By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Bharatpur/ Gopalgarh village: ‘Abba Jaan Aap ko Insaaf Milega (Dear Father you will get justice), Rahul Gandhi had said to a broken old man Ishaaq whose 26 year old son was killed during police-gujjar firing at Masjid-e-Ayesha in Gopalgarh village on the fateful day of 14 September 2011.
More than two years on Ishaaq is still waiting for the promised justice.
Two years back, dispute over mosque land had led to rising communal tension as rumour spreads about attack from both sides. The police used force, mainly against the minority community, killing at least 10 Meo Muslims inside the mosque.
As the politics continue, Meo Muslims still live in anger, fear and desperation. Gopalgarh police station is now called ‘Khooni Thana (Bloody Station)’ by locals. The mere sight of the station reminds them of the blood bath at the mosque.
The campaign is in full swing for the December 1, Assembly elections, and the police firing has become an important elections issue in the Mewat region of Rajasthan that could affect outcome in at least two districts of Bharatpur and Alwar.
Two sitting Congress ministers Zahida Khan and Aimauddin Ahmed Khan face difficult elections.
Photograph of Masjid e Ayesha, taken at night, where the police firing took place.
Zahida Khan the sitting MLA of Kaman where Gopalgarh village falls, is facing huge anti-incumbency in the Meo Muslim dominated seat. Representing third generation of her family on this seat, Ms. Zahida Khan is fighting for a second term. She is an accused in the Gopalgarh riot case by CBI and is currently out on bail. But the case is not helping her in any way to become a champion for Meo Muslim cause.
Just months after the firing, she was allotted cabinet ministry in the Ashok Ghelot Government, resulting in suspicion in the Meo community that she sold off Gopalgarh issue for a ‘Laal Batti’ (red beacon), symbolic of ministerial berth.
Even though all her Muslim opponents in the election contest are making Gopalgarh firing the biggest issue, for Ms. Zahida Khan it is no issue at all. “That incident is not an issue against me, it’s in my favour. We were successful in confining it to Gopalgarh not let it spread to other villages, that was the good part. After two-three months everything was brought to normal,” claims MLA Zahida Khan.
File photo of Zahida Khan with Ashok Gehlot.
‘Meo ki Beti’ (daughter of Meo), as her supporters prefer to call her, says there was no reason of giving wrong signal to the community by accepting ministry, “I consulted my community before taking that ministry. Only after their consent I took up the charge.”
The victims’ families, however, believe political parties have taken them for a ride. As CBI has acted only on FIRs registered by the local police, but not on the 11 FIRs registered by the victim families, whom has made police and administration the main accused.
Stiff Opposition: Hafiz Manzoor Ali Khan, National Vice President of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) contesting from Kaman is taking on Zahida Khan on hosts of issues but Gopalgarh firing is the major one. “There is whole drama being played in the name of inquiry. CBI is acting just on police FIRs not on 11 FIRs registered by the victims. On the other hand political representatives has settled with the government and not raising this issue at all.”
Mr. Manzoor Ali khan says that Zahida Khan never even raised this issue on the floor of the house and “she colluded in the travesty of justice.”
SDPI VP Hafiz Manzoor Ali Khan (in middle) with his supporters.
On that charge for not raising the issue in the assembly, however, Ms. Zahida was candid on her compulsion. “During the Assembly session after the incident, I was made a minister and I was part of the government. One cannot rise issues against the government, when you are part of it.”
Moahammed Jahur, former MLA from Kaman who spent nearly 30 years with BJP, is now contesting on Kirodi Lal Meeena’s National People’s Party ticket. He is campaigning openly targeting sitting MLA and Congress of doing politics over dead bodies of Gopalgarh.
Former BJP leader does acknowledge that VHP activists played active role in spreading false rumours to assemble the crowd and fan the riots.
Moahammed Jahur, NPP candidate from Kaman (on left).
NPP candidate wants to ride over the sympathy wave Kirodi Lal Meena has generated by aligning up with Meo Muslims after Gopalgarh riots. Kirodi Lal Meena sat on hunger strike with 7 dead bodies of Meo Muslims, incited fallen Meena-Meo caste “blood relations” to counter Congress.
Kirodi Lal further gave 50,000 in aid to 7 victims’ families who sat on protest with the dead bodies for nearly a month. After severe insistence when those decomposed dead bodies were send for post-mortem, doctors showed their inability to carry an autopsy on mutilated dead bodies, thus resulting in loss of crucial medical evidence of killings.
But Mohammed Jahur is not ready to accept that his leader has done politics over dead bodies as he accused the sitting MLA of. ‘Krodi lal has done a lot of favour to Meo Muslims, by taking up the issue’ was his repeated answer.
Vanchit Samaj Insaaf Party candidate and Nogawan Sarpanch Aash Mohammed who is basing up his campaign on reservation is also igniting Gopalgarh issue in addition with targeting Kirodi Lal for betrayal, “Due to Kirodi Lal intervention post-mortem was delayed, leading to loss of medical evidence.” He even questioned Kirodi Lal’s intentions, “He sat with dead bodies on hunger strike in Kaman, but never raised the issue in the parliament.”
Vanchit Samaj Insaaf Party candidate and Nogawan Sarpanch Aash Mohammed with his supporters.
