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 India:
Police attacks peaceful rally protesting Hindutva miscreants
10 July 2009
The
Milli Gazette
Mysore: Trouble in Mysore, Karnataka state, started at
6 am on 2 July 2009 when Haleema Saadia Masjid/Madrasa at Udayagiri in
Mysore was desecrated by Hindutva miscreants. In the morning Muslims of
the locality gathered near the Mosque after knowing about the incident. As
in past, this incident was purposely carried out to provocate the Muslims,
but the cadres of Popular Front of India (PFI) were successful to
control the crowd. As the plans of the Sangh Parivar to incite violence
failed, they resorted to attack a Muslim youth who was killed in the
attack. The situation got worse when a 13-year-old Muslim boy called
Junaid Pasha was killed in Police firing. Later another men named
Tirupathi who hailed from Andhra Pradesh was attacked and killed by the
Sangh Parivar who mistaken him to be Muslim because he spoke Hindi.
Throughout the crisis, the Local MP, District Commissioner and Police
officers were in regular touch with PFI district leadership seeking help
to control the situation. Popular Front activists carried out field work
to control the situation, the District President personally led a Vehicle
announcement in the Muslims areas to ensure calm in the area.
 On 4 July the BJP called for Mysore Bandh in reaction
to the attack on BJP Youth Morcha district president. There were not
incidents reported during the Bandh. Next day, after the constant efforts
of PFI the situation was brought under control and peace was restored in
Mysore. The District Commissioner praised PFI for its role in bringing
peace to the town. Later it was the State Home Minister who is renowned as
a hardcore Hindutva fascist personally interfered in the issue and
pressurized the Police to arrest PFI cadres. Police carried out raid at
the residence of PFI cadres and a few cadres were arrested. The District
Commissioner was in constant touch with PFI district president and asked
him to get arrested as he could not resist the pressure from the Home
Minister. On 6 July when PFI Mysore district leaders were coming out of
the Mysore Journalist Association after addressing a press conference, the
Police arrested 15 PFI cadres along with the District President. Later on
6th night the District office was raided without any notice and later
sealed. Even the people who went to the court to give surety for the
arrested cadres were arrested inside the court premises. The Police even
filed cases against the Haleema Saadia Mosque committee officials accusing
that they informed PFI front leaders about the mosque desecration
incident.
The whole crisis which began due to the desecration of
the Masjid was converted into an offensive against PFI. It is the
incapability of the police to arrest the real culprits and they are hiding
their failure by arresting and harassing PFI cadres and innocent citizens
of Mysore. Till 10 July, 210 innocents people from both the communities
who were not at all involved in the incident were arrested, while the
original culprits roam about freely.
To protest against the injustice on innocent citizens of Mysore a "Jail
Bharo" andolan was held in Mysore on 9 July afternoon. The peaceful
protest was carried out demanding the release of more than 210 innocent
people arrested in the communal clashes in Mysore. The people were sitting
peacefully and were arrested in batches. The assembly was at Fountain
Circle and the venue was completely jam-packed with protesters.
Approximately 3 batches of protesters were arrested before the local women
of Mysore marched in to join the protest and were also surrendering for
voluntary arrest.
The police realized that the mob was far greater than
they could arrest and secure in their jail. The police then resorted to
lathi charge which created a stampede and there was rampant tear gas
firing. Even such a brutal attack could not defeat the firm will of the
protesters to get justice and they challenged the Police force by staying
firm in their position and demanded to be arrested. The brutal use of
police machinery continued for three hours. Many protestors were severely
wounded and hospitalized.
The state leaders of popular Front of India including the President K.
Abdul Latheef, and the General Secretary Afsar Pasha were among the first
to be arrested and still not released. Later on after the crowd dispersed
the leaders along with other social activists were in talks with the
commissioner negotiating the release of all the innocent people who had
been illegally detained and also pressuring their demand for the quick
arrest of the real culprits who incited the trouble by their dastardly act
of desecrating a place of worship.
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