By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent,
Kochi: The prominent south India Muslim organization Popular Front of India has categorically rejected the police charge that its cadres were involved in July 2 Mysore communal clashes ending in the death of three people.
The PFI refuted the police allegation that the organisation had been inciting people for violence, upon which charge, its 15 activists including the Mysore district president were arrested on July 6 by the Mysore city police for suspected involvement in the communal clashes. The organisation explained that they had in fact worked along with the police and civil administration to control the situation calm in the affected Muslim areas. The local MP, District Commissioner and Police officers were in constant contact with the organization, it said.
Popular Font of India members stage a protest on Bangalore Road in Mysore on Thursday demanding the release of people who were arrested during Kyatamaranahalli violence.
The PFI has alleged that the State Home Minister interfered in the matter and ordered the arrest of the activists of the organisation.
The arresting took place soon after Mr. Kaleem, Mysore district unit president of PFI, emerged out of the Mysore District Journalists’ Association where he was addressing a press conference on July 6. Nearly 100 policemen led by Assistant Commissioners of Police Pujar and Jayaram took the activists in a van to the CR Grounds for questioning. The activists shouted slogans against the police and the state government.
The communal clashes broke out in Udayagiri and nearby places in Mysore on 2nd July when a masjid compound was desecrated by miscreants. The violence that followed took lives of three including a 14-year old, who people say, was killed in police firing. Police had to resort to firing to disperse the angry mob. Prohibitory orders were imposed in the areas till July 6th and then extended to 13th.
Giving details of the July 2 incident onward, the PFI released yesterday a full page statement:
“The Mysore problem started on 2 July 2009, 6am when a Haleema Saadia Masjid/Madrasa at Udayagiri in Mysore was desecrated. In the morning the Muslims of the locality gathered near the Mosque after knowing about the incident. As happened in past, this incident was purposely carried out to provoke the Muslim, but the cadres of Popular Front under the leadership of District president were successful to control the crowd.
As the plans of the Sangh Parivar failed, they resorted to attack a Muslim youth who got killed in the attack. This incident started the problem in Mysore, which got worse when a 13 year old Muslim boy Junaid Pasha was killed in Police Firing. Later another Hindu youth from Andhra Pradesh was attacked and killed by the Sangh Parivar who was mistaken as a Muslim because he spoke Hindi.
Throughout the crisis, the Local MP, District Commissioner and Police officers were in regular touch with Popular Front district leadership seeking Popular Front’s help to control the situation. Popular Front activist carried out field work to control the situation, the District President personally led a Vehicle announcement in the Muslims areas to bring calm in the area. On Saturday the BJP called for Mysore Bandh in reaction to the attack on BJP Youth President. The situation was calm. On Sunday the situation was completely calm. The District Commissioner praised Popular Front activist for their role in bringing peace to the town.
After the constant efforts of Popular Front the situation became peaceful. Later it was the State Home Minister who is renowned to be a hardcore fascist personally interfered in the issue and pressurized the Police to arrest Popular Front cadres. Police carried out raid at the residence of Popular front cadres and few cadres were arrested. The District Commissioner was in constant touch with Popular Front district president and asked him to get arrested as he could not resist the pressure from the Home Minister.
On 6th June when Popular Front Mysore district leaders were coming out of the Mysore Journalist Association after addressing a press conference, the Police arrested 15 Popular Front cadres along with the District President. Later on 6th night the District office was raided without any notice and later sealed. Even the people who went to the court to give surety for the arrested cadres were arrested in the court premises. The Police even filed cases against the Masjid official just because they informed Popular front leaders about the incident.
The whole crisis which began due to the desecration of the Masjid was converted into an offensive against Popular Front. It is the incapability of the police to arrest the real culprits and they are hiding their failure by arresting and harassing Popular Front Cadres and innocent citizens of Mysore. Till now 210 Muslims and 50 innocents Hindu brothers who were not at all involved in the incident were arrested. Charges thus ensuring the victims are also coined as oppressors. While the original culprits roam about freely.”
Meanwhile, when the PFI activists held a protest seeking release of their colleagues and innocents arrested in connection with the Mysore clash, the local police excessive force and beat up the demonstrators, leaving scores injured. The police also arrested about two hundred other activists of the PFI.