HVK Archives: Anatomy of a communal riot
Anatomy of a communal riot - Hindustan Times
Maloy Krishna Dhar
()
9/6/96
Title : Anatomy of a communal riot
Author : Maloy Krishna Dhar
Publication : Hindustan Times
Date : 9/6/96
CALCUTTA was waiting for a Nor'wester, fondly and
Baishashi, the violent and wel-come pre-monsoon
hurricane. This year, the Bengalis had to sweat it our,
for the Kal-Baishakhi was as elusive as the Hilsa.
Mercifully, a mild Kal-Baishakhi finally hit the
suffocating city on June 1. Long before that, Calcuttans
were benumbed by a different kind of hurricane, a
prolonged bout of communal (they like to call it so)
riots claiming five lives on and after the days of the
Tajia processions; heralding the tenth days of the month
Moharram.
We have been told for more than 150 years, first by the
British and then by our champions of secularism, that
communal riots occur due to deep seated animosities
between the Hindu and Muslim communities; aided and
abetted by Pan-Islamic and Pan-Hindu fundamentalists.
Analyses of communal riots carried out by official
agencies often indicate that factors beyond Hindu-Muslim
animosity play more vital roles in engineering and
perpetuating such rituals of human sacrifice.
The latest round of riots at the Ekhalpore police station
and neighbouring localities of Calcutta, when analysed,
burst the bubbles of the "communal-hatred theory". We
were made to believe that a group of Muslim wanted to
force their way through Dompada (a low caste Hindu area),
their Tajias laden with hostile intentions and some
police officers colluded with BJP-supporting Hindus,
stormed Muslim households and created the whole problem.
But ingredients of truth are made of entirely different
stuff.
Till last year, the Muslim of Hussain Shah, Bhukailash,
Mayurbhanj Road localities used to take out small Tajias,
not recognised as regular akharas. This year, certain
elements known to be close to the local INC MLA, Ram
Pyare Ram had applied to the local police and even filed
an affidavit, requesting permission to take out a Tajia
procession and the requested
route included the tension-prone Dompada. This initiative
was perhaps taken to celebrate the victory of the INC
candidate over his Forward Bloc (FB) rival. The police,
it is alleged, did not bother to call a coordination
meeting of the concerned parties; a customary ritual.
Even the prominent political figures including Elias
Islehi, Councillor CMC (FB) and Mohammad Yaqub,
Councillor CMC (fb) and MLA did not take any till blood
was spilt. They, it is alleged, sided with some anti-
social elements. The Muslims, divided in their loyalty to
Azamgarhia (Ram) and Gaya (Shams) factions, rallied round
Ram Pyare and took out a procession in his praise.
Perhaps that's what brought about the trouble.
On the given day, when the processionists tried to
proceed to wards Dompada, it is alleged, the police led
by Officer-in-Charge Shashanka De and SI Deboshree
Chatterjee stopped them. From that point, the events were
hijacked by persons with criminal background and those
close to a LF minister. Some of them are well Known in
the affected localities as Tarzan, Bhola, Saha, Domna,
Kana Mustafa, Gabbar, Majid etc. In the ensuing clashes
and lingering troubles, five people lost their lives.
Political rivalry between the INC on the one hand and FB
and CPM on the other, have resulted in many feuds in the
past. The LF has dominated this Muslim pocket for a long
time. In 1991 elections, the FB minister had defeated
his
nearest INC rival by a margin of 1,351 votes. In 1996
elections, the minister, sensing a rout had shifted to
another constituency, but ensured a ticket for his son;
who was defected by the INC candidate Ram Pyare Ram by
31,972 votes. The BJP was nowhere in the picture. The
emergence of Ram as a champion of the Muslims, acts as
the proverbial last straw. Rivalry between two upcountry
leaders, Ram from Azamgarh and the minister from Gaya,
have polarised the non-Bengali labour population on
ideological lines. The CPM was also not a silent
spectator. They wanted this FB citadel to fall into their
lap. The minister could hardly digest the humiliating
electoral defect of his son, who was deputed to keep the
seat warm for him. The heretic voters deserved
punishment.
Another important factor, which got drowned in the din
was the role played by the land mafia, builders and
bootleggers. The Officer-in-Charge had earned the
appreciation of the local people for stopping several
illegal constructions and putting behind bars notorious
bootleggers. These mafia lords had been demanding the
transfer of Shashanka De even before the Assembly polls;
thanks to the Election Commission, the police forces
remained neutral. In Calcutta alleys it is now commonly
heard that the INC and BJP should try to match muscle of
the LF and the next election results would ensure the
legendary rulers their seats in the Opposition benches.
The riots also brought into sharp focus the ugly rivalry
between CPM and its junior partner FB, both champions of
secularism in the Mecca of this little understood "ism"
in West Bengal. The Calcutta District Committee (CDC) of
CPM, particularly its Secretary Naren Sen is said to be
at loggerheads with the legendary minister who has been
dominating the Kavi Tirtha Assembly constituency over
the year.
The continuation of the riots several days in a pocket
next to Writers Building, speaks volumes about police,
administrative and political failures. The Calcutta
Police has a laid down drill for tackling such communal
incidents. On ground, during the clashes they were
ineffective and RAF and Army deployment was called for.
The police, it is alleged, behaved against the interest
of the people and they had shamefully attacked Muslim
houses in Sudhir Bose Road. These allegations against a
section of police personnel require proper investigation.
Buddhadev Bhattacharya has admitted failure of his police
force, but failed to mention failures and acts
of
commission and omission of the political forces. His
personal track record in handling delicate communal
situations is rather dusty. Soon after the demolition of
the Babri Masjid, Calcutta had exploded in a communal
orgy. Bhattacharya, then also in charge of law and order,
dithered inordinately, allowing destruction of lives and
properties. Calcutta had become as sore as Surat, Kanpur
and Bombay. He, according to many, acted this in a
mysterious fashion smacking of political myopia caused by
the dusts of electoral defeat, and hesitation to act
decisively against the anti-social elements. An analysis
clearly indicates that though the Calcutta riots were
triggered off by the symbolical Tajia incident, the real
causes were different, and can be traced to the doors of
the politicians and mafia cartel.
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