Frontline
March  2001 
Special Report


 
Fanatics sans frontiers

The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas results in the Bajrang Dal burning 
copies of the Holy Koran. Violence results in Hyderabad, Pune and Bhiwandi 
but in Kanpur it claims 20 lives

In a cynical re–play of the retaliatory nature of communal incidents on the subcontinent, the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, on March 5, 2001, the day before Bakri Id, Bajrang Dal activists gleefully burnt copies of the Koran not just as a protest but also to fuel provocation. Needless to say, the provocation proved successful. Within days, tales of the incident had spread to Hyderabad (AP), Akola, Pune, Bhiwandi and Mumbai (Maharashtra), and a whole week later Kanpur erupted into full-scale communal violence that claimed  20 lives.

The Hyderabad based Urdu daily, Munsif published the news followed by a local newspaper from Akola. Internet technology was used to circulate the inflammatory photograph taken by Reuters freely. It showed Bajrang Dal activists burning the Quran. At least six people, including four policemen and a photojournalist, were injured in stone throwing by an angry mob near the historic Mecca mosque in Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. Posters showing Hindu activists burning the Koran had been plastered across the city for the last two days, press reports said.Protestors in Aurangabad and Pune in Maharashtra too resorted to stone throwing shortly after the Friday prayers, injuring police personnel who were trying to disperse them, reports added.

In Uttar Pradesh, the media played a distinctly  a provocative role especially the Dainik Jagran (owned by BJP Rajya Sabha member, Narendra Mohan).  This newspaper and some others kept highlighting the fact that the Quran had been burnt, Asar Akhtar, an architect told CC. Local newspapers also published false reports stating that the ADM City had been slain by an AK 47 rifle fired from a mosque.  The post mortem report doest not indicate the weapon used.  The story on the Internet, too says Akhtar, was a deliberate attempt at mischief, and the Mullahs acted irresponsibly by not verifying the facts, he added. 

Two Bajrang Dal activists were arrested in Delhi on March 13 on charges of burning a copy of the Holy Quran during a demonstration on March 5. Robin Sharma and Jagdeep, who had allegedly burnt a copy of the Islamic scripture during an anti-Taliban demonstration organised outside the United Nations office by sangh parivar outfits, were charged with desecrating religious texts, joint commissioner of police Suresh Roy told PTI.  The duo was remanded to police custody for a day by a city court on Wednesday.  “Investigations into the involvement of other people are on and some more arrests are likely,” Roy said.

While the police in all cities had it’s hands full coping with the possibilities of communal flare-ups, mindsets within the bureaucracy and the government were busy twisting interpretations. The following response quotes a home ministry source telling The India Abroad News service that the rumours might have been part of attempts to foment communal unrest all over the country are interesting given the fact that it was the Bajrang Dal that began the provocations! “It is also surprising that people in other parts of the country were more agitated than the people in Delhi, where the incident allegedly occurred. If such an act had happened in Delhi, one would assume there would be greater tension in this city,” he said, adding that “forces inimical to the country” may have spread the rumours.

As soon as news of the provocative incident was let loose through the Internet, the Student’s Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) got into action. Overnight in cities like Mumbai and Kanpur both four-colour posters depicting the burning of the Holy Book were pasted just after Friday prayers on March 9 on the walls of mosques. Besides, in Mumbai a pamphlet urging Muslims to react and retaliate was distributed. A copy of the pamphlet, available with CC, reads, “ A day before Id-ul-Zuha, on March 5, 2001, in the Indian capital of Delhi, just opposite the UN, the terrorist Hindus of the VHP used the excuse of the Taliban government’s demolition of statues to burn a copy of the Quran. Photographs of Mecca and Madina were burnt, the panchsura of the Quran were burnt, flung and despicable dances around it.  All this happened in the presence of the police that was also complicit. Will we be silent even now? To burn a Holy Book like the Quran, to demolish Mosques and carry out riots – all these are clear pointers to the fact that Islam will not be tolerated in India. What, are we going to remain silent in the face of these terror-like and direct attacks on the faith? Or will we to try and find a solution?” 

