Thursday, October 19, 2006

Echoes of fascism in Rajasthan

Staff Report - The Milli Gazette Online - India
Sunday, April 9, 2006

Bhanwar Meghvanshi is a native of Bhilwara (Rajasthan). He feels sad to see that this place where Hindus and Muslims had been living peacefully for centuries has now become a hotbed of communal politics which gives rise to hate, communal tension and conflicts have become the order of the day; through a 32 page booklet Meghvanshi has tried to warn the country about the impending storm which the activities of these organisations will lead to.

As many as 16 minor and major cases of rioting, stone pelting, looting, burning of shops and houses took place during March and April this year in different towns of Bhilwara district like Mandal, Bagor, Krera, Sujat etc, instigated mainly on mere doubts and suspicion by these groups. Victims in almost all cases were Muslims.

For example, a major incident took place on 17 March this year when green flags were found planted in 5 different temples in Krera. Some animal bones were also found there. In some temples “786” was also daubed. Muslims were the obvious suspects. Hindus became furious. They observed a three-day ‘bandh’. A sufi, Mohammad Hanif Shah Sailani Sarkar, and his disciples were held responsible for this ‘provocation’. Hindu communal leaders demanded a search of the sufi’s Dargah, otherwise they threatened to repeat “Gujarat”. The sufi had a farmhouse where illegal activities were alleged to take place like smuggling, manufacture of arms. It was claimed that the place is a den of anti socials, anti nationals and criminal elements, Pak and ISI agents etc. No one was allowed to go there. All this was however mere concoction. Police already knew the truth but on persistent demands made a formal search and, as expected, all accusations turned out to be a bundle of lies. The real culprit was a Shiv Sena leader called Ram Ratan Jhanwar alias Sintial who confessed that he had done all this to provoke a communal riot. The damage had been done.

Riots broke out and as expected, Muslims were the victims and sufferers. Not only this, their social and economic boycott was enforced. Nobody was allowed to purchase anything from their shops and no commodities were sold to them. No one was allowed to talk to them. All this made the lives of Muslims very difficult. Many of them left that place as a result.

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Thursday, October 19, 2006

Echoes of fascism in Rajasthan
Staff Report - The Milli Gazette Online - India
Sunday, April 9, 2006

Bhanwar Meghvanshi is a native of Bhilwara (Rajasthan). He feels sad to see that this place where Hindus and Muslims had been living peacefully for centuries has now become a hotbed of communal politics which gives rise to hate, communal tension and conflicts have become the order of the day; through a 32 page booklet Meghvanshi has tried to warn the country about the impending storm which the activities of these organisations will lead to.

As many as 16 minor and major cases of rioting, stone pelting, looting, burning of shops and houses took place during March and April this year in different towns of Bhilwara district like Mandal, Bagor, Krera, Sujat etc, instigated mainly on mere doubts and suspicion by these groups. Victims in almost all cases were Muslims.

For example, a major incident took place on 17 March this year when green flags were found planted in 5 different temples in Krera. Some animal bones were also found there. In some temples “786” was also daubed. Muslims were the obvious suspects. Hindus became furious. They observed a three-day ‘bandh’. A sufi, Mohammad Hanif Shah Sailani Sarkar, and his disciples were held responsible for this ‘provocation’. Hindu communal leaders demanded a search of the sufi’s Dargah, otherwise they threatened to repeat “Gujarat”. The sufi had a farmhouse where illegal activities were alleged to take place like smuggling, manufacture of arms. It was claimed that the place is a den of anti socials, anti nationals and criminal elements, Pak and ISI agents etc. No one was allowed to go there. All this was however mere concoction. Police already knew the truth but on persistent demands made a formal search and, as expected, all accusations turned out to be a bundle of lies. The real culprit was a Shiv Sena leader called Ram Ratan Jhanwar alias Sintial who confessed that he had done all this to provoke a communal riot. The damage had been done.

Riots broke out and as expected, Muslims were the victims and sufferers. Not only this, their social and economic boycott was enforced. Nobody was allowed to purchase anything from their shops and no commodities were sold to them. No one was allowed to talk to them. All this made the lives of Muslims very difficult. Many of them left that place as a result.

No comments: