Lalpur, Jamnagar: Gujarat

Far-right leader Kajal Shingla recently delivered a hate speech targeting Muslims in Lalpur, Jamnagar. Speaking at an event organized by the Hindu Sena, Shingla indulged in fear-mongering and propagated anti-Muslim conspiracy theories. Her divisive rhetoric adds to the escalating communal tensions within the region. The video was posted online on August 13, 2023.

Location: Lalpur, Jamnagar

Far-right leader Kajal Shingla delivers hate speech targeting Muslims.

She indulged in fear-mongering and peddled anti-Muslim conspiracy theories.

Shingla was speaking at an event organized by Hindu Sena. pic.twitter.com/kKxCBdhOOz

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 12, 2023

“Hindus should organise themselves. Rohingyan Muslims and Bangladeshi immigrants are here to destroy us,” she said in speech. Thereafter,  she made a “plea” to financially boycott Muslims. “The money given to Muslims is contribution to terrorists”, she reiterated.  She “blamed Muslims” for communal disturbances in Mewat. She alleged that Muslims pelted stones against the Shobha Yatra. The police reports rejected this claim and are yet to verify the sources.

According to her Twitter bio, Kajal is an “entrepreneur, a research analyst, and a nationalist”. She has nearly 95,000 followers on Twitter, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Kajal, whose former name was Kajal Shingala, describes herself as the ‘Lioness of Gujarat’ on her website. Quoting from her website, which has been inaccessible for the past few days, the report said that she “spreads awareness about the Indian culture and works for the human rights of Hindus.”

Pondri Village, Palwal, Haryana

A vide surfaced on Twitter on 13th August, 20023 in which Acharya Azad Singh Arya, the leader of the Haryana Gau Raksha Dal, can be seen taking to the stage at a Hindu Mahapanchayat in Pondri Village, Palwal. His provocative speech targeted Muslims in Mewat and called on Hindus to arm themselves with rifles instead of revolvers. 

Location: Pondri village, Palwal, Haryana

At Hindu Mahapanchayat, Haryana Gau Raksha Dal leader Acharya Azad Singh Arya delivered a provocative speech against Mewat’s Muslims and called on Hindus to buy rifles instead of revolvers. pic.twitter.com/ZSfIIq6zJo

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 13, 2023

In a video from the event, he is heard saying, “Everyone should get a rifle, not a revolver, because revolvers do not shoot far. I beg the youth to maintain a warm blood temperature. I question the Prime Minister: Why don’t you remove [Manohar Lal] Khattar and give us a chief minister like Yogi Adityanath?”  Arya also said that he salutes the cow vigilantes who have been jailed for killings two Muslim men, Junaid and Nasir, in February.

“Junaid and Nasir were cow killers, and as soon as they were killed, the Rajasthan government stood up for them,” he said. 

Azad Maidan, Panaji, Goa

In Goa, the far-right group Hindu Janjagruti Samiti orchestrated a hate rally against the conspiracy theory of “love jihad.” The event, held at Azad Maidan, Panaji, is yet another instance of spreading divisive sentiment. The video surfaced on Twitter on 13th August, 2023.

Location: Azad Maidan, Panaji, Goa

Far-right group Hindu Janjagruti Samiti organized a hate rally against the conspiracy theory of “love jihad”. pic.twitter.com/V6RVDb2w1V

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 13, 2023

Village Panchi, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh

At a Bajrang Dal-organised meeting in Village Panchi, Baghpat, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader delivered a communal speech demonizing Muslims. This rhetoric adds fuel to the communal fire and raises concerns about the polarisation within local communities. The video was posted online on 12th August, 2023.

Location: Village Panchi, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh

At Bajrang Dal organized meeting, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader delivered communal speech demonizing Muslims. pic.twitter.com/s4rzCILgVG

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 12, 2023

New Delhi

“Mathura, Varanasi Masjids would be converted into temples,” said Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar. Attending an event organised by Vanvasi Raksha Parivar Foundation on August 13 at Delhi, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar promised the conversion of Varanasi and Mathura Masjids into temples within ten years.

“If Ram Janmbhoomi (birthplace of Lord Ram) was converted into temples, how could we not do the same in Mathura and Varanasi. Within next ten years Mathura and Varanasi temples would be converted into temples” he promised to the audience.

He cautioned against reactionary attacks against the perpetrators. He praised the Hindus taking reactionary actions.

Location: New Delhi

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar delivered a communal speech demonizing Muslims and claimed mosques in Mathura and Varanasi would be converted into temples in the next ten years.

Kumar was speaking at an event organized by Vanvasi… pic.twitter.com/nTtayORGPb

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 14, 2023

Related

Nuh Haryana: Who cast the first stone?

