By TCN News,
Ahmedabad: What will you call the police which hesitate to take action against a person who has knowingly misrepresented a religious tenet but at the same time, shows extreme alacrity in taking action against another who spews venom?
This was the sentiment at a seminar ‘Stop …. Religious Hatred and Discrimination Against Minorities’ held here on October 2. It was held in the backdrop of events over last two months involving statements and subsequent police action / non-action against those who uttered these controversial sentences.
Reacting on the police action on Sufi saint Mehdi Imam Hussain over his controversial remarks on Garba and Navratri festival, Kaleem Siddiqui, the editor of Tarkash – an Urdu fortnightly from Ahmedabad – demanded similar action against those who spew venom on a television show few weeks ago.
Hussain was arrested in September last week after his controversial remark about Garba festivities. He had reportedly said, “Religious persons don’t attend Garba anymore, instead, it is done by film celebrities and anti-social elements. This festival has become a festival or rakshas (demons) and rapists.”
Earlier on August 30, Zee News had showed a programme titled ‘Love Jehad: Sabse Badi Panchayat’ wherein Naval Kishor Das of Uttar Pradesh’s Bajrang Dal, had reportedly claimed: “It is written in the Quran … non-Muslim ladies can be exploited sexually, they can be kidnapped and can be assaulted.”
Siddiqui said, soon after this programme, he went to the Bapu Nagar police station at Ahmedabad to lodge a complaint against Das. “Police did not respond in a positive manner. They just noted down my complaint and said they will ask Delhi to see if anything can be done for television channel,” Siddiqui said.
Along with Das, I had named Sudhir Chowdhari, editor of Zee News that showed this programme and also later uploaded it on the YouTube. “If Roshan Shah can be booked for sharing foul photos, why Zee News and others can’t be arrested?” he said, adding, “Das’ statement is not just totally baseless and anti-Islamic, it is also a threat to brotherhood and co-existence of people.”
Siddiqui claimed this was not the only example and alleged that Gujarat police are biased and discriminate against the minorities. “A peaceful and civilized society can be formed only by treating everybody as equal under the law. I propose to go to court if the police does not action against Zee News and others.”
The Tarkash editor also slammed Imam Hussain’s statement as “unwarranted, unethical and unpleasant.”
Siddiqui also condemned the statement given by Bharuch district Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president on Khane Kaba and demanded same action against him as was taken against Zakir Hussain Shiakh , a tea stall owner from Juhapura, who replied the hate video.
“Even Praveen Togadia is not yet arrested for his anti minority statement during Lok Sabha election. Now, Abhay Chudasama and Singhal are on bail and D G Vanjara also succeeded to get bail in Sohrab and Tulsi fake encounter after formation of new government at the Centre,” he reminded.
Shamshad Pathan of Jan Sangharsh Manch and Abdul Hafiz Lakhani of the Milli Council were present to address the media person.
Pathan blamed Gujarat police, who discriminate with Muslim when they go to police station and gave example of Rakhial police station that refused to register a complaint against Mahua youth, who had uploaded anti-Islamic material on the net.
Lakhani asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill his election time promise of Sab Ka Sath Sab Ka Vikas (Development for all, with all).
All India Milli Council, Gujarat general secretary and editor of Gujarat Siyasat, Gujarati fortnightly, Abdul Hafiz Lakhani questioned: “Is this Vibrant Gujarat? Perhaps, Gujarat is turning into Violent Gujarat. VHP and its ilk are raising their ugly heads under the new Chief Minister’s rule.”