By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net
Kalambar (Maharashtra): Terror and fear continue to overwhelm the downtrodden Muslims of Kalambar. Muslims still fear the unexpected, as “they” may retaliate at any moment. And they do not have the economic and political strength to stand against the impending onslaught of the powerful local RSS fellows.
That is why according to the Imam of the earlier demolished and then rebuilt Mosque Akbar Afghan, around five families have fled to other villages.
They risked the ire and enmity of the RSS people of Kalambar by their flouting their commands. The Muslims of the village managed to attract the attention of the Nanded administration towards the terror and fear created by the local RSS cadres, after they forced these Muslims by terrorizing them to demolish the only mosque in the village on June 24th, 2008.
When the Nanded administration came to know these people have been oppressed and harassed by the Hindutva extremists, it showed some sign of activism, and rallied around the hapless Muslims. With the help of the Nanded administration the Mosque was rebuilt amid security on June 28th, 2008.
Meanwhile Bal Thackrey in the Shive Sena mouth piece criticized the role of the Nanded administration in the whole affair. He made baseless allegations against the Mosque, saying that its land is illegal.
Although the Nanded administration knows that the land on which the Mosque is rebuilt now is completely legal, that is why it pointed out the Muslims of Kalambar not to worry about any thing. It insisted upon them to rebuild the Mosque and provided them security to do so.
But the administration had not allowed the performance of the daily and Juma prayer in the Mosque. It has been more than six days since the Mosque is closed amid the security of the police personnels.
Now the Imam of the Mosque, Akbar Afghan senses some “conspiracy” in this action of the administration. He is very apprehensive about the future.
He says, “It appears to be that there is some thing fishy here. It might be possible that there is some plan of the political parties. We do not know any thing”
The reason for his fear is quite obvious. The state is going to poll by the end of this year. And this issue can easily be exploited in the elections.
When TwoCircles.net contacted him he was going to Nanded to meet the Tahsildar (near to the rank of Sub-Divisional Officer).
He says that he will ask that when we will be allowed to start performing prayers in the mosque, and if there is any special reason for the prohibition order for so long a period.
It is very important to analyze this incident since its beginning, in the larger context of the situation of Muslims in the State, and the role and responsibility of the present Congress-NCP government.
It is very ironic that the whole episode of the demolition of the mosque in Kalambar, and the height of the terror and fear created by the RSS cadres among the local poor Muslims, coincide with the submission of the report by the Mahmudurrahman Committee to the Chief Minister. Subsequently the Home Minister of the state, Mr. RR Patil said that the there is no reason for the Muslims to have any sense of fear and insecurity.
But what has happened in Kalambar tells a different story. It points towards the extent the Hindutva groups have penetrated into the state, and how it has continued its communal assault of the secular fabric of India.