Mira Road in Mumbai witnessed significant unrest and even violence after a Hindutva mob took to brutally vandalising and burning Muslim-owned shops and vehicles.
Six people have been asked to come to the police station after they submitted complaints regarding the events at Mira Road after the BJP MLAs Nitesh Rane and Geeta Jain made reportedly provocative statements. The police have asked them to submit proof of their claims, as per a report by Times Today. A written complaint had been filed earlier by more than a dozen residents of Mira Road with Vilas Supe, the senior PI of the Naya Nagar Police Station. The residents are asking for the registration of a FIR, an unbiased investigation, and legal action against Geeta Jain and Nitesh Rane.
On February 3, the citizens approached the senior police inspector. According to local residents, the senior PI accepted the complaint with some reluctance and provided an acknowledgment after conversing with them.
Sabrang India spoke to Sadique Basha, activist and citizen on ground, who stated that they have gotten a message from police to get proof, “Yes I got a message from the police. They have called us on February 21st and want us to get proof of the incidents regarding my complaint.”
The complaint detailed that on January 22, a gathering of motorcycles with saffron flags assembled in Naya Nagar, Mira Road, arrived with the purpose of creating fear. Following this, despite security measures by the police, incidents of vandalism and violence continued. The complaint details how the situation was worsened by the hate speech and inflammatory language by elected representatives, especially MLA Geeta Jain. The signatories of the complaint include Sadique Basha, Adv. Sanjay Pande, Sukhdev Banbanci, Saboor Ansari, Jhulmi Ram Yadav (Writer), Vinod Chand and Saroja Rajeshwari.
Geeta Jain and Nitesh Rane were seen urging for a Hindutva rally at the Mira Road residential area after the place was hit with anti-Muslim violence. Jain was even seen giving police an ultimatum. Furthermore, a report by The Wire has also revealed that when Rane came to Mira Road after the violence, he gave a press conference at the police commissioner’s office which was restricted to media personnel who were Hindutva supporters only. In the conference, he made various anti-Muslim statements and urged the Hindu community to ‘retaliate’, as per the report. The report also stated that another set of violence broke out after Rane’s speech where several Muslims were injured and arson and vandalism took place.
Meanwhile, earlier today the Muslim police issued notice under section 148 of the CrPC to AIMIM party spokesperson and former MLA from Byculla Waris Pathan, according to his X account he has now stated that he has been “illegally” arrested by the Mira-Bhayandar police. He has reportedly been on his way to meet the Police Commissioner to submit a memorandum against those who have given hateful speeches. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has called the action by the authorities in the area as “one-sided.”
Despite being almost a month since the violence at Mira Road took place, the atmosphere refuses to calm down. Another BJP leader, now all the way from Telangana, wants to come and hold a ‘sabha’ at the tense neighbourhood. Telangana MLA T Raja Singh, who is notorious for giving anti-Muslim hate speeches, has stated that he is going to take out a rally in the Mira Road area on February 25. Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh has cancelled his Mira Road visit. He was going to plan it earlier on February 19, but now has postponed it for the 25th of the month. He has stated to his viewers, “Chalo, let’s introduce people to our power on the 25th”, and has requested the police to not delay granting permission for the gathering.
Sadique Basha has further stated civil society in the area is also going to file a complaint to not let T Raja Singh enter the vicinity, and the people are hoping the police doesn’t allow him. He further seems to share little hope that the Singh will be prevented from reaching the tense neighbourhood, “Considering that Nitesh Rane came and gave a media address from inside the commissioners’ office, where the police give address the media, people are seeing this and think that the rally might happen. We are going to draft a complaint in this regard, and further approach the courts if our complaint is not accepted.”
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