Mahir Azad, veteran Congress leader and Minority Commission Chairman, who is also contesting election from Jaipur-Adarsh Nagar, however, defends the Gehlot government. Azad headed the state government appointed committee that enquired into the Gopalgarh killing. He said that he condemns the incident, but unfortunately such events happen some times. “Even during the BJP rule, several Gujjars were killed during the reservation agitation,” he added. Coming out openly in support of his government, he says that as the people had demanded a CBI enquiry, I had recommended it and that was immediately ordered.
BJP has meanwhile fielded Jagat Singh, son of former Minsiter and Congress leader Natwar Singh. This has made this seat prestige issue as the battle is wide open. Gujjars have traditionally supported the BJP, although Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla has announced his support for Congress this time. However, with Jagat Singh into fray, himself a Jat, there are chances of Jats-Gujjar consolidation around him.
Gopalgarh firing: There was a dispute over plot of land and well adjacent to the Mosque at Gopalgarh village of Bharatpur district in Rajasthan. Local Muslims claimed it to be the part of the Masjid property while one Gujjar Mohan Prakash allegedly encroached the land. Masjid committee fought the case at local court and got the judgment in their favour. Even after court judgment when Gujjars refused to vacate the land, Muslims again went to court and got eviction order.
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Local Police (which comprise mostly of Gujjars) whose job was to implement the court order, called the Mahapanchyat of Muslims and Gujjars. During the Panchayat, clashes erupted between both the communities. Rumours of mass killings in the dense villages spread thick and fast. Both Muslims and Gujjars from different surrounding villages started gathering at the spot.
According to Police version both groups were exchanging fire at each other, so force was called to control the armed mob. But the events unfolded in few hours demonstrated stark bias and prejudice of local police force.
Force was used only against Muslim community in some instances with collaboration with Gujjars, which left 10 Meo Muslims killed inside the mosque. Later their bodies were chopped off into pieces, burned and then thrown into well to destroy any evidence. All of this was done not by raunchy maniacs but by officers who has taken oath to uphold the law.
For the ill-fated Congress party this incident occurred just before the UP elections which prompted its top leadership to pacify agitated Muslims. CBI inquiry was ordered which resulted in the arrest of 14 individuals 4 from Muslim community and 10 from Gujjar. Collector and SP were dismissed but was later reinstated at some other postings. After tremendous agitations the portfolio of then Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal was changed, although there was pressure to remove him from the cabinet.
Government was also quick to disburse compensation to quell any agitation, State allotted 5 lakhs and Rahul Gandhi 2 lakhs to each victim.
Victims’ families speak: ‘Police killed my son’, shouts Ishaq in Mewati khadi boli, sitting on his Charpai at Peeproli village, as this Correspondent asked him about that fateful evening.
Ishaq’s son Ruqunuddin used to work at the market adjacent to the Mosuqe at Gopalgarh village. On 14 September, 2011 he went into the mosque to offer his evening prayer where he faced raining police bullets. He was shot at his arm.
Ishaq with the photograph of his son Ruqunuddin, soaked in blood, taken by a local journalist.
When family got the news, his younger brother along with some villagers rushed to where he was lying in pool of blood. “We were trying to lift him up, suddenly police started chasing and firing at us.” said Raheem younger brother.
They pleaded with police to let them take him to the hospital, “Police officer shouted at us, ‘leave or else you will also be in the same condition. We are here to give him good care’,” says Raheem. The next day Ruqunuddin’s dead body was found in the nearby Jowar (millet) fields not very far from where he was lying injured. His head was cracked open, “That was the care police was talking about,” says Raheem with an anger clearly visible through his eyes.
Ruqunuddin was 26 year old with three children; the youngest one was 7 months old. Ishaaq flanked by his orphaned grand children could hardly hold his tears.
But trying to be strong in front of kids he again starts cursing the police and the sitting legislator Zahida Khan, “On our children’s dead body she got a ‘Laal Batti’ (red beacon)”, he says.
Chander Khan, with copies of FIR and photograph of his deceased son Iqbal Khan.
Electrician by profession Iqbal Khan was killed while offering Asar prayer at Masjid-e-Ayesha. Though illiterate and poor Chander Khan went from pillar to post to ensure some justice for his son. His only son 38 year old Iqbal Khan was killed with seven bullet shots at the mosque. Due to his father’s brave efforts Iqbal was the lone victim on whom proper post-mortem was done which showed bullet marks fired from assault guns on chest, liver, forehead and left leg. Chander Khan says he still can’t sleep in nights.
Widow and children of Iqbal.
On the basis of the post-mortem report Chander Khan filed a murder complaint against top police officers and district administration, but CBI didn’t even bother to act upon the complaint and continued to investigate on police version of events. Chander Khan has now approached the Supreme Court to make sure his complaint is investigated by CBI.
25 days after the incident Rahul Gandhi had reached Gopalgarh to meet the victims without informing Ashok Ghelot making a face safer for Congress before a crucial elecion. As the political war has charged up in Rajasthan Gopalgarh firing has again stroke the night-mares of the Meo community.
Name plate of the mosque, with bullet marks.
Meanwhile, in Gopalgarh, Masjid-e-Ayesha which was the battle ground of Gujjar Police Vs Muslims resemble the tensions with still hundreds of bullet marks spread across the walls, Muslims refusing to plaster them as reminders of crude treachery.