Her link with the fascist group that has primarily been actively spreading hate and promoting hate crimes against the marginalized sections of the Indian society has been criticized and condemned by a large group of likeminded individuals such as writers, research scholars, activists, lawyers, students and professionals from different fields.

They have issued a statement condemning the silence of the Democratic Party that is fielding Tulsi Gabbard despite knowing that she is associated with the Hindu-militant organization, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and its American affiliates.

The statement mentions that Tulsi Gabbard has been funded by members of groups like – Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, Overseas Friends of the BJP, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh and Ekal Foundation, which have direct links with the RSS.
 

The group of citizens from India who has issued the statement to the Democratic party condemning the silence of the party also stated that It would be a moral failure of members of the Democratic Party to have within their ranks a person like Gabbard who has supported and is backed by a network under whose rule India has witnessed increasing violence against Christians, Muslims and Dalits, disenfranchising of minority groups, illegal detention and clampdown on human rights of Kashmiris, and crushing of rational and progressive voices.

Their demand is that unless Gabbard unequivocally and publicly denounces the hate politics of RSS, the Democratic Party leaders hold her accountable being hand-in-glove with forces of hate and cut all ties with her.

Among the signatories are Dr. Ram Punyani, Shabnam Hashmi, Pieter Friedrich, Umar Khalid and others.

Courtesy: Two Circle

The post American Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard’s links with RSS condemned appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Ozair Kadir

The funeral prayers were performed yesterday, Sunday 24^th March at Jamia Masjid, Darul shifa which is close to his residence.

Ozair 25, years, had gone to New Zealnd with dreams of becoming a commercial pilot like his elder brother but became victim of the brutal killings when he had gone for Namaz on Friday at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch.

He was a student of the aviation academy, New Zealand, who mourned his death along with many other citizens of New Zealand. Back home, his family, friends and many other well wishers bade him farewell yesterday.

Deputy Chief Minsiter, Mahmood Ali, who is said to have facilitated the arrangements to bring the body of Ozair Khadir from New Zealand, was also present for the funeral.

funeral of Ozair Khadir

Courtesy: Two Circle

The post Ozair Khadir, killed in Christchurch shootings, laid to rest in Hyderabad, his hometown appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image courtesy: Jakarta globe (to express solidarity with the NZ shootings’ victims)

The 50 persons who lost their lives that day spanned from different nations, many had migrated from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Jordan and Syria for livelihood, education or for safety. A few of them were are natives of New Zealand.

There were 9 of them from India about whom we have gathered a little information.

 Five persons were from Gujrat Mehboob Khokhar, father-son duo Asif Vohra and Rameez Vohra; Junaid Kara and Hafiz Musa Patel. One young woman from Kerala and three from Telangana state.

Pic courtesy : Ahmedabad mirror

Mehboob Khokhar and his wife were in Christchurch visiting their son who lived there. Khokhar, 63 years was a retired state government employee in the electricity department and was living there from two months and was soon planning to come back home to Juhapur Gujrat, India before this fatal attack at the mosque.

Arif Vohra, 58 years hailed from Vadodara. He had gone to Christchurch with his wife to visit their son Rameez Vohra and also welcome the to be born grandchild as their daughter in law was expecting. And it was just a few days that Rameez’s wife had delivered a baby girl. He and his son were at first reported to be missing but the next day Saturday their deaths were confirmed.

Rameez Vohra, 28 years, had become a father a few days back and had planned to get his wife and 9 day old daughter, discharged from the hospital after the Friday prayers. But he and his father Arif Vohra were shot dead at the Al Noor mosque. Rameez is said to be working in a supermarket.

Ansi Alibava, 25 year old, from Thrissur District, Kerala had gone with her husband Abdul Nazar for the Friday prayers. Ansi was in the women’s section when she was shot. Her husband, who was near the emergency managed to escape. She had joined her husband recently after completing her masters in agribusiness management.

Anis Alibava ( Pic from The New York times)

Ozair Kadir, was training to be a commercial pilot from the International Aviation Academy of New Zealand. Ozair, 25 years, was from Hyderabad and had moved to New Zealand to become a pilot like his older brother.

Ozair Kadir( Pic from The New York times)

Junaid Kara, native of Adada village, Navsari in Gujrat was born in New Zealand and a native of Christchurch. He ran a general store. He visited India once a year. His family had helped in building the mosque in Christchurch. Junaid, 36 years is survived by his wife and three children.

Junaid Kara( Pic from The New York times)

Hafiz Musa Patel, 60 years, from Lunawara village in Gujarat’s Bharuch district had left India many years ago and was the Imam in a Fijian mosque. He was in New Zealand to spend time with children and friends. He is survived by his wife and five children.

 Farhaj Ahsan, 30 years, was from Hyderabad, Telangana state and was living in New Zealand from the last 10 years, working as an electrical engineer. He is survived by his wife, Insha Aziz and 2 small children – a 3 year old daughter and 7 month old son.

Farhaj Ahsan( Pic from The New York times)

Mohammed Imran Khan, 47 years, was from Karimnagar, Telangana state. He ran 2restaurants at Christchurch one of which was called “ Indian Grill”.  He was at the Al Noor Mosque to offer prayers when he was shot. He was undergoing treatment but succumbed to the injuries.
41 victims were laid to rest in Christchurch city while some were repatriated to their families for the last rites.

The Prime Minister has brought changes in the gun laws by banning semi-automatic rifles and large ammunition magazines in New Zealand following this terrorist attack. This move has been appreciated by a large number of people across the globe.

Courtesy: Two Circle
 

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This appeared in the news as an encounter in which 10 Naxalites were killed by the security forces and the state government and the Home Minister hailed this as a victory.

But the people from many villages of Bastar gathered at Bhairamgarh on 5th March 2019 to protest these killings because they want to tell the world the truth and expose the lies of the Government and demand justice.

TwoCircles.net contacted one activist and also an Adivasi Lingaram Kodopi, who explained the incident that took place on 7th February. He affirmed the facts mentioned in their press release that no encounter took place that day instead the security forced fired indiscriminately at the crowd who had gathered to participate in the village sports. And as a result of the firings, even children died. The security personnel did not stop there they tortured the dead bodies and even raped 2 girls. One of the girls, who was 12 years was raped and her nose and privates mutilated. Further, the security forces also burned the materials they found at the site like vessels, clothes etc.
 

 

Lingaram also said, “ The forced behave atrociously every time they visit the village. We don’t know whom to ask for help under these circumstances. This time we all gathered in large numbers because they killed our children.”

Lingaram further said, “ Even I have not been spared. Nor other activists. I have faced the atrocities of the police and have been jailed for 3 years under false allegations. Every now and then I get death threats. But we have not given up. We will keep fighting for our rights.”

Every single day the Adivasi men are rounded up, taken to a police station, beaten up or detained for days and sometimes even arrested by being labelled as Naxalites. The women are not spared either, they are sexually assaulted. The livestock, the food grains, cash are also seized.  Their complaints are not entertained. This happens in many villages across the region.

Lingaram says that the reason the security forces behave in this manner is to instil fear in our hearts so that out of fear for our lives we will leave the forests. They want to occupy our forests, our lands and our resources. But we have nowhere to go. So we will just keep on fighting”.

The demands of the Adivasis at the protest today are:
 

• FIR be filed against the police officials for murder, rape and sexual abuse under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act);
• Set up a commission of inquiry headed by a retired judge ;
• The family members of the deceased are given copies of FIR and post mortem reports
• The enquiry should be conducted as per the guidelines of the National Human Rights commission wherein the victimised Adivasis can give their testimonies fearlessly.

After the protest they submitted their memorandum or demands to the high officials and to the MLA of their region.

Lingaram Kopodi told TwoCircles.net, “ Apart from the MLA of Bijapur, Vikram Shah Mandavi, nobody has given us a word of assurance. The MLA has promised that he will inquire into the matter and ensure that the guilty are punished”.

He also said, “ We want the world to know the truth. And friends of the media are our only hope.”

First published on Two circles
 

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“Historically, the experiences of Dalits, erstwhile untouchables, and the lower castes (totalling over half a billion people) in films have been camouflaged by appropriating their voices into a caste-neutral narrative. Oft-repeated incidents of suppressing Dalit voices and Dalit assertion has maintained the cultural hegemony of dominating castes in India. Whenever Dalit characters are presented on screen, it is either to degrade the humanity of the Dalit or term them as despicable characters deserving humiliation. Such casteist gestures have worsened the quality of Dalit cultural life in India, pushing them down to the nadir of humane existence,” the festival says on its website.