The SIMI achieved it’s objective when the idols in two temples in Pune were desecrated and a mosque set alight too. While matters were brought under control in Hyderabad, communal tempers were touch and go in Mumbai over the weekend of March 10-11 (also the Holi weekend). Mumbai Police Commissioner, M.N.Singh played a constructive and proactive role by first quelling the rumour about the photograph to enable tempers to cool. Leaders of the community from Mumbai were appreciative of his role as bitter memories still prevail over police bias and attitudes against the minority. “If violence were to break out, we know who would be the sufferers…the community still suffers from the scars of 1992-1993,” Fazl Shaad of the Progressive Minorities Council told CC.
Residents of Kanpur were not spared, however. On March 15, a Thursday, some Muslim’s sought to burn the effigy of the Prime Minister in reaction to the alleged burning of the Quran in Delhi.  The police stopped them.  On the night of the March 15, posters appeared depicting the alleged burning.  The next day after the Friday namaz, some Muslims again congregated to burn the effigy.  The mob went out of control, resulting in police firing, with some Muslim youth being killed.  The ADM Finance (C.M. Pathak) was shot in the melee, allegedly by AK 47 fire from a mosque.  Tragically, it is reported that C.P. Pathak had gone to see the monument of Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi (GSV) who was martyred in 1931 at Chaube gola near Naisarak in trying to restore communal harmony.
By the morning of March 17 what essentially began as a clash between the police and some Muslims, became a full-scale Hindu/Muslim confrontation with arson, looting, shooting and killing.  Several places of worship of both communities   were damaged. The Shivala market that has predominantly Muslim businesses was badly gutted.  Local residents from all communities have roundly blamed SIMI and the trigger happy PAC for sparking the violence and provoking it’s exacerbation while the VHP, BD and other saffron outfits have been found guilty of manipulating tensions for their gain.

Dr. Naim Hamid, a surgeon by profession and former State President of India Medical Association and Executive Member – Muslim Law Board, All India Milli Council and Majlis e Mushawart criticised all politicians and organisations like the VHP that use religion for their vested interests. 

“ SIMI is a small body of young boys; some may become fanatic at times.  When stopped by the police, their pent up fury was unleashed.  After Friday prayers the tension increased.  The police fired with rifles.  They didn’t use tear gas or rubber bullets. All the victims of police fire were shot above the waist.  The PAC (Police Armed Constabulary) shoots to kill.  It is not so with the Army.  This must have caused greater provocation.”
Adds Akthar Naim, president, Rashtriya Bhaichara, Congress leader and UPCC Member, “ SIMI played a dirty role this time and must be banned. The sangh parivar and SIMI are two sides of the same coin.” Says Neelam Chaturvedi, the secretary, Mahila Manch and founder member, National Alliance of Women’s Organisations, “ When the mob emerged after Friday prayers there were just 100-150 persons.  They should have been told to burn the effigy there, and the matter would have ended.  But the administration allowed them to congregate in thousands.  The situation was definitely mishandled.”

Now that the violence has been contained, will the police take long-term measures? Will action against the Bajrang Dalis responsible for the provocations be sustained? And will action be taken against SIMI for provocative actions and writings?

Meanwhile all stories of a riot contain incidents of the ordinary man or woman who refuses to be drawn into the frenzy and hatred unleashed. Keshavram Shukla (67) is the pujari of the Radha Krishna Temple situated at 97/66 Talak Mohall.  His temple was completely destroyed during the recent violence and due to the heavy brick batting he had to run for his life.  His Muslim neighbours tried to prevent the desecration of the temple, but the mob was unrelenting.  After the Friday prayers they appeared from nowhere!  From 2.30 to 4.00 pm the mob unleashed its fury unhindered.  Again between 6.00 pm and 8.00 pm there was the naked dance of violence.  That is when GSV’s statue was broken, and the ADM was shot dead.  Inspite of this Shukla holds no anger or resentment against the Muslims. In fact near his house a young Muslim girl, Nazia was locked inside a PCO in panic.  Shukla opened up the shop, sheltered her in his house and later arranged with the police for her to be reunited with her widowed mother. 

(Chhotebhai, office bearer of the AICU filed the report from Kanpur for CC)


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