Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), has written to the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), over attacks on Muslims in Madhya Pradesh since August. CJP’s prayer to the apex minority rights body is to conduct a full-fledged investigation into such incidents and also seek information about such attacks under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.

CJP has listed the incidents that have come to light over the past few weeks in the state:

On October 9, a Muslim family was attacked in Indore’s Kampel locality, after the family refused to leave the village dominated by the Hindu community. The family of about 8 sustained injuries on their head, arms, and legs. One family member, Fouzia, alleged that a group of 100-150 men associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had come to her house and started threatening her family to leave the village. She said that her uncle, and her father, who is also a diabetic was assaulted and injured their arms and head. The mob allegedly broke her phone and injured her leg.

CJP’s complaint has also mentioned the case of Tasleem Ali, a bangle seller who was beaten up by a mob of right-wing Hindu groups on August 22 in Indore. The victim was warned to not enter the ‘Hindu’ locality. To further harass him, Tasleem was arrested on a complaint of the Class VI student, who stated that he introduced himself as Golu son of Mohar Singh (instead of Tasleem Ali) and molested her while her mother had gone inside the house to get money to pay for the bangles purchased.

A case was registered against him under sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 467 (Forgery of a valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (Using as genuine a forged), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC as well as under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Meanwhile, Tasleem’s lawyer has alleged that when he went to lodge his complaint at first instance, no FIR was lodged and thereafter this case of molestation was lodged against him as an afterthought. Tasleem’s complaint was finally lodged after a crowd gathered outside the police station. 

CJP’s complaint also highlights how some posters have been put up in Ratlam prohibiting the entry of “non-Hindus” outside Garba venues. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) claims that non-Hindu men indulge in objectionable activities and thus their entry is being prohibited for Garba. One of the volunteers manning the entry at the college event, Habib Noor, a third-year B. Com student, has said that members of the Bajrang Dal had picked out Kadir Mansoori in the parking lot, saying “Ye unwala hai (he is one of theirs).” One Sajid Shah, Adnan Shah’s uncle released a video on social media stating that his nephew was put behind bars on allegations of “love jihad”. He questioned, “Can a Muslim not celebrate Garba in his college function?” He said that members of Bajrang Dal and VHP selectively dragged out the Muslim boys and handed them over to Gandhinagar Police station.

Impact of such vitriolic attacks

Our complaint states that the manner in which hate has been maliciously whipped up against the Muslim minorities in the state, needs immediate attention as this behaviour cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. “These are clear indicators that a persistent and all-pervasive attempt is made not just to disturb social harmony but worse, to create a climate of divisiveness wherein hate crimes preceded by hate speech are being deployed to target an already vulnerable minority community,” reads the complaint.

These attacks, we fear, will play into the deep communal divide the authorities are ignoring and we are on the verge of violence, targeted violence and social disharmony becoming the norm in our society. Hence, CJP has urged the commission to protect the minorities from this danger as India is a democracy which is committed to the ideology of tolerance and diversity.

The complaint further refers to the supreme court judgment of Tehseen S Poonawalla vs Union of India (2016), where the court has listed down the dangers of mob violence and how the state is responsible to maintain law and order in the society. The court had ruled:

“Mob vigilantism and mob violence have to be prevented by the governments by taking strict action and by the vigil society who ought to report such incidents to the state machinery and the police instead of taking the law into their own hands. Rising intolerance and growing polarization expressed through spate of incidents of mob violence cannot be permitted to become the normal way of life or the normal state of law and order in the country. Good governance and nation building require sustenance of law and order which is intricately linked to the preservation of the marrows of our social structure. In such a situation, the State has a sacrosanct duty to protect its citizens from unruly elements and perpetrators of orchestrated lynching and vigilantism with utmost sincerity and true commitment to address and curb such incidents which must reflect in its actions and schemes.”

The complaint has also listed down the various violations of law that include charges of rioting, hate speech, assault, causing grievous hurt, being a member of an unlawful assembly and attempt to murder.

Lastly, we have urged the Commission to take cognisance of our complaint and ensure physical protection to members of the religious minorities in a state like Madhya Pradesh where a culture of violence-driven immunity appears to prevail. We have also humbly requested the commission to issue guidelines/advisory to all State Governments/ administrations, State Police Departments to deal with communally motivated and partisan attacks in a stringent manner and urge the authorities to follow through with these complaints in a swift manner.

