Mumbai: On the eve of Ram Navami, violence broke out within the Kiradpura space of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (erstwhile Aurangabad) in Maharashtra. A mob of 500-600 folks allegedly pelted stones at police personnel close to a distinguished Ram temple late Wednesday, leaving at the very least 10 of them injured, and torched 13 police automobiles. In return, the police used tear fuel and plastic bullets.
Whereas police say an argument between two teams from the Hindu and Muslim communities on the night time of 29 March snowballed into clashes that lasted over three hours, pressure had been build up within the metropolis ever since its renaming in February.
Political events have, for years, performed the faith card within the metropolis — be it Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray turning his demand for its title grow to be his get together’s ballot promise for the reason that 80s, Raj Thackeray of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) demanding removing of loudspeakers from mosques final 12 months, or the Hindu Sakal Samaj holding morchas demanding a regulation in opposition to ‘love jihad’.
The most recent incident has additionally supplied sufficient fodder to begin off a blame sport. The Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP), and the Shiv Sena (Thackeray) have accused the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) of conserving the communal pot boiling, whereas the latter has claimed that the renaming of town contributed to disturbing the peace.
As many as seven folks have been arrested in reference to the violence whereas one injured man died in hospital Friday. Commissioner of Police Nikhil Gupta confirmed to ThePrint {that a} Particular Investigative Workforce — comprising three officers and 7 personnel — has been fashioned to research the case.
In keeping with Union Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad, the violence started after some members of the Hindu neighborhood visited an area temple at round 12 am. He informed the media, “They have been allegedly crushed up by some miscreants, which triggered riots. There’s a risk of involvement of public representatives, particularly these from the AIMIM.”
Native Member of Parliament and AIMIM chief Imtiaz Jaleel informed ThePrint, “I saved getting calls in regards to the clashes from locals. Once I confronted the police, they mentioned that there was a workforce on the spot. However I began getting requires assist because the violence intensified.” Following which, he mentioned, he went to the spot and remained contained in the temple.
Requested about Karad’s insinuation of AIMIM’s involvement, he mentioned, “That is being performed to cover their (personal) failure. In keeping with them, they’re behind all the great work but when something unhealthy occurs, it’s due to the AIMIM. A high-level inquiry committee must be appointed to probe the incident and discover these concerned in it.”
The central authorities authorised the renaming of Aurangabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in February and there have been protests throughout town in opposition to it since. Jaleel himself was booked for holding a protest candle march early final month.
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The night time of violence
Kiradpura in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is a Muslim-dominated space. However this space homes a well-known Ram temple the place yearly, a procession is taken out on Ram Navami, in response to native residents.
Police Commissioner Nikhil Gupta informed mediapersons that an argument broke out between two teams of males round 11.30 pm Wednesday. The police intervened and one group left. However after one other hour or so, a mob gathered there, and the problem escalated.
The mob then allegedly began attacking police personnel with lathis and iron rods. The police, outnumbered, couldn’t disperse the mob, in response to the FIR, seen by ThePrint.
Nevertheless, MP Jaleel mentioned that in response to one of many theories floating round, the clashes erupted when a bunch of males carrying saffron flags started sloganeering. Certainly one of them, who was on a motorcycle, allegedly bumped right into a bystander, who was a Muslim, resulting in a struggle. The scenario aggravated because the mob grew.
The MP claimed that police didn’t act on time. “How the violence started could be clear as soon as the police checked CCTV footage…however why was there no response once I referred to as the police? Why did the power attain the spot nearly two hours later? Why did the hearth brigade not rush to the spot instantly, regardless of me calling them? These questions must be answered,” he mentioned.
ThePrint reached commissioner Gupta by way of cellphone calls and WhatsApp messages however didn’t get a response. This report can be up to date if and when a response is obtained.
The politics
The town is popping to normalcy with the federal government deploying 5 firms of the State Reserve Police Power (SRPF) as a precaution, however politics continues to be performed over this.
Earlier in March, MP Jaleel led a protest in opposition to the renaming of town and rival political events at the moment are blaming him for disturbing peace within the metropolis.
“I feel the protest taken out by Imtiaz Jaleel over renaming has created an aggression among the many folks,” mentioned BJP district head Shirish Boralkar.
“This seems like a pre-planned conspiracy with a focused assault on police,” he added.
Even Shiv Sena (UBT) is on the identical web page with the BJP on this.
“The protest march over renaming disturbed the peace within the metropolis…One neighborhood was upset over the renaming of town. The BJP lent help by permitting the protest to occur for a lot of days. The house minister ought to have stopped it earlier,” ex-mayor and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Nandkumar Ghodele informed ThePrint.
Chief of Opposition within the legislative council Ambadas Danve of Shiv Sena (UBT) alleged that the BJP and the AIMIM have been attempting to instigate violence ever for the reason that metropolis was renamed.
“These events persistently tried to pitch Hindus in opposition to Muslims and create an surroundings that may result in riots. I’ve informed the police commissioner 4 instances earlier, however it was not taken severely. They create polarisation because it fits their politics,” he mentioned.
Responding to the allegations, Jaleel mentioned, “That is being performed to cover their (personal) failure. In keeping with them, they’re behind all the great work but when something unhealthy occurs, it’s due to the AIMIM. A high-level inquiry committee must be appointed to probe the incident and discover these concerned in it,” he mentioned.
Metropolis & communal pressure
The town has a historical past of communal pressure. It was within the late 80’s that Bal Thackeray first demanded that Aurangabad’s title be modified to Sambhajinagar after the Shiv Sena contested the first-ever municipal company election right here. Since then, the Sena has fought nearly each election right here on this agenda.
Lastly, in its final Cupboard choice, the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA authorities determined to rename Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar. This was later handed by the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis authorities and eventually authorised by the central authorities late February this 12 months.
On 20 March, Sakal Hindu Samaj held a morcha within the metropolis the place Telangana MLA and suspended BJP chief T. Raja Singh made a provocative speech focusing on Muslims. Maharashtra ministers Atul Save and Sandipan Bhumre have been current on the dais on the occasion.
In April 2022, MNS chief Raj Thackeray additionally organised a rally within the then Aurangabad and demanded a removing of loudspeakers from mosques, threatening to recite Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. He was later booked for his provocative speech.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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