Intolerance on the Rise: Unveiling Disturbing Trends in India

Five hate speeches given by Suresh Chavhanke in July, CJP moves NCM

Far right leader calls for “repeating Gujarat 2002 in Karnataka”: Hindu Jagaran Vedike (HJV)

The post Far right, Hindutva leaders stoke communal fires across India appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Amidst the Corona scare, the one thing that has not stopped in India from doing its work, is the hate mongering by those who were supposed to act as the torch bearers of sanity. That the country is deeply divided, and many want it to do so because their politics flourish on these deep rooted divisions. Never had we seen such filth and garbage being placed on the platter at 9 pm shows as is being today. The TV anchors have been virtually fighting against each other, and become the spokes-persons of the political parties mainly the ruling party. Even the spokes-person still speak better as being political means the opponents are not your enemy but Arnab Goswami allegedly offers his ‘clients’ reportage that is full of racists, casteist and communal bigotry. In any country, where rule of law function, this man would have ceased to be called a journalist long ago, but it is in India where he is not merely being encouraged but perhaps being given new ideas.



Is Arnab the new face of politics in India? Will the politics be defined by such anchors who will make the political opponents look petty and small. I think the answer lies in yes. Anyone, who has seen shows of these garbage producers can vouch that they have nothing but hatred and therefore work against the spirit of the constitution of India. It look that they feel that there is no end to their power hence they are ready to go to any extreme.



I may and may not agree with the Congress Party or Sonia Gandhi, but the language of Arnab Goswami is despicable to say the least. It is open defamation. He has TV channel so he is being allowed to say anything. Why is the ruling party behaving in such a way even in these times of crisis. Will the BJP, its leaders, our honorable Ministers speak up against such defamatory language ? Will they condemn such media ? Is it a deliberate encouragement to destablise the Maharashtra government ?



I don’t think they will, because since 2014, he has been allowed to go on rampage and speak whatever he wish to. FIR being filed against those who are bringing to the people the public issues. People are facing draconian laws for their ideologies and perceptions. Even in this crisis, when nation need to be one we are witnessing charges against media persons while those who are abusing and openly threatening people on social media as well as their media channels are roaming free and shouting louder.



The most depressing thing is that there seems to be no recourse, neither national nor international. Every institution has its own limitations and perhaps the thin line of demarcation between the executive and this autonomous institution is now completely diminished. It look all ‘autonomous’ institutions have now become part of the executive and government. That is the ‘biggest’ ‘achievement’ of the government.



Electronic channels have almost zero credibility, and most of them are providing shield to the political masters and giving ‘ideas’ to their ‘devotees’ to defend them. The business dealers who own them enjoy more power. Media was called watch dog of the government but now it has become watch dog of the intellectuals and opposition parties. That is another achievement of the ‘democratic’ India. The virus of communalism, hatred, bigotry and racism has now entered into the mind of the people and they don’t think twice before they push their forward button or approval.



World over, people are getting united in these times of crisis. We need to stand together to overcome this crisis. Doctors, scientists are working over night to ensure that people are saved from the pandemic. They speak of physical distancing but building social solidarity but here in India where we are still much better off and hopefully so in dealing with it along with other South Asian nations, this crisis has left us more divided. Was it not the duty of media to build the bridges but rather it has become habitual of finding a Muslim angle to every crisis that India is finding. At the time, when media and saner voices should have used their medium to heal people from deep rooted scars and prejudices, we are finding that they want to deepen these prejudices for ever. It is deeply painful and disturbing. Now as we feel deeply helpless in this situation when courts have no time and media unable to take a stand against such garbage, we can only wait that good sense will prevail as the hatred might inflict scars on the opponents or victims but it will not leave the perpetrators too from its negative impact. We sincerely hope that political class and particularly the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting categorically call out such filth, otherwise the damage on our society as well as polity will be irreparable.

The post Will the Ministry of I & B act against Arnab Goswami and his Republic TV? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

As reported in OpIndia, Milkpichoda village in Bareilly district is a Muslim dominated village with around 1000 Muslims as against 150 Hindus. The Hindus here are not permitted to perform their rituals in the temple and if they even attempt to do so, they are allegedly threatened by the local Muslims who warn them of kidnapping their daughters and sisters. Hindus also alleged that despite multiple requests, the officials haven’t taken any action against the Muslim miscreants.

The locals further allege that there is a temple on the local government’s land and they wish to inaugurate that temple. However, whenever they try to do this, the Muslims physically and verbally abuse them. As per the latest developments, the Hindus are scared to live in such kind of a situation and claim that they feel like either converting their religion or leaving the village for their security and safety. They further express their disapproval of the current situation despite Narendra Modi being in power at the centre and Yogi Adityanath leading the state, both Hindus.

Hindu villagers have accused the police officials of a biased investigation and have also alleged that the police have filed false FIRs against them. They have now given a final warning of either converting or migrating if the matter is not heard unbiasedly.  

SabrangIndia’s search for verification of this news also didn’t yield any results, neither was it carried by any other neutral media houses. OpIndia is infamous for its pro-Hindutva news and has been accused of spreading misinformation and fake news multiple times in the past as well. Thus, one cannot but raise questions over the credibility of such reports which threatens the social fabric and peace in the society.

The post Fake News: OpIndia report claim Hindus forced to convert or migrate by Muslims, Uttar Pradesh appeared first on SabrangIndia.

After the recent lynching of Tabrez Ansari in Jharkhand, the team of United against hate, that comprises activists, lawyers, academicians, scholars and others came up with this idea to launch a help line center at the national level to deal with hate crimes.

The toll free number will be announced tomorrow at the launch in New Delhi.

Says, Tamanna Pankaj, who is a lawyer associated with United Against Hate, on her twitter handle that “The incidents of lynchings are not spontaneous and sporadic cases of violence, but are rather systemic and carefully planned. After dealing with many such cases for almost two years we strongly feel that the response to such brutal assaults and the fight for ensuring justice need to be much more organized and systematised as well.”

The help line centre assures: Rapid response; documentation, legal help and advocacy.

United Against hate, upon receiving the call will ensure immediate intervention of media and activists with help from the network of activists across India.

A host of different speakers from religious fraternity, lawyers, activists, academicians, Maulana Madni, Dr. Michael Williams, Malik Motasim Khan, Prof Ratanlal, Prashant Tandon, Advocates Sanjay Hegde, Fazail Ayubi, Anas Tanveer, Ehtesham Hashmi, Shreeji Bhavsar, senior journalist Urmilesh, Dr. Kafeel Khan, Ravi Nair, SHRDC, Prof Ghazala Jamil, Prof Apoorvanand will be present for the launch

Courtesy: Two Circle

The post A National helpline to be launched against hate crimes appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Even before the embers of the funeral pyres of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men killed in the line of duty in the terrorist attack at Pulawama, could cool down, political vultures have started hovering to make the most of this ghastly tragedy to further their own divisive agenda.

Kapil Mishra, an MLA from the Karawal Constituency in Delhi, made series of deeply disturbing tweets that appear to promote hate and violence in a bid to demand revenge.

When he wasn’t threatening violence against “wombs that give birth to terrorists”, a virtual threat to inflict genocide, Mishra was busy taunting intellectuals and civil society members, suggesting they were terrorist sympathisers.

When incidents of violence against Kashmiri students began being reported from across the country, Mishra insisted that the stories were made up and dismissed them as fake news, even though videographic evidence became available.

The Aam Aadmi Party was quick to distance itself from the MLA who had earlier been suspended, though not explicitly expelled from the party. “Kapil Mishra has been removed from AAP and remains officially suspended. We have no association with him and condemn his divisive and opportunistic statements,” said Preeti Sharma Menon, National Executive Member, AAP.

But Mishra’s behaviour has been exceptionally toxic towards women on social media. In the following tweet he suggests that designer Farah Khan Ali is part of the ecosystem that nurtures and shelters terrorists, alluding perhaps to her faith.

He was particularly vicious towards CPI (ML) Polit Bureau member Kavita Krishnan, when she called him out for his diatribe.

Krishnan had also pointed out how one of his tweets was a virtual call to commit genocide and demanded that Twitter suspend his account. This is how Mishra responded to her.

But Kapil Mishra reserved his most vile comments for actor Swara Bhaskar. When the actor pointed to his tweet inciting genocide, he made a despicable comment about the actor alluding to a masturbation scene in one of her movies.

He even went on to justify his use of foul language!

We appeal to our readers to not give into such calls for hate and engage in violence. We urge people not to take the law into their own hands. We also urge you to engage in healthy debate, but steer clear of abusive and derogatory language in case of a difference of opinion. Democracy is built on dignified discussion and exchange of ideas. We also urge authorities to crack down on people spreading hate on social media, especially if their posts incite violence.

First published on https://cjp.org.in/
 

The post Hate Watch: Delhi MLA spews venom on Social Media after Pulwama Terrorist Attack appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image Courtesy Udaipur Kiran.

There is no denying that the ghastly attack was an act of cowardice and instigation by terrorists who have no respect for either human life or the complicated and blood stained history of the region. These terrorists are people who benefit from perpetuating fear and instability in one of the most politically volatile regions in the world! Every right thinking individual must therefore unequivocally condemn the attack.

