By Hedayat Ulla, TwoCircles.net
Bhagalpur which is famous and is always in the national debate for 1989 riots, saw a minor incident on Tuesday, September 29. It began when people notice a body of pig, which is prohibited for Muslims to consume on the terrace near Shahi Musjid, Lal Kothi Bhagalpur.
People from the community came forward removed the dead pig and cleaned the mosque, the situation in that area is normal.
Talking over the phone, Shahnawaz Alam a resident described the incident: “We found a pig half cut on the terrace of the mosque, the situation became tensed when people from community started gathering in the mosque. We removed it and cleaned the mosque. Meanwhile administration came into action and police personnel are deployed in Lal Kothi.”
But the after effect of the incident can be seen in Parvatti, where the shops were closed till noon. Parvatti is a place which is at the intersection of Muslim dominated population and that of Hindus.
Ajeet Sharma,MLA from Congrees talking to this correspondent said, “Why there is a steep rise in such communal incident when election is near? Few days back, they (referring to BJP leader Ashwini Chowbey) tried to communalise the enviorenment of Champanagar. Now when the son of Ashwini Chowbey is loosing the election, he is trying to use his old communal techniques. But I will fight these communal forces and take together the people of Bhagalpur irrespective of caste and religion.”
Bhagalpur is to witness, Bihar Assembly election on October 12, 2015 in first phase of polling. Ajeet Sharma,Indian Nation Congress is sitting MLA from Bhagalpur who is in neck and neck fight with Arjit Shashwat Choubey son of senior BJP leader Ashwini Chowbey. Arjit is not so popular in Bhagalpur politics and is lifted because of his father. This incident is being seen by the public in light of upcoming election.
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Hedayat Ulla is an independent researcher in political sociology.