Leaders of the four leading Muslim organisations of the country have demanded an inquiry into the role of the state police and administration in Tripura’s anti-Muslim violence.
They were addressing a joint press conference today here at Press Club of India, organised by All India Muslim Majlis- e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadees Hind and All India Milli Council, subsequently returning from Tripura’s violence-affected areas.
A joint delegation comprising of AIMMM President Navaid Hamid, JIH Vice President Prof Salim Engineer, JIH Secretary Maulana Shafi Madani, Jamiat AhleHadees secretary Maulana Sheesh Taimi and Milli Council’s Shams Tabrez Qasmi visited the affected areas of the state from 31st Oct. to 2nd Nov. 2021. They were joined by the state leaders of JIH, the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) and Imarat-e-Shariah (North-East). According to the delegation’s report, as many as 16 mosques were attacked in various parts of Tripura including two in the state capital Agartala, of which four were totally burnt down, and even copies of the Holy Quran were not spared.
Addressing the media persons, the community leaders lamented that the Tripura violence tarnished the image of the country and it showed that the government is incapable of protecting the minorities and their places of worship.
Addressing the press conference, AIMMM president Navaid Hamid said, “Tripura does not have a history of communal violence and strife but ever since communal people have taken charge of the helm of affairs in the state, such incidents of communal violence and vandalism have started taking place. It seems that the communal violence in Tripura is a part of a political agenda to create communal and religious polarization throughout the country for political gains in other states, where assembly elections are fast approaching. The delegation stayed in Tripura for three days and met the victims, the local population including non-Muslims. We tried to meet the CM of Tripura and the DG Police, but they did not meet the delegation. These incidents of violence and vandalism did not occur spontaneously. They appear to be orchestrated. People were incited and provoked against Muslims. Promoting hate against a community is a big crime. Mosques were especially targeted so that the Muslim community is demoralized and their identity is attacked. They should be terrorized and become victims of fear and anxiety. This is extremely damaging for both Tripura and the entire country.”
JIH Vice President Prof. Salim expressed shock over the filing of cases and invoking the anti-terror law like UAPA against members of the fact-finding teams, journalists and activists for sharing the news of the anti-Muslim violence, instead of taking strong action against miscreants and rioters. He said, “the police and the administration should have taken timely action against the perpetrators of violence. If timely action were taken, then maybe these incidents of violence and vandalism could have been prevented. The anti-social elements and communal mischief mongers are emboldened by the belief that they will be shielded by the government.”
The press conference was also addressed by Milli Council’s Shams Tabriz Qasmi and Pervez Miyan. However, Muslim leaders expressed some satisfaction over the role of the common citizens of Tripura who have not participated in the unlawful activities of the goons of VHP and Bajrang Dal and had maintained peace and amity. “It is also noteworthy that the Muslim community in spite of being the target of the perpetrators of violence had not reacted to any of the provocations and had maintained peace and tranquillity,” they added.
Muslims leaders, during the press conference jointly demanded the government to conduct an inquiry to find out the police officers who committed dereliction of duty during the violence. They said, “We feel that the police and the administration are directly under the state government and so the state government is also responsible for the violence in Tripura. The state government is yet to initiate any big action against those who perpetrated violence. We also demanded that the Tripura government should provide adequate compensation to the victims, repair the mosques that have been vandalized. The government must identify and arrest the culprits behind the dreadful incidents of violence that took place in Panisagar. The police have all the footage of the violence. Those police officers who did not prevent the violence should also be subject to enquiry and action must be taken against them.”
Related
