[GJM] Pre-Election Communal Violence Starts In U.P.( India) : Dr. M.K. Sherwani

[Sherwani Mustafa]

www.hindustantimes.com(Lucknow Edi.Janu,28)
-------------------------------------------------
Curfew in Gorakhpur after violence 
HT Correspondent
Gorakhpur, January 27 
One killed, two dozen hurt
--------------------------------------------------
                               Jan.28,2007
                       
   As the crucial UP Assembly elections are drawing
near,the nefarious strategy of political parties to
polarise the voters along communal lines has started
to make its demonstration from the volatile region of
Gorakhpur.As in the past communal conflagrations, this
time too the BJP MP Yogi Adityanath has played his
vital role in inciting the tension and damaging the
Muslim religious places.
      Now it has become abundantly clear that even the
artificial barriers between the so-called communal and
secular forces have disappeared, and both are 
complementary  to each other.BJP having lost ground on
every front is over-ambitious to once again test the
'HINDUTWA CARD' to placate its disenchated rank and
file. On the other hand, the so-called great
secularist, the Chief Minister of UP, Mr. Mulayam
Singh Yadav is also aware of the fact that the Muslim
community which has brought him to power repeatedly,
is getting highly suspicious of his deceptive
tactics.As such, he too has the only one option,i.e.
to terrorise them into coming back to his fold en
masse, and it is possible only through the
hallucination of 'HINDUTWA FORCES' resulting from the
widespread communal frenzy.
     These are the moments when the circumspection and
sagacity of the majority of Indians who want to
maintain communal harmony and an atmosphere of peace
are put to the great test. I hope and pray that both
Hindus and Muslims will not be oblivious  to these
dirty  machinations of political parties.     

----------------------------------------------------
Dr. Mustafa Kamal Sherwani
Former President, All India Muslim Forum

Presently, Dean, Faculty of Law and Shariah
Zanzibar University, Tanzania

----------------------------------------------------
Curfew in Gorakhpur after violence 
HT Correspondent
Gorakhpur, January 27 
One killed, two dozen hurt

THE DISTRICT administration imposed curfew in the
Kotwali, Tiwaripur and Raj Ghat police station areas
here on Saturday after  communal violence and arson
rocked the city. One person was killed and over two
dozen others injured in the clashes.  A place of
worship bore the brunt of mob frenzy.

The youth, who was injured on Friday night, died on
Saturday.  He had  been beaten up by a mob after four
Moharram processionists were injured in firing near
Chauraiya Gola here late on Friday night. The youth
was part of a group which participated in a wedding
near DAV College and tried to forcibly whisk away a
dancer from there. The dancer’s cries for help drew
the attention of some participants in the procession
and they intervened. A clash ensued between the two
sides and those who had tried to take the dancer away
opened fire. Following the firing, the processionists
refused to carry on till the culprits were arrested.
But police told them to continue with the procession.

In the meantime, some people caught hold of one of the
youths who was part of the group which had opened
fire. He was handed over to the police who left him on
their jeep with a driver and went back to the trouble
spot to pacify the processonists. Taking advantage of
the situation, a mob pounced on the youth and dragged
him out of the jeep. It thrashed him before the police
rescued and hospitalised him.

Angry at the police intervention, the mob set afire a
car in the Khoonipur locality nearby.  The youth,
identified as Raj Kumar Agrahari, died at the BRD
Medical College around 5 am. 

When news of the death spread, local BJP MP Yogi
Adityanath,  and other activists rushed to the
Khoonipur locality and staged a dharna.

While the administration was trying to pacify them,
some of the protesters opened fire, breaking open the
lock of a place of worship. They burnt a prayer  mat,
chadar and targeted the holy book. This led to
exchange of fire between members of two communities. 
SSP Raja Srivastava rushed to the spot and drove the
arsonists out of the place of worship. Police 
resorted to a lathicharge thrice and fire in the air
to disperse the mob.

During the dharna, District Magistrate Hari Om even
issued verbal orders to arrest Adityanath for not
cooperating with administration and causing tension.

SSP Raja Srivastav also conveyed the order of his
arrest to Adityanath, but under intense pressure
mounted by the Hindu Vahini activists, the
administration backed off. After imposition of curfew,
Adityanath moved from the dharna site to the residence
of Raj Kumar. 

The administration later said itwould not risk any
processions on Saturday. In protest, some youths
resorted to stone-pelting, provoking the police to
resort to a lathi-charge.

Eariler, in other localities, miscreants burnt a tazia
and assaulted processionists near Pratap Ashram in
Golghar, under Cantonment police station. Police
arrested state president of the Hindu Yuva Vahini
Sunil, general secretary of DDU Gorakhpur University
students union Neeraj Shahi, students’ leader Vinay
Kumar Singh for vandalism in Golghar and other
localities. All the arrested were released by the
administration under intense pressure.

Heavy police force was deployed in the sensitive areas
and patrolling intensified.

The funeral of Raj Kumar Agrahari was performed at
Rajghat under tight security. Locals blamed laxity on
the part of district administration for the flare-up.
 
 
 
 
 
  
 


Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com