By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Md. Nadeem, vice president of Minority Cell of Maharashtra State Congress Party, was with social activist Teesta Setalvad when she visited the violence-hit area of Digras, a taluka of Yavatmal district, on 31st July and 1st August. They listened to victims. Nadeem gives an account of what happened on 18th July in Digras after desecration of Holy Quran. Talking to Mumtaz Alam Falahi on phone from Yavatmal he says police was party to the miscreants who attacked on Muslim areas and ransacked their homes and shops.
Day One
It was July 18. The Holy Quran was desecrated in front of a shop. People from the Muslim community got infuriated. They gathered and some of them began stone pelting, some shops belonging to people from the majority community were slightly damaged but soon elders and responsible persons from the Muslim community controlled the situation and the matter was resolved. But some people and organizations from the other community had planned something else.
Day Two: rally that led to riots
In the evening of the first day some Hindu organizations gave a call for bandh and rally for the next day to protest against damage of some shops belonging to people from the majority community. Even though the situation was already tense, the police did not try to stop the bandh and rally from Hindu organizations. The police rather ignored the protesters. A mob of 2000-2500 people entered into a Muslim-dominated area. Soon stone pelting started from both sides, police opened fire and a Muslim youth was killed.
The Digras taluka is divided by a river. On one side of the river Muslims are in majority (70-30 ratio). On the other side, the opposite is true. Markets are in that part. Mixed population is in the market area. The desecration occurred in this part. Digras has never witnessed communal tension.
Police supported protestors. They destroyed properties of Muslims in the Muslim-dominated part of the taluka. Shanties of poor Muslims were not spared. They were ransacked and put on fire. Houses were ransacked, about 50 commercial four-wheelers were destroyed, some cars and 100 auto rickshaws were damaged. Curfew was imposed and then began police ‘action.’
Curfew to hide sin
Women, children and older people were beaten by the police. Due to the fear of police ‘action’, about 5,000 people fled the area to nearby jungles. They remained there for some days. The curfew remained imposed only to prevent outsiders and social workers from witnessing the police atrocities.
The elders from the Muslim community who tried to calm the situation on the first day have been accused by police of rioting. The child who saw the desecration was grilled by police. The police tried get forced statements from him. He was asked to blame some responsible persons of the Muslim community for rioting.
Situation is now peaceful. About 70 people are in police custody. Police have a list of 1000 people and searching for them.
Government inaction
Government is not providing any protection to Muslims. Two weeks on, no Congress leader, MLA, MP or other party leaders have visited the area. RR Patil of NCP who is home minister is not a good person. He does not listen to us. Even Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh appears helpless.
Relief work and legal battle
We are working on two fronts: immediate relief and legal battle.
We are working for immediate compensation to victims from the government. We are collecting relief material and donations for affected people. Some Muslim organizations particularly Jamaat-e-Islami Hind is actively involved in relief work.
For legal battle we are collecting complaints and evidence to approach court. We are working to bail out the detainees and preparing for their legal battle. Teesta Setelvad is going to take up some cases like she did in Gujarat. We are supporting her and providing her all assistance. According to her instruction, we are filing complaints and collecting facts and figures and evidence about atrocities.
Today we are holding a meeting of some responsible persons from all talukas of the district. JIH has actively helped in organizing the meeting. The purpose of the meeting is chalk out plan for legal battle and organized relief work. We are going to form a relief committee that will survey the affected area and people for relief distribution.
We demand judicial enquiry into the case. We demand that erring police officers should be brought to book.