The complaints may be read here: 

Related:

Christian nuns, congregation attacked in UP: CJP approaches NCM
CJP writes to Minorities Commission over attacks on churches

The post CJP moves NCM over hate crimes against Muslims in Madhya Pradesh appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Are trains and buses not safe for all Indians any more? No, it seems if you bear a certain identity. ' First it was Mohd Akhlaq (2015), recently Mohd Salman (Jharkand) or Junaid (Haryana) now it is Uttar Pradesh. Ruled by Yogi Adityanath since March 2017, this state has een increasing crimes and lawlessness. Of the family of 10, including the differently abled son, Faizan were severely injured: four have fractures, four head injuries and almost all severe internal stomach injuries.
 
The absence of any official of the Railway Police (GRP) and the failure of 100, the emergency call number for the police to respond, shows how fragile the security of ordinary citizens has become.

The Times of India reports that, a family of 10 that included women, children, a couple of elderly and a teenager with disability was brutally assaulted and abused on board the Shikohabad-Kasganj passenger train near Mainpuri late Wednesday evening (July 13). Barely recevering from the trauma, Asiya Begum told Sabrangindia that the police is finally waiting for the police to conduct a fair investigation.

A complaint has been lodged with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) urging an intervention to ensure justice, rehabilitation, security and compensation.
 
The family is currently lodged at the Dr Ram Manohar Lohia government hospital in Farrukhabad, the victims, who belong to are all Muslims, said they were targeted because they "appeared different". The incident took place between Mota and Nibkarori railway stations, some 30 km away from Farrukhabad junction. The incident is one more reflection of the vicious hatred being allowed to spill on our streets.

In the criminal complaint, the first information report (FIR) lodged by Mohammad Shakir, 50, he said, “At around 6 pm our family boarded the train from Bhongaon. The train had travelled about 4 km when a youth from a group of five men snatched the mobile phone of my son Faizan, who has been handicapped. When we protested, the men assaulted our family members, including women and Faizan.”

The injured have been identified as Shakir, his wife Asiya, 40, daughter Arsi, 18, his two sons Faizan, 17, and Arsaan, 22, brother Arif, 35, nephew Asif, 17, brother-in-law Shaheed and sisters Shenaz and Maenaz. Of the 10, four have fractures, four head injuries and almost all internal stomach injuries.
 
Shakir also told the TOI; “Later when the train was about to reach Nibkarori station, the youths stopped the train by pulling its chain and called up some of their friends, who arrived on motorbikes. Then, some more men, who were armed with iron rods and sticks, attacked us."
 
The victims had locked the train compartment's door from inside when they got to know that the attackers were calling up more men. But somehow about 20-30 men managed to barge in near Nibkakori station and continued the assault until some of the passengers fainted. 

It was not simply assault but also molestation. A police officer involved in the investigation told TOI that the women appeared to have been molested as their clothes were torn. "Right now they are in no condition to spell out in detail what happened, but prima facie, it appears that some of the women were molested."
 
OP Singh, superintendent of police, GRP (Jhansi division), who has charge of Agra division, too, said, “An FIR has been lodged under IPC section 395 (dacoity), but more sections will be added once the investigation is done. Based on the video of the incident, special operation group and other police teams have detained three men and are questioning them.”
 
Mohd Shaikir re-lived the horror of the attack when he spoke. Shakir, who has suffered severe head injuries and a fracture on his right hand, said, “It was sheer horror. I will never be able to forget what happened. They attacked us with iron roads, robbed our belongings and molested our women. They didn’t even spare my 17-year-old physically and mentally challenged son. They abused us all the while and I heard someone saying, 'kill them'. They beat us until we became unconscious.”

A video of the incident obtained by TOI shows a group of men brandishing iron rods and sticks first banging on the train compartment's door, pelting people inside with stones and then finally getting in from the emergency window after breaking the glass panel. The carefully planned attacks included attacking, especially the women in the family.

Arsaan said, “The assailants groped my mother and tore my sister's clothes. They even attacked other passengers who initially came to rescue us. Later the passengers abandoned the coach leaving us behind to fight the assailants.” He added, “We attempted to contact police on Dial 100, but the call kept dropping. It was only when the train reached Farrukhabad junction that the GRP came and took us to hospital.” 

Asked why no GRP squad was present in the train, the SP said, “Due to kanwar yatra the force has been deployed at various location to provide safety to pilgrims. It has caused shortage of men to provide security in trains.” 

The post Severe Assault & Loot of Muslim family of 10 in UP train: TOI appeared first on SabrangIndia.