The Dalit Film and cultural festival 2019 (DALIFF) has been organised with the intention:

1. To expose to the world the nuances of Dalit life that are buried underneath the popular forms of artistic expressions.
2. To encourage a dialogue on the lack of representation and diversity in the Indian and South Asian film industry on the experiences of Dalit lives.
3. To create solidarity with other oppressed groups tied into a Fourth World project through the intervention of film and other forms of media.

This international Dalit film festival is dedicated to the memory of P. K. Rosy, the legendary first female actor of South India who was a victim of casteist social and cinematic sphere. P. K. Rosy, the pioneer of Indian feminist cinema died in penury, shunned by the public. It is to honor her inspiring legacy and courageous work that the Dalit Film Festival proudly asserts the art of Dalit Cinema and of Dalits in Cinema.

P K Rosy

Twelve films – 6 feature and 6 documentaries, surrounding the lives, struggles for identity and assertion of Dalits will be screened. These films are in Tamil, Hindi, Malyalam, Marathi and even Nepali.

The feature films include: Pariyerum Perumal and Kaala in Tamil; Papilo Buddha in Malyalam; Fandry and Bole India Jai Bhim in Marathi and Masaan in Hindi.

The 6 documentary films are : Kakkoos, a Tamil documentary on the life of manual scavengers;  We Have Not Come Here To Die a documentary on the caste discrimination in educational institutions; Pistulya, a Marathi documentary on struggles of a  young Dalit boy who wants to study; Gandhi, Untouchables and Me on the Dalit protests at JNU; The Battle of Bhima Koregaon a documentary about the 500 Mahar soldiers who joined the British forces and defeated the Peshwa rule in 1818 and the Dalan Series from Nepal on the problems of landless labourers oppressed and abused by the landed castes.

Some prominent guests and invitees for the DALIFF are directors Pa Ranjith; Nagaraj Manjule, Bomakku Murali – social and political activist and also a film maker and Niharika Singh, actress and winner of Femina Miss India Earth.

The new School

DALIFF will be organised at Columbia University on 23^rd February Saturday and in The New School on 24^th February 2019 Sunday, New York.

There is no entry fee for the screenings.

Courtesy: Two Circle
 

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Members of communities all across the country came to Delhi from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, W. Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.

The protest at parliament street took place in response to the Lok Sabha passing the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018. This Bill contradicts, rather than protects, many of the rights and protections laid out in the country’s Supreme Court’s NALSA verdict of 2014. Along with the Trafficking of Persons  (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018, this regressive and dangerous legislation will subject the thirunambi, thirunangai, transgender, hijra, kinner, intersex and gender non-conforming communities in India to increased discrimination, harassment, and institutional violence.

How the Bill is harmful and not helpful?

1. This Bill upholds the establishment of screening committees, comprised of District Magistrate, Psychiatrists, Medical Officers, and one Trans person, which will have the power to determine whether or not an applicant qualifies as transgender. The process of “proving” one’s gender in front of a committee violates multiple fundamental rights, and is utterly humiliating. The Bill also mandates “surgery” as the basis for applicants to qualify as transgender and avail of protections. This requirement violates the principle of self-determination of identity for Trans, Intersex, and GNC people, and disenfranchises many who cannot afford surgeries as well as those who do not desire any surgeries.
2. The Bill criminalizes begging, sex work, and other forms of livelihood that many in the trans communities depend on to survive. Contrary to the stated purpose of the Bill – Protection of Trans persons’ Rights – it criminalizes and discriminates against us, specifically targeting entire communities of Transwomen, Hijras, and Transfeminine people who have historically practiced begging and sex work as the primary source of income. The Trans, Intersex and GNC communities thus firmly oppose this Bill along with similarly criminalizing and discriminatory provisions of the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection, and Rehabilitation) Bill 2018. Both Bills are currently pending before the Rajya Sabha and must be withdrawn in their current form.
3. The Trans Bill 2018 also denies reservations and affirmative action for trans, intersex and gender nonconforming people in employment, education, and healthcare. Thus between criminalizing begging and sex work, and denying reservations, it puts our very lives at stake.
4. The Bill requires Transgender people, to reside with their birth family – even though birth families are often the first site of violence against these individuals. If trans people are aided by other Trans community members in escaping such conditions at home, the community members can be imprisoned for up to 4 years
5. The Bill postulates that sexual violence against trans people will face punishment up to 2 years, in comparison with the 7yrs of imprisonment for sexual violence against non-trans women. In this way, the Bill directly discriminates against the Trans, Intersex and GNC communities and strips us of dignity and equality
6. The Bill has labelled all intersex people as transgender. This is a gross violation of the right of self-determination of intersex people, many of whom do not identify as transgender.
7.  

