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Riot rocks Gonda
By Obaid Nasir,
Lucknow
 When
the whole nation was celebrating the victory of good over evil forces led
by Sangh Parivar activists let loose a reign of terror in Gonda city of
eastern UP on 26 October. Hindu devotees were busy in immersing the Durga
idols and many gaily decorated processions were taken out. They all passed
off peacefully. Suddenly when the participants of last procession reached
Ek Minara Masjid at Ekta Chowk area, they started raising provocative
slogans like Pakistan Murdabad, Osama bin Laden Murdabad and when the
Muslims did not react they started bursting crackers, two of which fell
inside the mosque where Namazis had gathered for Asr Namaz. When the
Namazis raised objection, the processionists went berserk and started
pelting the mosque with stones. According to reliable sources the hoodlums
were led by Guddu Singh, son of Satyadev Singh, former member of
Parliament and state vice president of BJP.
The processionists who were perhaps fully prepared to face any eventuality
started looting shops and putting them on fire. More than twenty shops
were looted and goods worth crores of rupees were destroyed .The police
swung into action a bit late and started lathi charge to disperse the mob.
Later it resorted to tear gas shelling and firing in the air. It took more
than three dozen persons into custody majority of whom were Muslims.
Curfew was first declared in three police station areas but after the
violence spread in some other areas undeclared curfew appeared to be
declared almost in the entire city.
The District Magistrate Mr. Dubey and Superintendent of Police Mr.
Chavinath Singh clearly admitted that it was because of the provocative
slogans that the violence broke out.
Congress and Samajwadi parties have blamed Rajnath Singh and BJP for
communal trouble in Gonda and other cities of the state. Samajwadi party
has even demanded the resignation of chief minister. Both the parties sent
delegations to Gonda to probe the incident and report to High Command.
Congress delegation was headed by Harshvardhan, former MP of the area
which submitted its report to the state President SP Jaiswal and demanded
immediate arrest of BJP, VHP leaders including local MP Brijbhushan Singh
and Guddu Singh etc. .
But the district administration played tough with the Samajwadi party
delegation which had gone there under the leadership of Amar Singh, the
national spokesman and general secretary of the party. They were sent back
as soon as they entered Gonda district. Later, addressing the press in
Lucknow along with Shivpal Singh Yadav and Ahmad Hasan, he said that the
BJP government in order to hide its sins has not allowed Samajwadi
delegation to meet the victims of loot and arson that was let loose by BJP
men. He said that the BJP workers are allowed to roam freely in the curfew
bound area, openly displaying arms and waving sword to terrorise the
members of minority community.Their shops and belongings were looted and
put on fire and Members of the same community have been arrested.
Amar Singh charged that the BJP workers in the procession were carrying
swords and other lethal weapons .He disclosed that not only Gudu Singh but
even BJP member of Parliament Brijbhushan Singh and his shooter Nirbhai
Singh led the mob that put the shops of minority community on fire .He
said that seventy shops and houses belonging to Muslims were gutted in no
time.
Amar Singh was all praise for the restraint showed by Muslims of Gonda
inspite of the provocation by Sangh parivar workers .He said that the
community traders have suffered a loss of about Rs10 crores but did their
best to save the lives and properties of Hindu brethren . He said that the
party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has sanctioned Rs 25 lakh from party
fund to be distributed among the victims. q |
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