By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Muzaffarnagar: 26 year old Lawyer activist Shehzad Poonawalla, who is running the Blanket of Hope initiative for the victims of Muzaffarnagar riots, was allegedly stopped by Inspector of Fugana Police Station, K P Sharma, while he was taking relief material to the Loi camp in Muzaffarnagar district.
The incident took place on the Shamli Meerut road where 2 separate teams of UP Police stopped the activist and his truck of relief material containing blankets, fruits, rations, warm clothes and essential items, without any cause, justification or order. The second team led by Inspector K P Sharma, misled the activist that the Loi camp has been wound up, even though it continued to house over 100 families. It must be noted that the Loi camp recently witnessed the demolition of tenements of the riot victims who stay there in deplorable conditions.
Shehzad was on his way to the Loi camp after distributing relief material to the Mansoora camp. On asking Inspector K P Sharma for his identification badge and the written order prohibiting the thoroughfare of relief material, the policeman shouted at the activist and his team that he did not owe any explanation to anyone.
Shehzad then resolved to stage an impromptu protest and court arrest at the venue if he wasn’t allowed to move with the relief material. On seeing the reaction of the local crowd which had gathered in support of Shehzad, the police team relented. The local residents of Loi also informed the activist that the said inspector was notorious for his rude behaviour and high handed ness with a particular community.
Shehzad expressed unhappiness at the approach of the government which continues to be in complete denial about the hapless condition of the victims. “It seems like the UP government wants to ensure that the relief camps are shut at the earliest as part of a cover up exercise. Having done nothing for the victims, the entire UP administration is now on a mission to deny the existence of the double victimisation of the people of Muzaffarnagar. The statements of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Principal Secy ( Home) Alok Gupta only give testimony to the devious agenda of the government,” he said.
Shehzad Poonawalla brought the issue to the notice of the ADM Mr Tripathi. The SP (Rural) Mr Alok Priyadarshi called up Shehzad Poonawalla to enquire about the matter. Shehzad has demanded the immediate transfer of the said inspector and a departmental enquiry on the complaint lodged by him with the SP.
Recently, Shehzad in his petition to the National Commission for Minorities had exposed the false statistics being perpetrated by the UP govt on cold related deaths and total persons living in the camps. The NCM, on his petition, took exception to the statements of SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, who said that only conspirators were living in relief camps and has demanded a reply from the Home Secy of Uttar Pradesh government.