We must also question their insiduous design in using incitement and a perverted version of faith to incite hate within us, against fellow Indians including Kashmiris. Fairly widespread reports of such attacks in north and western India, Kashmiris being hounded and even served termination notices for social media posts (within 48 hours, without notice or discussion) suggest there are parallel ‘gangs’ at work functioning through surveillance, threat and intimidation.

As India responds, once again to a brute act of instigation, we must not, cannot forget that revenge is not justice. Attacking innocents, peddling messages that cause fear and hate to rise achieves the ends they seek. Therefore making hateful comments about people who happen to, in this instance, share the same religion as the terrorists, inciting people to attack people from Kashmir or destroy their property and places of business in a misguided attempt at avenging our fallen heroes is equally condemn-able!

If we allow terrorists to divide us, we aid them in their quest to destroy the idea of India. India’s democratic principles and Constitutional values are their greatest fears. That is what they hope to destroy. So let’s not allow them to do that.

Let’s take a lesson or two from our Army and the CRPF, both institutions built on secular, Constitutional standards. A huge board in the Jaipur Cantonment reads, “Want to do something for a Soldier, Be an Indian Who is Worth Fighting For.”

While a section of Indians, empowered by the current political environment, on social media and on the streets are becoming the hate response that the JEM terrorist wants, India’s CRPF, the paramilitary force crippled by this attack, physically and emotionally, has been calmly issuing advisories:

 
There is more. The CRPF Madadgaar Twitter handle posted a tweet mentioning their toll free number 14411. They can also be reached via SMS on 7082814411.

 
The Jaish-e-Mohammed has taken responsibility for the attack. These terrorists use extreme acts of violence to manipulate our emotions and pit us against one another. What’s a more befitting reply to them than to rub it in their faces that no matter what they do, India will remain united?
This is the time for grieving. Then there will be time to begin the process of healing. Yes, the scars will remain and so will the grief. But we owe it to those who were slain to heal and fight back… not with violence… but fight back the urge to give in to our darker emotions, those that are born during our weakest moments. We owe it to them to regain our strength and remain resilient in face of this horrifying tragedy.

India is a proud and resilient democracy. And while we stand united in our grief and outrage, this is also the time to ask sober questions. Questions that do not deflect from the horror or condemnation of the attack, but seek to build our strengths in fighting terror of all kinds. Questions that seek answers from the government that rules today, its response and motives, especially in polarising mass sentiments following the attack. That is an inalienable right of all Indians which needs to and must be exercised.

This is also the time for all Indians, especially the vocal, urban-centric ones to reflect on the conditions and structures of our paramilitary forces (CRPF is one such force), police and military and those that make up these forces. It is from the vast strata of the socially and economically dis-empowered, that our jawans are drawn. Justice also means fair reparation (not just compensation) for the lives so violently lost. The families of such soldiers need to be reassured by India and Indians that they are central to the process of healing and justice.

Finally, we must press for substantive justice. There are procedures in both national and international law for bringing to justice perpetrators of terror attacks. Let the law take its course. Only then can justice prevail.
 
 First published on https://cjp.org.in/

The post Want to honour Pulwama Heroes? Demand Justice, Not Revenge appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The forces said that miscreants are sharing the images to incite hatred.
While a section of Indians, empowered by the current political environment, on social media and on the streets are becoming the hate response that the JEM terrorist wants, India’s CRPF, the paramilitary force crippled by this attack, physically and emotionally, has been calmly issuing advisories:
 
The Central Reserved Paramilitary Forces (CRPF) on Sunday, February 17 said that fake pictures of the body parts of jawans who died in the Pulwama terror attack are being shared on social media to invoke hatred.
The security forces issued an advisory on Twitter and requested people to not circulate, share or like such pictures.
 
 
“ADVISORY: It has been noticed that on social media some miscreats are trying to circulate fake pictures of body parts of our Martyrs to invoke hatred while we stand united. Please DO NOT circulate/share/like such photographs or posts. Report such content at webpro@crpf.gov.in” (a tweet at 2.46 a.m. on 17th February)
 

 
There is more. The CRPF Madadgaar Twitter handle posted a tweet mentioning their toll free number 14411. They can also be reached via SMS on 7082814411. The tweet said, ” #Kashmiti students and the general public presently out of #Kashmir can contact @CRPFMadadgaar on 24X7 Toll Free number 14411 or SMS at 7082814411 for speedy assistance in case they face difficulties/harassment. @crpfindia @HMOIndia @JKZONECRPF @jammusector @crpf_srinagar
 

 

The post India’s CRPF Responds with Dignity and Caution appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The alleged incident, according to a report by Indian Express, took place on 24 December when a group of RSS workers clibmed the top of the Kareng Ghar, an 18th-century palace which is now an ASI-protected monument, near Sivasagar to chant Hindu-Hindu bhai bhai and Bharat Mata Ki Jai slogans.

