can be rendered homeless,
but to rehabilitate one is godly”
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