By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: In a clear sign to vitiate the peaceful communal situation before the Lok Sabha elections, several buses and vehicles carrying UP Ulema Council supporters who were returning from Lucknow rally were attacked in Azampur area of Azamgarh district today.
According to eyewitnesses at least 22 Ulema Council supporters were injured in the stone pelting with five of them seriously. Fahim Ahmad of Bilariaganj got serious head injury and is in critical condition. Glasses of all buses and vehicles were broken.
Tasleem Rahmani speaking to TCN
Giving details of the incident, Dr Tasleem Rahmani, Muslim Political Council of India chief and Ulema Council leader, told TwoCircles.net that five buses and four vehicles carrying about 300 people were returning to Bilariaganj from Azamgarh railway station. They were attacked in heavy police presence in Azampur area but the police remained mute spectators.
He said the rallyists were returning on foot but SP City advised them to go on vehicles. Buses were arranged. On their way to Bilariaganj when they reached Azampur area all of a sudden stones were thrown at the buses. Senior police officers with heavy contingent reached the spot. There were about 200-300 policemen. They told the Ulema Council leaders to wait for some time so that they could pacify the mob that was pelting stones. “After an hour they could not disperse the mob, yet senior officers including DIG told us to proceed saying nothing will happen. But we had hardly covered 200 metres when we faced heavy stone pelting. The police did nothing to disperse mob, they did not use force,” said Rahmani.
Dr. Tasleem Rahmani
He said the attack seems to be a planned conspiracy. People are not tolerating Muslim unity in the district. Local BJP leaders and Gorakhpur BJP MP have poisoned the mind of the villagers and provoked them to violence. They want to flare up the communal situation to polarize Hindu votes in the coming Lok Sabha elections, said Tasleem Rahmani.
The Ulema Council is filing an FIR on behalf of those injured against some named persons who were involved in stone pelting.
Situation is tense but under control. “Muslims were very angry but we have pacified them. We will launch legal fight against the miscreants but won’t allow Muslims to retaliate. We will not allow anyone to harm our cause,” he added.
Ulema Council has already announced to field its candidates on some eastern UP seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections.