In a Memorandum submitted to the Director General of Police, Gujarat on 17 January, and later released to the press, the various Muslim organisations have sought action against those involved in the communal violence in Hansot area of Gujarat that broke out on 14 January, 2015.
The Memorandum runs inter alia:
“We, the representatives of various organisations, are hereby submitting this memorandum with regard to the unfortunate 14 January communal violence that started from Ambheta village in Hansot taluka and spread to several other nearby villages, resulting in death of two youths and causing injuries, including serious ones, to several others, besides damage and destruction caused to houses and properties, particularly belonging to Muslims in Ambheta, Ilav, Asta, Hansot and other villages. The loss of properties to Muslims runs into crores of rupees.
“More than 100 Muslims have also been displaced from these villages due to attack on them and they are not sure whether they can return to their villages because of the threat to them from the lumpen elements of their villages. They are currently taking shelter with their relatives and friends in Surat and other nearby towns.
“1. At the outset, we would like to tell you that the clashes apparently began after a Muslim boy of Ambheta village made a bid to catch a kite that had fallen on the ground after it was cut by the strings of another person flying his kite. It is not known if the kite in question belonged to a Hindu or Muslim but the boy who picked it up happened to be a Muslim. He was roughed up by members of the majority community and this resulted in group clash.
“2. But what happened after that indicates a sinister design on the part of some people who seem to have pre-planned the violence, targeting the Muslims. Immediately, the entire Muslim population of the village was attacked by armed mobs. We would like to tell you that Ambheta and nearby villages had remained completely peaceful even during 2002 and 1992-93 when most part of the state witnessed large-scale communal violence.
“3. What gives credence to the prep-planned attack, is that the Muslims in several other villages like Ilav and Hansot also came under attack simultaneously. Who planned and executed it in a military-like precision, is a matter of inquiry but the locals allege the hand of Vitthal Patel, brother of Ankleshwar BJP MLA Ishwarbhai Patel, and Vitthal’s friends, in all this. So, the violence appears to have been politically instigated to strengthen the political grip of a leader, with the innocent people, particularly, Muslims being the victims.
“4. The Muslim residents of Ilav village were, on 26 December, 2014, threatened if they did not quit their village, after Muslims had taken out a peaceful rally over offensive cartoons of the Prophet were circulated on social media by a resident of Ambheta village. About half a dozen Muslim families left the village out of fear and their houses, as also a poultry farm, were looted and burnt down. However, the Muslims returned once again on 1 January, 2015. But they were again targeted on 14 January, 2015, allegedly at the instance of village sarpanch Durlabh Patel.
“5. It is also pertinent to mention here that the local MLA – Ishwarbhai Patel – was driven out from Hansot when he had gone there to attend the last rites of the youths – Pratik and Sandip Patel. This indicates that the general mass of the people were not interested and are even now not interested in the violence. It is only a handful of politically motivated persons belonging to a group who do not want peace to prevail in the area.
“6. The miscreants not only targeted Muslim houses, shops and other properties, they also burnt down standing sugarcane crops at 25 different places belonging to Muslims in the area. By burning down the crops, they caused national loss.
“7. While the kite-catching incident was the immediate provocation for the pre-planned violence, an undercurrent of tension was prevailing in Hansot and nearby villages for about a month after a youth – Sunil Patel – from Ambheta village posted an offensive photograph of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) on social media and Muslims took out a rally to hand over a memorandum to the district and police authorities at Hansot, demanding action against Sunil Patel. Muslims had to take out the rally after repeated requests to the authorities for legal action against the accused did not elicit any response. Sunil Patel was arrested only after the rally. It needs to be noted that the Muslim rally was completely peaceful and no offensive slogans against any religion or religious personalities was raised by any of the participants in the rally. This proves that Muslims did not want disturbance but only action against the accused who had hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims. If Sunil Patel or anybody else does not believe in the Prophet, he or others have no right at all to make fun of the Prophet and that too, circulate it through social and mass media.
“8. Subsequently, a ‘dharma parishad’ was organised at Katpor village by Vitthal Patel, brother of Ankleshwar MLA and as per reports, allegedly highly provocative speeches were delivered by the speakers at the function….
