By TCN Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Muslim leaders unanimously condemned police firing at a crowd of Muslims who were protesting against the desecration of Holy Quran in Rudrapur town of Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand. Four people were killed and scores wounded in the firing on October 2. The Muslim leaders have demanded the state government to punish guilty police officials and to give proper compensation to the affected families.
Shahi Imam of Delhi Jama Masjid, Maulana Ahmad Bukhari while condemning the incident demanded high level inquiry and proper rehabilitation of the victims. “Muslims should not adopt violent ways in response to the provoking acts by miscreants because they first provoke Muslims then as per pre-planned program they destroy properties and lives of Muslims with the help of communal minded Police. If there is anything wrong, consult to regional Muslim leaders who should take it to the authorities” he advised.
Police chase away protesters at Rudrapur town in Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand, on Sunday [PTI Photo]
“The killings of Muslims by Police in Forbesganj of Bihar, in Gopalgarh of Rajasthan and in Rudrapur of Uttrakhand are enough to prove that governments are neglecting the problems of Muslims and police are becoming biased against Muslims. This is very harmful for inclusive progress of the country which we are dreaming” said Nusrat Ali, secretary general of Jamaat-e- Islami Hind.
Dr. Manzoor Alam, General Secretary of All India Milli Council, while condoling the families of victims in Rudrapur riots, demanded from the government a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to the families of each killed and Rs. 5 lakh to each injured besides, government job to one member of each family.
He said that police was the real culprits for the incident because they did not act though Muslims complained about the desecration of holy Quran.
“If Police had acted rightly, the violence would not have erupted but once again Police showed its biased attitude and opened fire at Muslims while mischief mongers were allowed to attack on Muslims. Therefore, we demand from the government that guilty Police official should be dismissed and they should be booked with criminal case for their partial acts” demanded MP Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi, the General Secretary of All India Talimi Milli Foundation.
He demanded the Central Government to take stringent action against communal forces who want to create communal tension all over the country. “Gopalgarh riot and now Rudrapur riots are indicating that how anti-social forces are disturbing the communal harmony of the country. So, it should take it seriously and act against them severely “he added.
Maulana Usman Mansoorpuri, President of Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, has demanded the suspension of DM, SP, DSP of Udham Singh Nagar district and all other police officials who failed to control the Rudrapur incident.
“The repeated incident of communal riots in the country strengthens our demand to hold administration responsible for the communal riot because either in Gopalgarh or Rudrapur the Police worsened the matter instead of controlling it. Therefore we urge the UPA government to get passed the Communal Violence Bill with the provision to hold authorities accountable for the riots” he added.
On October 2, communal violence gripped the Rudrapur town of Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttrakhand after a copy of Quran was desecrated by some anti-social elements. When police did not act to nab the guilty, Muslims came out on the road to protest. Police started lathi charge to disperse the protestors which resulted stone pelting from the protestors. Then police opened fire at them killing four and injuring score of others. The mob of non-Muslims also joined the attack on Muslims and they looted shops of Muslims in the market. After the incident curfew was imposed and security was tightened in the town.