Cases of violence against Muslims were reported in at least eight states in India in recent days during the Ram Navami processions, followed by Hanuman Jayanti.
Ashish Kumar Kataria | TwoCircles.net
NEW DELHI — Under a heavy police presence following communal clashes, the streets at C Block of Jahangirpuri Delhi were silent on Saturday night. The clashes took place during during the procession marking the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman. There is fear among residents, who have been living in harmony for years.
A Shobha Yatra (procession) was organized to mark the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman from Kushal Cinema Road towards the C Block, a Muslim majority area that houses the Bengali Basti Masjid, also known as the Jama Masjid of Jahangirpuri. It started around 11 in the morning and the procession went on peacefully (twice) before the clash began.
It was around five in the evening when a third procession was taken out during the time of Iftar.
Residents alleged that the participants of the procession stopped in front of the mosque and tried to enter the mosque to host a saffron flag over the minaret of Jama Masjid. This was met with a warning and then a clash occured between people inside the mosque and the processionists.
The participants of the procession pelted stones and threw flags at the mosque.“They were around 700 to 800 people waving swords and even guns openly during the procession. The situation grew tense when they came in front of the Jama Masjid here and started instigating the Muslims who were there to break their fast observing the holy month of Ramadan,” said Mohammad Aahil, 32, a meat shop owner recalling the incident.
Aahil alleged that the participants in the procession “were majorly outsiders and not from the community.” A resident of Jahangirpuri from past twenty years, Aahil said he knows everyone in the area and has good relations with the Hindu community.
Loud music and slogans like, “To live in India, one has to say Hail Shree Ram” were raised during the procession, alleged the residents of C – Block.
“We pleaded with them twice. But they didn’t listen to us. My cousin Ansar intervened in between to prevent the clash. He asked the participants with folded hands but they overpowered him. He was trying to calm the people on both sides without taking part in the violence,” said the cousin of Ansar, who was arrested by the police after the clashes.
A total of twenty-four people have been arrested on charges of rioting and attempt to murder, Delhi Police said on Sunday.
“People inside the mosque retaliated in self defence after the mob tried to enter the mosque. They also abused people calling them ‘Kathmulla.’ The clash resulted in a stampede in which people began to run towards the Kushal Cinema Chowk. It was there, when it became a riot,” a resident of the C – Block said on the condition of anonymity. He was witnessing the incident from his terrace.
A motorbike was damaged and set to fire during the violence. A grocery store named ‘Garg Store’ was also vandalised.
“There was an altercation with the Hanuman Jayanti Sobha Yatra people. When they were passing through this area, some people from this side and some of people from that side had an altercation. The genesis as of now appears to be out of sloganeering which is all under investigation,” stated the Special CP Law & Order Division Zone -I, Dependra Pathak.
The police have lodged a First Information Report (FIR) under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 307 (attempt to murder), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 323 (causing hurt), 436 (mischief by fire), 34 (common intention) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 27 of the Arms Act at Jahangirpuri police station.
Mohd Abid Kasim, the Delhi State state President of Jamiat Ulema Hind said “the people who wish to spoil the country’s fate and harmony, certainly can’t be loyal to this nation.”
“We have always supported the community and brotherhood. This country belongs to everyone. Such incident is a contempt of our peaceful community,” he said.
Cases of violence against Muslims were reported in at least eight states in India in recent days during the Ram Navami processions, followed by Hanuman Jayanti.
Ashish Kumar Kataria is an independent Multimedia Journalist based in Delhi, India. He tweets at @AshishKrKataria