Journey of the Transgender persons ( Protection of rights) Bill :
The landmark decision of the Supreme Court  in National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India also in 2014, known as NALSA verdict accorded transgender individuals the right to self-identify as third gender or within the binary, as male or female; and ruled that insistence on sex reassignment surgery, hormone therapy, or other procedures to legally declare gender was illegal and immoral. The verdict also directed the Centre and State Governments to provide the community various social welfare schemes and to treat the community as socially and economically backward classes. It asked for the transgender community to be  extended reservation in educational institutions and for public appointments, proper medical care and separate public toilets.  It also asked for the recommendations of  the Expert Committee Report on Transgender persons (released February 2014) to be reviewed in light of the verdict and be implemented within six months, i.e. by October 2014.

After this positive verdict, “Rights of Transgender Persons Bill 2014” was passed in 2015 in Rajya Sabha, then a private member’s bill by a MP from Tamil Nadu, Tiruchi Siva, was introduced. Tiruchi Siva’s bill had all the recommendations of the NALSA judgment including the reservations and employment opportunities. But sadly it was not passed and kept pending in the Lok Sabha.

Later in 2015, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment drafted a Rights of Transgender Persons Bill (2015), and sought public input, with comments to be submitted by  14th January, 2016. . The draft bill received substantial  input from transgender and intersex led groups, as well as from LGBTIQ and ally groups.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2016 was then introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 2, 2016.  However it did not incorporate any of the community feedback given to previous versions of the Bill. It sought feedback from the community which were given but all of the feedback was ignored except for the revised definition of ‘ transgender’. And on 17^th December 2018 the Transgender persons ( Protection of rights) Bill was passed in the lower house of the Indian parliament.

Reaction of the trans community:
Members of the community also burnt copies of the bill and sloganeered against the BJP government.  Representatives from workers and students organizations also attended and gave their support to the mobilization.

Grace Banu,  Dalit and transgender activist and  the first transgender person to be admitted to an engineering college in the state of Tamil Nadu said “Without reservation, we have no opportunities. No one is ready to offer us the chance to work. If we aren’t given the chance to live, why doesn’t the government just euthanize us or declare us refugees in our own country?”.

Meera Sanghamitra, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and Telangana Hijra Intersex Transgender Samiti (THITS) gave her statement to TwoCircles.net :
While on the one hand, as feminists, trans and human rights activists and collectives, we are constantly struggling to expand the protective and affirmative legal discourse to de-legitimize patriarchy, especially in domestic, socio-economic spheres; the three legislations in question pushed by a right-wing government reinforce stereotypes, legislate second-class citizenship, perpetuate historical injustice against trans persons, intersex, gender non-conforming persons, sex workers, surrogate women and raise rudimentary concerns of ‘protective laws’ becoming tools for further marginalization and oppression of already violated populations and denial of constitutional safeguards.

It took countless struggles by the transgender community and 70 years for the Supreme Court of this country to recognise the historical injustice and uphold our rights as equal citizens and now this Bill seeks to take away these limited rights as well by making a law with unconstitutional provisions, legislating second class citizenship and further marginalizing us. We seek immediate withdrawal of this Bill and an overhaul based on community consultations, during which period NALSA must be strictly implemented.

Subikshamma, another activist said that the community will oppose this government to the very end on this bill.

Several transmen activists spoke up about their struggles and unique needs as a largely overlooked group within the trans community. Satya Rai Nagpaul,  Kiran Raj from Telangana, Kiran from Karnataka,  Saransh from Delhi and Selvam from Tamil Nadu were some of the transmen who voiced their protests strongly and demanded  for the Bill to be stopped.

“If you, a cisgender person, are not asked to strip before anyone to prove your gender, why should I? I am a man, and have identified that way since childhood, and I should not have to prove this to anyone”. Asked Saransh “How much longer must we struggle to just be seen as human like everyone else?”.