Writing to the Union Culture Minister, Mahesh Sharma, the leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, said, “The Kareng Ghar is one of the very few Centrally-protected monuments in Assam and a symbol of Assam’s secular identity. The participants of a RSS training session in the Kareng Ghar premises and chanting slogans from the heritage site amounts to misusing it as defined in the Rules for Protected Monuments of ASI.”

Sharma, himself is known for communally insensitive actions and statements in the past.

The Kareng Ghar is a royal palace of the Ahom kings in Garhgaon, about 15 km from Sivasagar. Incidentally, the BJP chief Amit Shah had invoked the Ahom dynasty to woo the local Assamese population while campaigning for the assembly elections earlier this year.

All Tai Ahom Students’ Union (ATASU), local units of Asom Jatiyabadi Yuva-Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP) president Litul Buragohain said, “The RSS trainees climbed atop the protected monument and raised slogans like ‘Hindu-Hindu bhai-bhai’, which is definitely against the social norms of Assam, particularly because the Ahom kings had played a major role in establishing a secular society.”

He dared the RSS to raise such slogans on the Tajmahal or Qutub Minar premises- both also ASI protected sites.

The RSS, for its part has justified the act adding that there was nothing “objectionable” in the RSS trainees shouting some slogans from atop the historic Kareng Ghar.

“The 76 participants of a seven-day primary training camp took part in a cleanliness drive in the Kareng Ghar on December 24, after which they went up the palace with due permission from the authorities. They indeed raised ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ and ‘Hindu-Hindu bhai-bhai’ slogans. But these are not anti-national or communal slogans,” Ranjib Sharma, an RSS spokesman was quoted as saying.

Courtesy: Janta Ka Reporter
 

The post RSS workers chant communal slogans at Assam’s heritage site appeared first on SabrangIndia.

चेन्नई में इन्फोसिस की एक कर्मचारी स्वाति की जघन्य हत्या के मामले में जो संदिग्ध गिरफ्तार हुआ, उसका नाम राम कुमार है। यह शुरू में साफ कर देना इसलिए जरूरी है कि इस मसले पर जिस तरह की प्रतिक्रिया सामने आई, वह एक खास राजनीतिक माहौल से पैदा हुई एक ऐसी जटिलता है, जिसका खमियाजा समाज को लंबे समय तक भुगतना पड़ सकता है।

कुछ समय पहले स्वाति की हत्या के दो दिन बाद एक अनजान हिंदू दक्षिणपंथी वेबसाइट ने 'चेन्नई लव-जिहाद के अन्य पीड़ितों को आतंकित करने के लिए इन्फोसिस की लड़की की आइएसआइएस की तर्ज पर क्रूर हत्या' शीर्षक से एक लेख छापा। कोई सबूत पेश किए बगैर इस रिपोर्ट में यह दावा किया गया कि यह हत्या 'लव-जिहाद' का मामला है।

आमतौर पर सांप्रदायिकता और कोरी अफवाह से लैस इस किस्म की रिपोर्टों की जगह कूड़ेदान में होनी चाहिए। लेकिन इस बार ऐसा नहीं हुआ। इस लेख के छपने के कुछ ही घंटों के के भीतर दक्षिणपंथी हिंदू समर्थक इंटरनेट पर ऑनलाइन सक्रिय हो गए और साजिश संबंधी अपने-अपने कयासों के साथ इसे व्यापक रूप से साझा किया। इस रिपोर्ट में कथित 'लव जिहाद' का संदर्भ देते हुए हिंदुओं की दयनीय दशा का जिक्र किया गया और उन्हें पीड़ित की शक्ल में चित्रित किया गया। इससे प्रेरित होकर कई अन्य हिंदू दक्षिणपंथी वेबसाइटों ने मामले को अपने हिसाब से रंग देना शुरू किया और बिना किसी मजबूत आधार के उत्तेजक शीर्षकों के साथ लेख छापे। मसलन- 'क्या इन्फोसिस की कर्मचारी स्वाति की हत्या एक लव जिहादी ने की'? हिंदू कट्टरपंथियों की जमात में यह मान लिया गया कि स्वाति की हत्या एक मुसलमान ने की और स्वाति चूंकि ब्राह्मण थी, इसलिए द्रविड़-बहुल तमिलनाडु ने किसी ने भी उसकी खोज-खबर लेना जरूरी नहीं समझा।

इस किस्म की आधारहीन धारणा का आलम यह था कि ब्राह्मण जाति के उच्च वर्ग से ताल्लुक रखने वाले लोकप्रिय हास्य अभिनेता वाई जी महेंद्रा ने भी इस घटना से संबंधित वाट्स-ऐप के एक मैसेज को फेसबुक पर एक पोस्ट के रूप में डाल दिया।

