Mumbai, 16 Sep: A fact-finding committee led by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) visited the riot-affected district of Satara to find out the reasons behind the communal flareup in Pusesawli Village, Taluka Khatav in Satara District. They presented their report in a Press Conference at the Marathi Patrakar Bhavan, Mumbai organised by APCR and the Federation of Maharashtra Muslims (FMM).
In his opening address, Shakir Sheikh of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Mumbai-Metro, said, “The regular occurrence of riots in various places such as Akola, Ahmednagar, Kolhapur, and now Satara is a grave cause of concern. The pattern of violence is similar. Objectionable posts on social media are detected, violent gangs are mobilized in large numbers, and places of worship, homes, and shops that belong to a particular community are targeted.
“It is seen that the minority community has to bear the brunt of communal violence. Their problems are compounded when victims of violence face arrests and harassment instead of relief and justice. Another issue is the nature of filing the FIR. They are usually registered against ‘unknown persons’. This weakens the case against those responsible for the violence and the conviction rate remains extremely low.”
Samajwadi Party MLA, Abu Asim Azmi said, “Wherever the BJP is in power, there are attempts to vitiate the atmosphere. They think that they can remain in power by disturbing communal harmony. As part of a conspiracy to trap innocent people, slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad” are raised or the Pakistani flag is waved. However, no action is taken against them. I appeal to you to be alert and save the country from communal riots.”
Well-known social activist, Dr Salim Khan said, “There is a need to improve the role of police and local administration to prevent violence and establish law and order. The gathering of crowds and the resulting marked violence cannot happen spontaneously, it is pre-planned. Therefore, its occurrence in many cases amounts to a gross failure of intelligence and negligence of the local police. This also shows the weakness of the government. It should be addressed on a priority basis.
“The government is constitutionally bound to uphold the rule of law and ensure that the fundamental rights of all citizens, including their right to safety and security, are not violated. If the rioters were not punished, their morale would remain high. If strict action is not taken, the law of the jungle will prevail. If the police want, no riots will take place and peace can be restored immediately.
“Maharashtra is one of the most peaceful and progressive states in the country. It is a preferred destination for foreign and domestic investment and business in the country. These routine incidents of communal violence can be quite damaging for Maharashtra, they should be checked immediately. The government should take immediate and decisive action to control the situation and prevent further such incidents.”