Communal riots 2011

twocircles.net

30 December 2011 –

By Asghar Ali Engineer,

Riot-free India still remains a distant dream. Like every year this year too i.e. 2010 several communal riots took place though earlier months did not witness violence and it appeared 2011 may be communally less violent. But during the middle and end of the year frequent riots took place once again shaming India. However, one can, on positive side, say that riots like Mumbai riots of 1992-93 and Gujarat like riots of 2002 have not taken place. But there is reason for this. The Shiv Sena or BJP, even if they want, cannot organize riots on such major scale. It needs highly emotional and surcharged atmosphere which cannot be generated so easily. It can be generated around some major event like demolition of Babri Masjid or some such major event.

The account was opened in Umarkhedi, Yewatmahal district in Maharashtra on 13th January when some Hindu boys indulged in eve-teasing of a Muslims girl and stone throwing started on both sides and people started running leaving behind their shoes and chappals fearing major outbreak of violence. But the police officer Mr. Deokatte controlled the violence effectively and called for reinforcements from district place.

It shows that if police is impartial it can control violence effectively and second thing that on ordinary things like eve-teasing an incident becomes a communal issue instead of mere law and order issue. On such things we get divided into Hindus and Muslims. Even if cricket ball hit someone we get communally divided or some accident takes place we communalise it. It is all result of constant communal propaganda going on by communal forces and the way our education system shapes our minds.

On 7th February there arose some dispute between a Christian father and a rickshaw driver and strangely it assumed communal color between Hindus and Muslims. Some communal elements gave it a Hindu-Muslim color and entered into a Muslim mohallah and pelted stones in which 10 persons were injured and they also set several houses and shops to fire and several vehicles were also burnt. This mob did not spare even tribals in the area. Unfortunately the police played a partial role and lathicharged Muslims and Adivasis only. Muslim properties were mostly targeted. Read more…

~ par Alain Bertho sur 31 décembre 2011.

Publié dans दंगा, émeutes, riots