इस मामले में विडंबना यह है कि पूरी तरह से अपुष्ट होने के बावजूद हत्यारे को मुसलमान बताया जाता रहा और मृतक की जाति का उल्लेख करते हुए जाति के आधार पर पहचान की संस्कृति पर लानत भेजी गई। इस बात को लेकर भी हल्ला मचाया गया कि मीडिया ने इस घटना की अनदेखी की। जबकि यह बात पूरी तरह से झूठ है। अखबारों के मुख्य पृष्ठ और राष्ट्रीय समाचार चैनलों पर इस घटना का पर्याप्त जिक्र हुआ।

और जब इस किस्म के दावों की झूठ सामने आने लगी तो यह कहा जाने लगा कि आप हत्यारे के बारे में क्यों नहीं बात कर रहे। क्या इसलिए कि वह एक मुसलमान है? यह सब उस समय हो रहा था, जब चेन्नई पुलिस तक हत्यारे को लेकर मुतमइन नहीं थी, जैसा कि बाद में सामने आया भी।

जब हत्या के संदिग्ध को गिरफ्तार किया गया तो उसका नाम रामकुमार निकला। अब जाति और धर्म के नाम पर चलाए गए अभियान के बारे में क्या कहा जाएगा और इस अभियान से नुकसान हुआ, उसकी भरपाई कैसे की जाएगी।
लेकिन इस बीच इन्हीं अफवाहों से उत्तेजित होकर ब्राह्मण संगठन भी इस विवाद में कूदे और अंधानार मुनेत्र कड़गम के सदस्यों ने मृतक के माता-पिता से मुलाकात की और मीडिया को बाकायदा इसके लिए आमंत्रित भी किया गया। उन्होंने एक प्रेस-विज्ञप्ति भी जारी की, जिसमें कहा गया कि कैसे एक निर्दोष ब्राह्मण लड़की की अनुचित तरीके से अज्ञात व्यक्ति द्वारा हत्या कर दी गई। उन्होंने सरकार से ब्राह्मण महिलाओं की सुरक्षा का व्यापक प्रबंध करने की मांग की। मजेदार यह है कि इसमें लोगों को हत्या के मामले में जाति-धर्म के बारे में बात करने से बचने की सलाह दी गई। डीएमके नेता एमके स्टालिन ने भी मृतक के परिवार से मुलाकात की।

यह सच है कि देश के दूसरे हिस्सों की तरह संख्या के आधार पर तमिलनाडु में भी ब्राह्मण अल्पसंख्यक हैं और उनकी राजनीतिक शक्ति सीमित है। इसके बावजूद एक समुदाय के रूप में मध्यम वर्ग अपने असुरक्षाबोध को जाहिर करता रहता है। लेकिन सवाल है कि वे अपनी पीड़ा और कम प्रतिनिधित्व के लिए दूसरे समुदायों पर आरोप क्यों लगाते हैं?

हत्यारे की पहचान को लेकर हम सब अंधेरे में थे। वह कोई भी हो सकता था। लेकिन गिरफ्तारी के बाद सबकी आंखें खुल जानी चाहिए। जो हो, लेकिन देश की वर्तमान राजनीतिक परिदृश्य और तमिलनाडु की राजनीति के इतिहास के मद्देनजर हिंदू ब्राह्मणों के लिए मुसलमानों पर उंगली उठाना अनुचित है।

इसमें कोई दो राय नहीं है कि मध्यवर्ग में इस घटना को लेकर आए उबाल की वजह से इस तरफ लोगों का ध्यान गया। मद्रास उच्च न्यायालय ने सावधानी बरतते हुए पुलिस को कार्रवाई करने को कहा था। लेकिन सच यह है कि इस मामले में तथ्यों के साथ छेड़छाड़ और सांप्रदायिक अफवाह फैला कर एक खतरनाक कदम बढ़ा दिया गया है।
 

The post अफवाहबाज सियासत से खोखला होता देश appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image: The Indian Express

In order to find a truth behind the claim by BJP MP Hukum Singh that many Hindu families have been forced to flee Kairana town in Uttar Pradesh due to threats from the Muslim community, The Milli Gazette, a fortnightly English language newspaper, sent a team there comprised of Ovais Sultan Khan, a social activist, Pushp Sharma, a journalist, Mazin Khan a journalist, Kauser Usman, a journalist and Mohammad Anwar, a social activist.
 