Gee Imaan Semmalar from Karnataka told TwoCircles.net “The Bill is passed in the Lok Sabha. It is yet to be approved by  the Rajya Sabha so we are lobbying with opposition MPs of Rajya Sabha to oppose or amend the bill. yesterday, an Indian express report said that the govt has agreed to send it to a select committee but  our understanding is that this has to be placed on the floor of the house and passed by the chairman. So we are hoping that it happens soon or that this bill lapses. If the bill is passed then we have to fight it legally .”

Rani, a transwoman leader from Karnataka said “Many of us come from poor backgrounds and our only acceptance is from the transgender community, our only livelihood is from traditional begging. If even that is criminalized, we will starve”.

Chandramukhi Muvvala, the transwoman who had contested for MLA from Hyderabad said “Implement the NALSA judgment!”

Aparna from West Bengal gave a passionate speech in which she asked “How can the government tell me who I am? If I do not accept my mother and parents telling me what my gender should be, who are more important to me than any government, do you think I would abide by this government’s opinion?”

Support from political leaders:
Rajeev Gowda, MP,  Congress, Rajya Sabha came to the protest site and pledged his support for referring both the problematic Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018 and the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018, to a Select Committee.

Tiruchi Siva, MP, DMK, Rajya Sabha addressed the crowd and honoured the self-respect struggle of the transgender community to which he had been a dedicated ally for many years. As he spoke, protestors raised signs stating “Pass the Tiruchi Siva Bill in the Lok Sabha” and “Stop the Government of India Bill in the Rajya Sabha”. Accompanying him were Sonal Mansingh and Ameeya Yajnik, who pledged their support to the transgender community. MPs from the CPI (M) also raised their voice in support of the community struggles.

Derek O’Brien, MP, TMC, Rajya Sabha addressed the rally and vowed to stand with the community and fight the bills that have criminalized the community. When he said they would end the regime of this anti-people government, the crowd cheered.

Courtesy: Two circles
 

The post Thousands gather to protest the Transgender persons (Protection of Rights) bill, 2018 at Jantar Mantar appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Many other NGOs and activists have been fighting the land mafia of Wakf properties from the last 10 years with no results. Tausif Shaikh had submitted several petitions to the higher authorities from the last few years and had even filed complaints with the Police station. Even after so many years and so many attempts no action has been taken against the land mafia.

Upset and frustrated over this inddiference of the officials Tausif set himself on fire and committed suicide right in from the collector’s office in Ahmednagar. This is the first suicide case in the state of Maharashtra of a Muslim and first suicide protesting against Wakf mafia in India.
The police have registered a case against Tausif Shaikh for commiting suicide. But the local Muslims are agitated over this move by the police and demanding to register a criminal case against the abetors of Tausif’s suicide and the illegal encroachers of the Wakf land.

The waqf land mafia are continuously acquiring lands not only in Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Nashik, Pune but all over the Maharshtra State.

With inputs from Urdu City, Malegaon

Courtesy: Two Circles
 

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The fact-finding team, formed under the banner of Bhima Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerna Abhiyan, Maharashtra, visited the area on May 19 and 20. The committee met with the victims, eyewitnesses, local people, police, administration, political leaders and social activists. Based on those meetings, the fact-finding committee observed that the riots started on May 11, 2018, Friday at midnight, But several people in Moti-Karanja, Shahganj, Nawabpura, Rajabazar, and Gulmandi revealed that preparations for the riot had been underway since almost a month.

The fact that Petrol, Kerosene, Stones, Catapult etc. were used during the riots were collected and stored on the terrace of the multi-storied buildings, is also evidence to its pre-planned nature.

As many as 21 Hindu and Muslim shopkeepers of Shahganj Vyapari Sangh had filed a complaint with the City police chowk on May 7 against Lacchu Pahelwan and his hooligan collaborators for beating, threatening and trying to instigate the communal riot. They had also demanded security from Lacchu Pahelwan and his collaborators. Even after their complaint, no stop was put to their activities.

Therefore on May 8 and 9, the shopkeepers met with S.P Kodekar and Police officer Kadam to demand justice from the harassment of Lacchu Pahelwan and even submitted a written memorandum regarding the same. Many people witnessed that on May 11 the same S.P Kodekar and P.O. Kadam walked along with Lacchu Pahelwan from the site of violence. The people indicated this also as an evidence of the pre-planned nature of the violence.

Fact-finding team has also reported that electricity in Moti-Karanja had been cut off from night 10 p.m. that day and also the electricity in other places went off in many places during the riot. Many transformers were destroyed. CCTV cameras were shut down earlier to save the rioters. All these again clearly points out that the rioters were prepared well in advance.

At the site of violence, people witnessed some armed political leaders walking along with the police. According to the report, All those leaders were Shiv Sena’s leaders. A local member of parliament, Chandrakant Khaire is visible in many video clips. MP Chandrakant Khaire openly admitted to journalists that due to Shiv Sena corporator Rajendra Janjal, his son and ex-MLA Pradeep Jaiswal’s son were rescued from the place of the incident. It is a clear admission to the fact that many Sena leader’s sons also participated in the attack. Hence both Police and local Shiv Sena leaders colluded in this attack is openly visible.

It is being propagated that the immediate trigger for the riot was the removal of illegal water connections. But people in that area said that illegal water connections were not the reason behind the violence. There are more than 35,000 illegal water connections between Kranti chowk to Shahganj area and in the whole city near about 1 lakh, 20 thousand illegal water connections are there. On May 9, the Municipal Corporation did not start their action either from Kranti chowk or Shahganj but started removing illegal water connections randomly in Moti-Karanja Chowk. They removed only four illegal water connection and all of them were Muslims. Farid Iqbal and his colleague, a resident of that area (Moti Karanja) had long before itself submitted a memorandum to the Municipal Corporation regarding the removal of illegal water connections. It is quite clear that the violence had nothing to do with the issue of removal of illegal water connections.

Another reason given for the trigger to the riot is the mango buying incident, there is no substance in this claim either. There was an altercation between a mango seller and his customer. That conflict was resolved and both of them had even embraced each other. But soon nephew of Lacchu Pahelwan came with 8-10 people and started beating that mango seller. People gathered there to save mango seller and they forced Lacchu Pahelwan’s nephew to leave that place. After that Lacchu Pahelwan came and publicly threatened to burn down shops and on May 11, he acted upon his threat and those shops were burnt down.

Shiv Sena holds the Mayor post in the Municipal Corporation. Lacchu Pahelwan’s daughter is an independent corporator but Lacchu Pahelwan controls the actual power. A month back, he joined Shiv Sena and demanded removal of encroachment and hawkers from Shahganj and Meena Bazar area. On May 9, Municipal Corporation sent an anti-encroachment force. Anti-encroachment force removed the encroachments in the Shahganj Chowk (mostly Muslim shops) but when they started removing encroachments of Sindhi shops they received a call from BJP district president Kishanchand Tanwani. And those shop owners told that Anti-encroachment drive had been stopped due to Tanwani’s phone call.

It is clear that Municipal Corporation also functioned with evident bias. 

Every time during the Ramzan period a market called the Meena bazar is held in Shahganj area. 12 years before, the Bhaji market was its place. But for redevelopment, Bhaji market was demolished and all shopkeepers came on the road. They started putting their shops on roads. Two years back, Municipal corporation allocated Aamkhas ground for Meena Bazar but no arrangements were made in the following years. So all shopkeepers again started opening their shops around Shahgunj road. Recently, Shiv Sena demanded the removal of Meena Bazar. All the vendors went to high court. High court ordered that these vendors should not be removed as their right to life cannot be snatched from them. Therefore, on May 11, Lacchu Pahelwan intentionally burnt down the shops of those vendors.

The whole site of violence is a Muslim majority area. Lacchu was trying to establish his dominance in that area. He used to collect ransom from this area. He used to beat up people if they refused to pay the money. Whole area has been afraid of Lacchu. Lacchu was miffed because, on May 8 in Mango buying issue, people forced his nephew to leave the area. Hawkers and riot victims told that, on 11 May, only those shops were burnt who were not supporting Lacchu’s demand of removal of hawkers.
It is important to note that when the shops were being burnt on May 11, Hindu shops and houses located in the Muslim majority area were not burnt or plundered. It also indicates that people just resisted attacks, it was not a riot where attacks happened from both the sides. Shopkeepers of Shahaganj, Nawabpura, and Moti Karanja also said the same thing.

Attackers burnt down a 100-year-old building located at Shahganj-Rajabazar chowk. It was attacked because the owner of that building was a Muslim. In that building one Hindu family was residing and there were three other shops. All of them were tenants. None of the government representatives visited or helped them. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) extended financial support to only Hindu tenants. BJP has not offered an help to Muslim tenants.

