CPI Delegation visits Atali
New Delhi. Everyday new facets are added to the so called development model, based on a nexus of corporate houses and communal forces under the leadership of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. The corporate loot comes under the much hyped garb of development and to divert people’s attention from the odious act, attempts are made to polarize the social fabric.
The Gujarat carnage of 2002 had many lessons even for its perpetrators. The new communal frenzy is spread with restrain within the area as divisive forces become active among the surrounding population.
There is an added dimension to it. While the police and the administration remain passive spectators, their apathy helps only in promoting chauvinism. The majority community gets a boost. Their attacks on the victim community get even more virulent. The police indifference serves another purpose and that is to instill perpetual fear among the minority communities. Even when the hostile groups prepare for a compromise, the minority section starts suffering from a permanent fear psychosis. The compromise is never based on mutual consensus; its conditions are imposed by one on the other. The strategy is useful and has been put in practice in BJP ruled states.
With the help of the bureaucracy, these sinister steps are taken even in the states where BJP is not in the government, like UP, Bihar.
There have been trial runs too of the tactical line. One example was atrocities committed in a village called Atali, 12 km away from Vallabhgarh in Faridabad. The conditions were ripe as there had already been fights on the construction of a mosque here. According to high officials of the district administration, already compromise was arrived at between both the communities on the issue. However, as the construction of the mosque was in the process, some divisive elements attacked.
The unfinished building of the mosque was demolished, no less than 19 houses in the village were set aflame and people faced barbaric torture. All this, despite the fact that the court had given verdict in favour of the minority community, and hence they had dared to started building the mosque.
It was to stress that things would move only when the majority community would want it to.
The population of the village is 6000 and only 550 of them belong to minority community. This small group of victimized people was forced to abandon their homes. They were very scared and refused to stay at any other place than the police station, despite the dire living conditions.
Compromise, Compensation and home coming
There have been 19 FIRs registered on the events of Atali village. Despite the fact that 82 persons have been named in the FIR, no arrest has been made making the culprits even more confident. The district magistrate has evaluated the loss at only 36 lakh. This vague evaluation of the destroyed property has made the victims more vulnerable. There is no assurance of safety even after the compromise.
From June 3, 2015, home coming has started under the supervision of the police. In the name of compensation, they were given an amount of five thousand and a ration for a week.
According to the conditions of the compromise, there would be Azaan in the mosque, but without loudspeaker and the height of the mosque would be decided by the majority community. It was a farce played by the system itself.
CPI Delegation visits Atali
On the morning of June 3, 2015, at 11.30 am, CPI delegation led by D Raja, MP, visited the police station and met the victims staying there. Others in the group were Ali Anwar, MP from JD (U) and Congress MP Shadilal Batra.
The CPI leader D Raja stressed that all the accused must be arrested. The delegation met the police commissioner and the district magistrate and asked them why no action has been taken against the rioters. D Raja assured the aggrieved gathering that he would meet the home minister Rajnath Singh in this context. He also said that the injured should get proper treatment and the expenses must be met by the administration. Ali Anwar said that there should be sense of security generated among people before they go back home. They should also be compensated for the loss they had to suffer, he said. Shadilal Batra said there must be a sense of brotherhood and affinity so that people can live in peace.
MPs meet Home Minister
After reaching Delhi, the MPs met the home minister and
stressed that such ugly developments must never be allowed to destroy the composite culture in the country. They also explained the rising communal tension in the state that could further vitiate the atmosphere.
In the party delegation, there was Mahesh Rathi, member, editorial board of Mukti Sangharsh and Kunal Suman, state secretary of All India Students Federation, Haryana state secretary of the CPI Dariyao Singh Kashyap, treasurer of Faridabad district committee of CPI, Vishwambhar Singh, Udham Singh, Mithilesh Singh, Dinesh singh, and Rijwan Chaudhry from Swaraj Samwad.
Mahesh Rathi
