By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Mulla Salim has approached everyone from Panchayat to PMO, from Governor to President of India in last three years – but all in vain so far. The local panchayat acquired the land some years ago but the district authorities are not moving to develop the plot for the purpose. He, however, has not given up.
The fight began in 1991 when the Muslim residents of Curti Khandepar Ponda village of Ponda taluk in North Goa district demanded a Qabrastan (graveyard) as the old one in the hilly area had become overcrowded. Some 17 years later in 2008, the local panchayat acquired around 17110 Sq Mts of land with a condition that the equal portion of the plot will be used by each of the three communities – Muslims, Hindus and Christians. It meant that on the plot there will be a Qabrastan, a Crematorium and a Cemetery. Yet, the district authorities have not since moved to develop the piece of land.
“I have knocked at every door – MLA, MP, PMO, Governor and President of India. I have also approached National Commission for Minorities but all efforts are in vain so far as the local district authorities are not heeding to the demand,” said Mulla Salim, social and political activist, while talking to TwoCircles.net over phone from Kuwait where he is nowadays on a personal visit.
Salim has received a reply from Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that a report from collector has been sought in this regard. The secretariat of Goa Governor has also sent a letter to DM in January 2011 seeking reply by 18th February 2011 but about six months have since passed there is no progress on the ground, Salim informed.
“The National Commission for Minorities seems to be very toothless body as they can’t implement their recommendation,” he says and criticizes the Congress government for keeping the body toothless.
It is interesting to note here that on the request of the NCM for sanction of suitable sites for burial ground for minority communities in the country, the Union Ministry of Urban Development vide its letter dated 19th May, 2011 instructed the State Governments/UTs and Municipal authorities “to take appropriate steps for allotment of land for burial places.” But while in the Goa case land is already acquired, the authorities are not moving to construct and develop it for the purpose.
Responding to Mulla Salim’s memorandum, the secretariat of the Goa Governor sent a letter to North Goa district collector on 17 January 2011. Pandharinath N. Naik, Under-Secretary, Revenue Department, Secretariat, Goa, forwarded a letter dated 11 Jan 2011 from Commissionor and Secretary to Governor, addressed to CS, Goa along with representation dated 5 Nov 2010 received from Mulla Salim, resident of Ponda regarding construction of Qabrastan and Hindu crematorium at Curti, Ponda.
Salim had made a request to start the construction of crematorium and qabrastan in survey no. 83/0 and 82/0 of village Curti Khandepar Ponda in Ponda Taluka.
The Under-Secretary asked the collector to examine and take necessary action in the matter and send the action taken report to him on or before 18/02/2011 for onward submission to the office of governor. Salim has no idea if the collector responded to the letter but he knows that no development work has started on the acquired land.
As a last resort, Salim in July 2011 approached the Supreme Court of India. He urged the apex court to intervene in this human rights violation case.
What will he do next if the land is not developed for the graveyard? “I will have to go to the community to aware them about the issue,” said Salim.