“9. After Katpor ‘dharma parishad’, Muslims going from their villages to Hansot and other places were targeted. Groups of majority youths would stop Muslims wearing topis or having beards and rough them up, even in presence of police. By remaining silent, the police directly encouraged the majority youths to commit excesses on Muslims.
“10. In cases, where the Muslim identity could not be established because the persons were neither having beards nor wearing skull-caps, they were stopped by the gangs and their driving licences or other documents checked to establish their religious identity. If found to have Muslim sounding names, they were beaten up and also robbed of their money and other valuables. Locals say that such incidents happened in the presence of police, with the latter looking the other way round to the goondaism of the majority groups.
“11. Again, when the clashes broke out in villages after 14 January incidents, all roads from Hansot to Bharuch and Surat were taken over by the mischievous elements looking for fleeing Muslims. One of the ambulances escorting injured Muslims was attacked and all the occupants were badly beaten up and injured. Currently, they are under treatment in a Surat hospital. This happened despite the presence of police on these roads.
“12. What is very disturbing is the highly objectionable role of Bharuch Superintendent of Police Bipin Ahire. He was heard by the locals directing the mobsters to attack Muslim properties in Hansot. We believe police to be a professional organisation with a mandate to maintain law and order without discrimination among citizens on grounds of religious beliefs. He should have been tough with the rioting mobs and asked the police to take action against the rioters, irrespective of the religion of those indulging in violence. But he exhibited a partisan conduct, unworthy of a police officer. Such a partial role by a senior police staffer is a very serious thing and in itself is a threat to the maintenance of law and order. Our confidence in the police force will be weakened if police personnel, individually as well as collectively, behave in a partisan manner.
“13. Police is also behaving in a partial manner in the arrest of the accused. They are targeting and arresting Muslim youths only. Muslims were not aggressors. Wherever the Muslims were involved, they were defending the attacks on themselves and their properties and every citizen has a right to defend himself/herself when under attack. But the police is arresting and victimising those who defended themselves against hooligans. And the hooligans involved in the riots are being allowed to roam freely and further threaten the victims. If this trend and the police conduct are not checked, it will further boost the morale of the hooligans threatening the peace and harmony of the area.
“14. As law-abiding citizens of the state of Gujarat that has achieved unmatched milestones in the field of industrial and economic development, we demand:
- “Immediate transfer of the Superintendent of Bharuch, Bipin Ahire, and his replacement by an officer with a secular credential. We also demand departmental action against him for not keeping the oath of being impartial in his work that he had taken while joining the service.
- “Immediate halt to the arrest of innocent Muslim youths on the false pretext of them being involved in the violence.
- “Immediate measures for restoration of peace in the area and creating an atmosphere so that Muslims can return to their native places.
- “Immediate booking of FIR against Vitthal Patel, brother of BJP MLA Ishwabhai Patel, and his arrest, for his dirty role in provoking the violence that shattered the peace and tranquillity of the Hansot taluka and resulted in killing of two youths and grievous injuries to several others.
- “Immediate booking of a case against Ilav sarpanch Durlabh Patel and other miscreants of the village for attacks on Muslims.
- “Registration of FIRs with names against all those who beat up the boy in Ambheta village on the trivial issue of picking up a kite.
- “Registration of FIRs against all those persons in Ambheta, Ilav, Asta and Hansot villages involved in attack on Muslims and involved in attack on Muslim houses and properties and damaging and defiling religious places like mosques and madrasas.
- “Immediate payment of compensation to those persons, whose houses, shops and vehicles were looted, burnt and destroyed by hooligans. It is the responsibility of the state to protect the life and property of citizens. But the police as an important organ of the state failed to carry out its mandate, the citizens having suffered losses due to them deserve full and fair compensation.
- “Police should help the victims in filing of FIRs against the accused involved in the crime.
- “We sincerely hope that you will consider our request so that we can be proud of you and the police department.”
The signatories to the memorandum are Iqbal Husain Shaikh, Secretary, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Gujarat; Maulana Shabbir Ahmed, Shahi Imam, Jama-Masjid, Pankornaka, Ahmedabad; Professor Nisar Ahmed Ansari, General Secretary, Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind, Gujarat; Iqbal Beg Mirza, Vice President, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Ahmedabad (West), and Abdul Razzak Shaikh, Treasurer, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Gujarat.