Following is the fact-finding report of the team:
A team of journalists and activists, deputed by The Milli Gazette, on June 14, 2016 visited the town of Kairana in Western Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district which is in the national news due to the claim by the local BJP member of Parliament Hukum Singh that 346 Hindu families have been forced to flee Kairana town due to threats from the Muslim community. This claim aroused much media and political interest and focused lights on the law-and-order situation in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

After Hukum Singh's allegations, National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) issued a notice to the UP government for its report on the alleged exodus, while the UP government itself ordered a probe into the issue. When our team reached Kairana, we got the news from the nearby Kandhla town that a similar list of 163 Hindu families has been released by BJP and its allied right-wing groups spelling out similar allegations.

The Kairana list had the names of four dead persons and 68 who left Kairana long ago. It also includes name of 20 families which are still living in Kairana. This indicates that these allegations are part of a well-designed plan to polarise the society ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections next year.

The mouthpieces of Rahshtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and different sympathisers of the RSS-BJP contributed heavily in rumour-mongering to create a communal divide on the ground in order to to strengthen the BJP. RSS mouthpieces Organiser and Panchjanya made Kairana their cover page issue and compared it with the displacement of Pandits from the Kashmir valley.

The role of some journalists and media agencies has been highly objectionable in propagating these allegations. We found that the Kairana issue was the focus of a week-long propaganda by the Hindi daily Dainik Jagaran, which was later picked-up by Zee News and others. They kept publishing stories without any verification on the ground.

On the day of our visit, Hukum Singh, an accused in the Muzaffarnagar anti-Muslim riots of September 2013, took a U-turn. Now he claimed that the alleged “exodus” of Hindus from Kairana was "not communal" but was rather connected with the poor law and order situation in the region. This again was a lie since the deteriorating law-and-order situation should cause similar exodus from many towns in the region.

The Saharanpur Range DIG Police, A.K. Raghav, sent a report to the state government on June 11, 2016 regarding this issue. He revealed that the whole effort of the local MP to polarise the situation in the town and neighbourhood is devoted to the intention for his daughter to contest the upcoming assembly elections. DIG Raghav indicated the possibility of some big communal incident in the near future. In his report, the DIG said that these groups are giving the communal angle to a every small incident. In one particular case, where a woman was raped and murdered, two Hindu names cropped up as the accused but there was political pressure to drop their names and arrest Muslims instead for the crime.

On the other hand, Shamli District Magistrate asked the SDM and Circle Officer of Kairana to probe the allegations that "jihadi elements" had forced the migration of Hindus from the town. This action came after the VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said on 13 June that “Jihadis are being encouraged to carry out their activities”.

Famous for its role during the 1857 revolt and the 19th century Indian classical music ‘Kirana Gharana’, this town has 80.74% Muslims, 18.34% Hindus and the rest belong to other faiths according to the 2011 Census. This is the area which had given temporary refuge to the large number of Muslims displaced during the anti-Muslim Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013.

Our team found that there are many untold stories which are not coming out, and that behind this whole communal game there is a plan to win the 2017 UP assembly elections.

The day of our visit was the eighth day of fasting in the month of Ramadan. We noted that eateries were open and people were eating on the roads in this Muslim-dominated town. There was no sense of any tension on the roads, markets and mohallas contrary to what was being shown in some news channels. We also failed to see any “For Sale” signboard or writing on the walls of any house.

Kairana Station House Officer (SHO), M.S. Gill, told us “It’s not true to call it ‘Hindu migration’. It’s usual these days. Everywhere people are moving from one place to another to explore better prospects. Interested parties are raising such issues keeping 2017 elections in mind.” Kairana police station’s sub-inspector Tanwar said that “Media has hyped the issue unnecessarily. Community leaders from both sides assembled nearby and appealed for harmony.”

Famous for its role during the 1857 revolt and the 19th century Indian classical music ‘Kirana Gharana’, this town has 80.74% Muslims, 18.34% Hindus and the rest belong to other faiths according to the 2011 Census. This is the area which had given temporary refuge to the large number of Muslims displaced during the anti-Muslim Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013. 

A Hindu sweet shop owner, 56, who preferred anonymity, told us: “Yes Mukim Kala gang demands ‘protection money’ and my elder brother shifted from Kairana because he had received extortion threat. But criminals target rich people irrespective of their caste or religion.” Wasim, 42, a local resident, said, “Hukum Singh has been trying to create communal violence here since 2013. But let him do whatever he can, both communities share a bond and no one can disturb this.”

One important finding was that there are political rivalries within BJP and RSS leaders in this region. For claiming more power and space within different structures, they launch different hate-mongering drives against Muslims to stay in the limelight and outdo each other. Locals said that ever since Prime Minister Modi's rally at Saharanpur on 26 May, Hukum Singh is trying hard to be in the news. The reason being that the BJP Union Minister of State Sanjeev Balyan and Meerut area MLA Sangeet Som did not allow Hukum Singh to share the stage with PM Modi on that occasion.