Extreme hatred towards Muslims was clearly visible in the Haris Qadri’s case. Haris left home in search of his younger brother on Friday midnight. Around 2:30 am, the family members came to know that he was injured. They brought him back. Haris was still alive so they took him to the hospital. He was injured because of the bullet. But soon he died in the hospital. On next day, around 11 am, SRP jawans broke down the doors of Haris’s house. They went to the terrace of three-floor building and beat Haris’s uncle.

Their Hindu neighbor asked the SRP Jawans not to trouble Haris’s family and they also told that Haris was seriously injured. But SRP Jawan beat even women of Haris’s family. SRP Jawan conducted combing operation only in the Muslim houses. Combing operation was conducted in the Nawabpura, Baijipura, Kiradpura, Ramanspura, Chelipura, Gincy, Roshangate etc. Muslim majority area. Even now combing operation is going on. Till now, neither the Collector, Police administration, Home Minister, or Chief minister have visited this area.
A number of Muslims have been seriously injured in the police firing. They are under treatment in various hospitals. No one from state, police and administration visited them. Police did not even noted their injuries and registered FIRs. It is evident that police are not recording this information because they wanted to portray lessened intensity of the violence and safeguard themselves against any actions for misuse of power. During the riot, only one community faced the police bullets. Combing operation was also targeted against Muslims. The number of injured is more in the same community. Even the number of arrest is higher among Muslims. Compared to Muslims, the number of arrests or injured among the Hindus are very less. This also then raises a question on whether this is a riot or a planned attack?

On May 11, people chased Lacchu Pahelwan’s gang after they started fighting. So Lacchu’s people gathered near Hanuman temple of Gandhi Nagar and started throwing stones towards Moti Karanja Chowk. Muslim community also gathered at Moti Karanja Chowk to oppose stone pelters march which was trying to enter in the Muslim area. Some attackers took an opportunity of that chaos and from the different route, and they entered the Muslim majority area such as Shahaganj, Raja Bazar etc. This was a method employed for the attack.
MP Khaire said that his commitment is to save only Hindu community. This is an anti-constitutional statement by an elected member of the parliament. Insecurity among Hindus was systematically constructed with spreading of false propaganda such as Muslim population is increasing, Muslims are snatching away the opportunities of the Hindus etc. Shiv Sena wants to polarise the Hindu community by creating anti-muslim sentiment among the Hindus. During the violence, Shiv Sena leaders were walking with Police. Police conducted combing operation in the house of the boy who died in police firing. All those events expose the nature of government.

The institution of the state is much bigger than the handful of thugs and local leaders. The state could have controlled those attacks with short time span but the government wanted those attacks to happen. Hence at the place of the riot, police and Shiv Sena leaders were all found together.

The fact-finding team has concluded that this was not a riot but pre-planned attack on one community and police, local administration as well as political leaders participated in this attack.

Harsh Mander, former IAS, said that any riot which continues for more than four hours is a state-sponsored riot. In Aurangabad, the attack continued from night 10 to morning 7. This attack would not have been possible and continued for so long period without state participation.
Team has also alleged that the attack was entirely a political attack. Shiv Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire directly participated in that attack. It is an attempt to construct fear and hatred of another religion and consolidate vote of a community by polarising people on religious grounds.

“The intention of attack is to teach a lesson to the opponent and to create terror among Muslims,” said the report.

The team has demanded that the “mastermind of attack” Chandrakant Khaire should be arrested immediately, along with the Police officers.

The Government of Maharashtra not only failed in maintaining peace and security but also allowed four riots (attacks) to happen in the last five months. And in every place police took a biased stand with the Hindutva rioters. Hence action should be taken against Home minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis as he should be made responsible for those riots, demanded the team.

Team has also demanded that the action should be taken against municipal corporation officers for their suspicious functioning along with the immediate stoppage over combing operations with the release of all the innocent people from custody.

“Rs. 50 lakh compensation should be given to two families who lost their family members in this attack, Rs. 5 lakh assistance should be given to people who were injured in police firing and other injured should be given 2 lakh rupees assistance. Adequate compensation should be given to the people who lost their property in this attack,” demanded the team through the report along with the demand of the inquiry of the incident through the one sitting judge of the high court.

Courtesy: Two Circles
 

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