“The one after the other riots in UP seems to be a part of a planned conspiracy,” said Maulana Waliullah Saeedi Falahi, Ameer, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Eastern UP) in a press statement. While vehemently condemning the riots in Faizabad and Bhadrasa, Maulana expressed deep distress and sorrow over the great loss the Muslims have suffered. He alleged that the anti-social elements do not waste any opportunity to hit Muslims. He alleged the direct involvement of administration in the well-planned riots and said that there are many evidences which corroborate to the nexus between administration and rioters. “No action against the rioters has taken place so far and no arrests have been made,” said Maulana.
Taking a dig at the chief minster’s statement in which he said, “Some people are trying to malign the government in UP,” Maulana termed the statement as ludicrous and said the most distressing thing is that the government has become a silent spectator. “Putting the blame of one’s own incompetence on others is sad,” said Maulana. He urged the government to put an immediate end on the riots, take stern actions against the rioters and give sufficient compensation to the victims who have lost their lives, properties and capital.
Recently a report released by a fact finding team has also revealed that the “riots were well-planned and targets had been selected.” The fact finding team of Rihai Manch, a human rights organisation, said the sequence of attacks on “well known business units in Faizabad city” suggests that the violence was not spontaneous but well-organised and carefully planned. The report says that the trolleys that were used in looting the shops were strategically placed beforehand. Locals and eyewitnesses have claimed that there was a separate convoy of the vehicles in the procession which indulged in violence. The vehicles contained large amounts of petrol, kerosene and other equipments which were used in setting things on fire.
One of the shop owners narrated how his shop was strategically looted. “A gang of 40-50 persons broke into my shop and looted goods worth Rs 70 lakh. They put them into vans and trolleys. This went on for 20 minutes…After this they brought canisters of petrol and set my shop on fire…We don’t just want sympathy, we want fair compensation.”