By TCN News,
Jaipur: Several civil groups on Friday staged a demonstration in the capital city of Rajasthan against the gruesome killings of Meo Muslims by Gujjars and police in Gopalgarh area of Bharatpur district on Wednesday (14th September). They demanded immediate suspension of District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police.
After holding the protest demonstration at Statue Circle in Jaipur, a delegation of representatives from civil groups met additional chief secretary PK Dave and submitted a memorandum for Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
The delegation had Prem Krishna Sharma, state president, PUCL, Er Mohd Saleem, National Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Haji Naseeruddin, president of Jama Masjid Committee and Wasim Akram of PFI among others.
Members of Civil groups during protest in Jaipur against against the gruesome killings of Meo Muslims in Bharatpur
The civil groups demanded immediate suspension of DM, SP, Circle Officer and SHO, Gopalgarh and other police and administration officers and enquiry against them and effective action. They demanded strong action against the revenue officers who deliberately delayed allotment of land for graveyard. They urged the authorities to resolve the issue immediately at appropriate level. They demanded compensation for the victims.
The protest demonstration was organized jointly by Rajasthan PUCL, Sadbhav Manch Rajasthan, Rajasthan Muslim Forum, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Rajasthan, PFI Rajasthan, Jama Masjid Committee and Action Aid India.
Slide Show:
A long dispute over a piece of land for graveyard turned into violent clashes between Gujjars and local Meo Muslims. It is alleged that rather than resolving the dispute, the local police supported Gujjars and mercilessly killed Muslims – they were gunned down, many were burnt and thrown into well. So far, official number of deaths is seven.
The dispute leading to killings
There was a long dispute over a Muslim graveyard land. The decision had gone in favor of graveyard. Allotment of additional land to graveyard was under consideration. However, it was said that the earlier land given by gram panchayat was a pond, so the task of allotment of other land was given to concerned officers but these officers were deliberately delaying the allotment leading to buildup of tension. It is said that the admin did not take any action to control the situation. The two groups had tried to resolve the issue amicably as early as on Wednesday (14th Sep. 2011) in the local police station but at the same time some anti-social elements spread rumors leading to a tense situation. Yet the police didn’t step in. It is said that Bharatpur DM Krishna Kunal reached the site and immediately ordered to open fire. The police did not warn, no lathi charge or tear gas was used. The firing killed many Muslims and wounded many others.