Pursuant to complaint by CJP to Jalgaon police, against hate event on Apil 30, a diverse delegation of citizens approach police, demand prompt action

On May 15, Monday afternoon at 5 pm, a group of citizens approached the Superintendent office, Jalgaon to demand prompt action in accordance with law, against the hate speeches delivered at a Hindu Rashtra Jagruti Sabha event organized by Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS) in Dharangaon, Jalgaon, Maharashtra on April 30. Several organisations were represented in this collective delegation to the SP, Shri. M. Rajkumar, urging that a FIR is filed against the perpetrators who had indulged in spreading social disharmony and fear-mongering. The written complaint was received by deputy superintendent of police (district) Mr. Gavit, on the behalf of SP.

The delegation highlighted the fact that anti-Muslim sentiments that were perpetrated by the two speakers who had delivered the hate speech at the event. They also spoke about this event and a series of previous ones as concerted coordinated efforts to harm social harmony and create an atmosphere conducive to targeted violence. The delegation highlighted the fact that such speeches and gatherings were creating a harmful and dangerous environment for a marginalised minority, Muslims as open calls for violence and taking up of arms against the Muslims were also made, where exhortations to “chop the religious minority into small pieces” were made and normalised.

As individuals and citizens committed to working in the social sphere with all communities as well as to maintaining social harmony between the majority and the minority religious communities, the delegation, which itself had members from diverse religious backgrounds, emphasized that the police’s inaction to first prevent it from happening, and then delayed prosecution action, was further detrimental.

Before this delegation met the DYSP, last week, on May 10, Citizens for Justice and Peace had complained to the SP, Jalgaon and the SDPO Jalgaon (Division) to register a complaint against the above-mentioned two hate speeches during the HJS event. In the said complaint, CJP had highlighted that the communal and hate spewing speech delivered by the two unknown hate speakers, one man and one woman, promoted a hard, right-wing, exclusionist ideology, through which he has targeted and othered the Muslim Community.

Giving an interview after submitting the written complaint along with the full transcript of hate speech delivered on CD, members of delegation stated that the police authorities have assured them that the necessary action will be taken in this case soon. The delegation also re-iterated the FIR that had been taken by the Jalgaon police against the notorious hate speaker Suresh Chavhanke, editor-in-chief of Sudarshan TV, for delivering a hate speech in December 25, and said that they expect an FIR to be filed in the current case too. Khaliddada Deshmukh speaking to the media reiterated that a peaceful and determined movement of citizens from diverse walks of life would be sustained to counter all these attempts to harm social peace and harmony.

In the delegation were Advocate Karim Salar, Khalildada Deshmukh, Azhar Khan (City President Pragatik Vichar Manch), Sunil Shinden (BAMSEF), Dilip Sapkale (Savarkar Rickshaw Union), Amrita Netkar (Youth Front District President, AAP), Rizwan Jagirdar (Insaniyat Foundation), Sattar Pinjri ( SA worker), Madhavrao Jadhav (Mr. Chief, AAP). There are over a dozen signatories to the complaint, and the list is as follows:

List of Signatories

4) Ajhar Khan (Shaharadhyaksh Pragatik Vichar Manch)

5) Sattar Pinjari (Samajik Karyakarta)

6) Mo. Ajhar Khan (Samajik Karyakarta)

7) Mo. Shahid (Adhyaksh, Aman Educational Welfare Society)

8) Fahim Patel (Samajik Karyakarta)

9) A. Bakid Deshmukh (Samajik Karyakarta)

10) Farukh Kadri (Kadariya Foundation)

11) Amruta Netkar (Jilhadhyaksh, Yuva Aaghadi, AAP)

12) Madharav Jadhav (Mahanagar Pramukh, AAP)

13) Dr. Shakir Shaikh (Rashtriya Muslim Morcha Upadhyaksh)

14) Rais Kureshi (Jilha Alpasankhyank Adhyaksh, AAP)

15) Shaikh Rasool Usman (Jilha, Pravakta, Ra, Kau.)

16) Rijwan Jahagirdar (Secretary, Insaniyat Foundation)

17) Shaikh Irfan (Jilha Social Media Pramukh, AAP)

18) Dilip Sapkale (Riksha Union, Jalgaon)

19) Aarif Ismail Shah (Samajik Karyakarta)

19) Kau. Sudhakar Ajayrao Patil

Mr. Khalil Deshmukh, a prominent and enthusiastic part of the delegation, issued a statement saying that “Against the propaganda of Hindutva people, we secular, humanist minded activists will not take the law into our hands and do unconstitutional acts, but we will continue the legal, peaceful fight with humanist minded activists like Teesta Setalvad and Citizens for Justice and Peace.”

The interview given by the delegation after submitting the complaint can be viewed here: