Vishva Hindu Parishad | SabrangIndia

How will Delhi Police respond to VHP’s threat?

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 08:09:32 +0000

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In a dangerous open challenge to Delhi Police, that comes under the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had directed the force to take strict action against those accused in the Jahangirpuri violence, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Monday reportedly threatened to launch “a battle” against the Police. According to a report in Times of India the VHP has issued this threat of ‘a battle’ if any “action is taken against its activists in connection with the violence during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpuri.”

The VHP threat was seemingly in response to the news that the Delhi Police had registered an FIR against the Shobha Yatra organisers for taking the procession out without permission. On Monday, police had arrested a man named Prem Sharma, who is ‘a local VHP leader’. However, the police later withdrew its initial statement, citing that Indian Penal Code section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) is a bailable offence and told the media that “the person who had joined the investigation was let off after questioning.” Northwest Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Usha Rangnani said that an “FIR was registered against organisers for carrying out a procession on Saturday evening in the area without permission and one accused person has joined the investigation.”

First these details are shared with media agencies: “A case vide FIR no 441/22 dated 17/04/22 u/s 188 IPC, PS Jahangirpuri has been registered against organisers of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal Delhi Prant, Mukherjee Nagar Jila, jhandewalan for carrying out procession (in the evening of 16/04/22 in the area of PS Jahangirpuri ) without any permission and one accused person namely Prem Sharma, Jila Sewa Pramukh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad has been arrested. Further investigation is in progress.”

Then came this revised version: “A case vide FIR no 441/22 dated 17/04/22 u/s 188 IPC has been registered against organisers for carrying out procession (in the evening of 16/04/22 in the area of PS Jahangirpuri) without any permission and one accused person has joined the investigation. Further investigation is in progress. The other two processions which were carried out in morning and afternoon on 16/04/22 in the area of PS Jahangirpuri had due permission.” The revised statement issued by the police clearly does not name the VHP and the Bajrang Dal all.

According to the TOI report, the VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal lashed out at the Delhi police and said the force had “done a big blunder” referring to the reported FIR being registered against VHP and Bajrang Dal activists, and one their members being “arrested.” He reportedly called the police claim that the procession was taken out by the organisers without permission as “absurd” and added that “it seems police have bowed down before “Islamic jihadis” adding “If there was no permission, how police personnel in such a large number were accompanying the yatra (procession)?” Bansal claimed that the VHP is “a law-abiding organisation” and will not “tolerate” such an allegation, stated the news report.

He then went on to launch what seems to be an open threat to the most powerful police force in the country as it directly reports to the MHA. “VHP will launch a battle if they (police) try to lodge a false case or pick any of its activists,” he said. Bansal also reportedly accused the Delhi Police of “high handedness”, saying “all of a sudden, it withdrew a permission granted to a procession which was scheduled to be taken out on Monday. Also, yesterday in the morning, police forcefully stopped a yatra (procession), taken out from Bhalswa village, about 100 metres before the point where it was scheduled to conclude. What is this?”

Interestingly on April 16, the VHP had claimed that there was an “aggression on Hindus” and that it was an “international Jihadi Conspiracy,” and the accused should be booked under NSA.

Press Statement:
Aggression on Hindus is Int’l Jihadi Conspiracy, book the attackers under NSA: @drskj01 pic.twitter.com/wbIzDZxcRh

— Vishva Hindu Parishad -VHP (@VHPDigital) April 16, 2022

According to a report in Asianetnews VHP Delhi unit president Kapil Khanna claimed they had permission to take out the shobha yatra on Saturday, “Our yatra was peaceful. We had no weapons. If any unlawful action is taken against our activists or frames them, we will not tolerate that. We will resort to legal options. On Monday Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana had also said “those involved in the clashes, irrespective of their class, creed and religion, will not be spared.”

#दिल्ली_पुलिस #जहांगीरपुरी की घटना में बिना किसी भेदभाव के जांच कर रही है, जो भी अभियुक्त इस घटना में संलिप्त है उसके खिलाफ सख़्त कानूनी कार्रवाई की जाएगी। #Jahangirpuri #DelhiPoliceUpdates @CPDelhi pic.twitter.com/Owz33MKZTP

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) April 18, 2022

सोशल मीडिया, वीडियो फुटेज आदि की जांच हर दृष्टि से जारी है। घटना में संलिप्त कोई भी आरोपी चाहे प्रत्यक्ष अथवा परोक्ष रूप से जुड़ा है, जांच के बाद उसके खिलाफ सख्त कार्रवाई की जाएगी।#Jahangirpuri #DelhiPoliceUpdates @CPDelhi pic.twitter.com/tsAqnKAoHL

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) April 18, 2022

It was late Monday evening, that the Delhi Police also arrested 28-year-old Imam alias Sonu, accused of firing a gun during the violence. Police told the media that Sonu was identified from the video widely circulated on social media and was arrested from the Mangal Bazaar road in the district. According to the news report police said “a sophisticated pistol was recovered from his possession.”

A Fact finding report of the Left parties spoke of police inaction

Soon after clashes broke out during a Hanuman Jayanti procession on Saturday, a fact finding team of the Left parties (CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), Forward Block) visited the affected areas of Jahangirpuri-C block on April 17. The delegation met with members of both Hindu and Muslim communities, from around 50 households. They also met the Additional DCP Kishen Kumar at the Jahangirpuri police station. According to the fact finding report released to the media on Monday, there were three processions taken out in the area on April 16, to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti.

According to the team, “Bystanders said they saw pistols and swords being waved by the processionists which is confirmed by videos shown on various TV channels. Loud and aggressive slogans were being given. The team was informed that this was not a procession organised by local people, but was organised by the youth wing of the Bajrang Dal with most from outside the area.” They were also told that “the procession was accompanied by two police jeeps.”

Veteran leader Brinda Karat, member, Polit Bureau of Communist Party of India (Marxist) and with K. M. Tewari, Secretary, Delhi State Committee of CPI(M) have also written to the Delhi Police Commissioner, on the “role of the police in the wholly avoidable incidents of violence of a communal nature that occurred in Jahangirpuri on April 16th.” According to the letter, there is “conclusive evidence that the procession taken out by members of the youth wing of the Bajrang Dal was armed with several men carrying naked swords, lathis and also shockingly firearms. These weapons were openly flaunted and brandished during the procession. The police have stated that the procession had police permission. Did the police give permission to carry arms? In fact the processionists who carried arms had clearly violated the Arms Act which has stringent provisions of imprisonment for such violations.”

It puts on record that “there have never been incidents of a communal nature in this area earlier. Two communities have lived together in harmony. This is further evidence that the events were manufactured by outsiders in the procession in the name of shobha yatra.” The letter appeal to the CP to “take action against the police personnel (1) who allowed the procession to carry weapons (2) who were responsible for lack of adequate arrangements (3) who permitted the procession to stop in front of the mosque (4) who are conducting a one sided biassed investigation.”

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Rajasthan: All you need to know about the Karauli violence

Sat, 09 Apr 2022 06:46:05 +0000

Image Courtesy:maharashtratimes.com

While most news reports from the ground are reporting that the situation is now under control in Rajasthan’s violence-hit Karauli city, the curfew here has been extended till April 10. According to a report in The HIndu, the curfew that was imposed on April 2 was relaxed for three hours on Friday April 8.

The police were quoted in various news reports saying the rally was taken out by Vishva Hindu Parishad(VHP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bajrang Dal. Director General of Police (DGP) ML Lather told the media that when the bike rally reached the minority-dominated area, and “some participants raised provoking slogans”, that the stone pelting from nearby houses began. He added that “about 100-150 people from the colony attacked them with sticks,” and eight policemen, 11 locals were injured. In the arson, that ensued “properties of more than 80 people from both sides were damaged”, said the senior police officer, adding that an FIR was also registered “against anti-social elements for spreading misinformation.”

असामाजिक तत्वों द्वारा की जा रही है। भ्रामक व झूठी अफवाह फैलाने वालों के विरूद्व कठोर कानूनी कार्यवाही की जावेगी।

शैलेन्द्रसिंह इन्दौलिया पुलिस अधीक्षक करौली।

— Karauli Police (@KarauliPolice) April 9, 2022

The state government has now handed over the enquiry to be held under its Home Secretary. According to news reports, around 23 people have been arrested so far out of the 44 identified accused of the communal violence where over 40 were injured and shops set ablaze. DGP Lather confirmed on Friday at a press conference that “so far 23 miscreants have been arrested by the police in connection with the incident that happened during the bike rally being taken out on April 2 on the occasion of Nav Samvatsar in Karauli.” A total of 10 FIRs have been registered.