Our team visited markets and narrow streets in Kairana’s mohallas and also met top Police officials of the town. We came to know that 21 Hindu marriages were cancelled in Kairana thanks to the BJP rumour-mongering.

Kairana SHO, M.S. Gill told us: “who will send his daughter to Kairana if such rumours are spread?” He also observed that in his four-month duty in this area, no singal communal incident occurred and that no complaint related with communal hate or crime was made. He said that there was no exodus of Hindus in this Muslim-majority area even when the 2013 riots took place. There was also no such activity even after the murder of businessmen for extortion of money. He said, I am hearing the word “palayan” (Hindi for exodus) for the first time in my life. He further said, we found more Muslims than Hindus participating harmoniously in Ramnavami and Balaji Shobha Yatra processions in the town but no one talks about it in media. He added, there are extortion cases by local goons, particularly the Muqeem Kala gang, but his major targets are Muslims, not Hindus. He runs an extortion racket in the name of protection money. He continues to do this from inside jail where he is lodged since October 2015 along with his sharp shooter Sabir.

Our team was told by local people that the exodus cannot be blamed completely on crime. As the name of Muqeem Kala gang arises in discussion, it is clear that such gangsters only touch the super-rich irrespective of community. We were told that once Muqeem got only 40-50 thousand rupees during a heist. He preferred to throw the money back on the victim.

Local traders told us that due to limited options available, families from both communities are shifting to other cities, mainly to metros, in search of better prospects. The team was told by local people that many of the families mentioned in the list migrated primarily due to economic reasons which is a global phenomenon now. Delhi is situated at the distance of just 98 kms, which prompted many families to shift to the fast running metro which provides better prospects.

In 2014, there were a total of 22 murders in Kairana. But there were only seven Hindus on this list while the rest (14) were Muslims and one was unknown. When three Hindu businessmen were killed in 2014, there was a 7-day-strike by the market association which has a large representation of Muslim traders.

The day of our visit was the eighth day of fasting in the month of Ramadan. We noted that eateries were open and people were eating on the roads in this Muslim-dominated town. There was no sense of any tension on the roads, markets and mohallas contrary to what was being shown in some news channels. We also failed to see any “For Sale” signboard or writing on the walls of any house.

In this whole episode, an interesting perspective noted by our team is that the locals seem to enjoy the attention they are getting from media amid hope that the poor condition of the town will get highlighted and something will be done about it.

We were told again and again that the reason of the migration, not “exodus”, is the economic factor and changing aspirations of the new generation in this age of globalisation. Civic facilities are non-existent in Kairana; people have to go to Panipat or Meerut for healthcare as well as shopping. There is no scope of work here, therefore around 5-7 thousand locals travel daily to the nearby town of Panipat to earn their daily wages.

Traditionally, this was an area of Jain and Hindu money-lenders but people these days don’t go to them and prefer to borrow from easily-accessable banks with a less percentage of interest.

A traditional sweet-maker (halwai) in Gumbad mohalla, a BJP supporter, told us that there is no business in the town. Earlier, people used to come here for shopping from Haryana areas but they stopped after the 2013 riots. When we asked about his family, he said that his elder son is a bank manager in Ahmedabad, the younger one is studying for CA and his only daughter is married. He lives here with his wife and waiting to sell his property for the right price, and will settle down with his sons. What he didn’t tell us also important. His sons are not inheriting the profession of their father as there are new avenues and prospects for a much better life. Like him, many are willing to leave the place. It is not the case of Hindus alone, 150 Muslim families, according to local police sources, too have migrated to other places in the hope of a better life for them and their children.

After this “Hindu list of exodus”, local Muslims too have issued a list of Muslims who left the town showing that the migration was mainly for earning a better livelihood outside.

The ruling classes in Delhi and Lucknow are not listening to such voices. They didn’t pay attention for the uplift of the town and now they are playing the polarisation game. They promise development but deliver hate and fear instead trying to divide society which easily gets influenced due to illiteracy and lack of trust manfucatured by the right-wing extremist groups which spread rumours to garner votes and grasp power.

Uttar Pradesh Police is yet to file even an FIR against the BJP MP who made such ruckus without any logic and proof.

Our recommendations:
1. U.P. Police should without delay file a case against Hukam Singh on the charges of fabricating a false list and disrupting communal harmony.
2. In the run-up to the assembly elections next year, Police and administration in the whole of Uttar Pradesh, especially in eastern UP, should be alert as the BJP and its allied outfits will spread rumours, polarise society and cause riots.
3. Media, especially Hindi press and news channels, should exhibit more responsibility and check the facts on the ground before rushing to publish baseless rumours as facts.

The post Lies Belied: The Truth About Kairana appeared first on SabrangIndia.