According to a report in the Indian Express, the FIR lodged by Karauli Police Station SHO Rameshwar Dayal Meena, stated that the procession to mark Nav Samvatsar, or the Hindu New Year, was taken out through the town by “400-500 persons on 200-215 bikes”. Slogans such as ‘Jai Shri Ram’ were raised, and songs “of Hindu organisations” were played. However as they reached a Muslim locality near Masjid Maniharan, they were allegedly pelted with stones from rooftops, causing injuries to the people on the bikes and the policemen accompanying them, police told the media. According to IE, the FIR says the stone-pelting appeared to be “a pre-planned conspiracy”. However, the report added that local residents alleged the crowd raised slogans such as “Topi wala bhi Jai Shri Ram bolega (One wearing the skull cap will also chant Jai Shri Ram)”.

The key conspirators identified as Matloob Ahamad and Rajaram Gurjar however, are still absconding. Rajaram Gurjar’s wife Somya Gurjar is the mayor of Jaipur, and he is a former Karauli Municipal Council chairperson. According to a report in Indian Express, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders “are no strangers to controversies.” According to the report, Rajaram’s name “cropped up in connection with alleged kickbacks related to the clearing of bills by Jaipur Municipal Corporation (Greater)” in 2021. Remember, the Municipal Corporation is headed by his wife Somya. It was alleged that Rajaram was filmed “demanding a Rs 20-crore commission from a representative of garbage collection company BVG to clear the firm’s outstanding bills worth Rs 276 crore.” The video went viral, and IE reported that an RSS leader named Nimbaram was also purportedly seen in the clip, eventually he was also named as an accused in the corruption case. The mayor Somya Gurjar, was once a member of the Karauli municipality. The couple has often been in the centre of multiple controversies. The other key accused, Independent Councillor, Matloom Ahmed, was booked for allegedly inciting the violence and is also absconding.

On Friday, DGP Lather told the media that Rajaram’s role in the communal riot “is being investigated”. In the Congress governed state, Rajaram’s alleged involvement has also fuelled a political debate as expected. Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi has asked that the “BJP should answer why, despite Rajaram being named in so many cases, the party continues to reward him, let alone take an action against him.” The BJP, which is the Opposition has demanded “a judicial enquiry”, and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Rajendra Rathore told the media, “We don’t trust the police as it is trying to manipulate the case and demands for judicial enquiry.” As expected the BJP State president Satish Punia demanded that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot resign.

However, according to a report in The Wire, communal tension continues in the area and members of the minority community continue to live in fear. A 14-year-old was quoted saying, “I was asked by Karauli Police that what’s stopping you from saying Jai Shree Ram and then I was physically assaulted the whole night.”

“I was asked by Karauli Police that what’s stopping you from saying Jai Shree Ram and then I was physically assaulted the whole night”. A 14 year old minor told @thewire_in
Watch full report:https://t.co/BMXknO5QJl pic.twitter.com/EcmAdaabIe

— Yaqut Ali (@aliyaqut) April 7, 2022

The right wing ecosystem meanwhile has activated all its channels to somehow blame Muslims for the violence. Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia told the media that “due to the appeasement politics of the Gehlot government it looks like there is Taliban rule in Rajasthan.” Rajendra Rathore, had claimed that violence “was pre-planned as hundreds of stones were collected a day before the bike rally in Karauli.” He is part of a three-member fact finding team the BJP has constituted. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP of communalising the issue. After BJP president J P Nadda visited the adjacent area of Sawai Madhopur the day violence broke out in Karauli, the CM said, “Ye aag lagane ke liye aate hain, poore desh mein aag laga rahe hain. Aaye, aag lag gayi (They come to light the fires, they are setting the entire country on fire. [He] came, and the fires were lit),” reported IE. The CM said BJP was “already in election mode in Rajasthan”.

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