Comments
posted on THE HINDU website over Editorial: Déjà vu in Mumbai
It is not déjà
vu. Never in the past has such violence been unleashed by Muslims in the city.
Even the 1989 protest march against Rushdie's book was peaceful until a
political decision by Sharad Pawar translated into a shooting spree by a
communal police commissioner in charge. Pawar's worry was that such huge crowd
was organised by politically lightweight Muslim leaders, threatening his own
Muslim proxies. Currently too, there is clear sign that the group - Brelvis
were more aligned to Sharad Pawar's NCP and it is widely believed Sharad Pawar
was raring for a showdown with Congress, its coalition partner, who were
investigating a big irrigation scandal by a NCP minister. Hindu has clear
independence to go deeper into the news and views beyond the news and views
that seems to become stereo-type coverage of Muslim affairs. Muslims are not
allowed to have an independent existence, without first paying their dues to
the political parties. Hindu must probe and boldly report all sides.
from: Ghulam Muhammed
Posted on: Aug 13, 2012 at 14:43 IST
------------------------------
PS : Brelvis themselves were led up the garden path. Their meeting was hijacked by professional goons.
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Opinion » Editorial
August 13, 2012
Déjà vu in Mumbai
Saturday’s arson and vandalism during protests by Muslim groups
against the ethnic killings in Assam and Myanmar caught the Mumbai police on
the wrong foot, and not for the first time. The violence erupted despite
advance intelligence reports and the deployment of an 800-strong police force
and is a sad commentary on the state of law and order management in the city.
Inflammatory speeches by irresponsible Muslim ‘leaders’ goaded the crowds to go
on a rampage, burning media OB vans and vehicles, smashing buses and paralysing
South Mumbai for a while. The police itself bore the brunt of the mob’s fury.
The manner in which the violence unfolded points to pre-planned disruption and even
city police commissioner Arup Patnaik, who made an attempt to pacify the
crowds, admitted it was a close call. The media too came under fire and had to
run for cover with many photographers and TV crew assaulted. While the madness
lasted, a sense of insecurity and terror prevailed in the city with protesters
taking over local trains and, for a while, the roads in front of Azad Maidan.
For a police force that had reasons to fear the rally might end in violence,
the failure to deploy and plan adequately was glaring.
That is not to say that political protests — even those built
around the emotional pull of religious solidarity — must not be allowed in the
city. In the past too, the roads of Mumbai and the sprawling Azad Maidan have
been jammed with Muslim groups demonstrating against the Iraq war and earlier
over the Supreme Court's Shah Bano judgment. Despite the overwhelming numbers,
the protests were peaceful except during the 1989 rally in Bhendi Bazar against
Salman Rushdie’s book, The Satanic Verses, which resulted in nine deaths
in police firing. After that, Mumbai witnessed its worst communal carnage in
1992-93 in which hundreds of Muslims lost their lives. In the 20 years after
the riots, the city has witnessed many bomb blasts after its first in 1993, the
terror strike of 2008 and the serial blasts last year. There is a sense of
fear, especially among Muslims, after each bomb blast since they are on the
radar of suspicion. The failure of the criminal justice system to punish the
instigators and facilitators of the 1992-93 violence also rankles them. This is
the emotional terrain that self-styled community leaders and aspiring
politicians are quick to cash in on by playing on the insecurities of the
Muslim community. Saturday’s violence could well be the result of such
mischievous instigation. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan must now take swift
action against these vested interests and prevent the city from turning into a
cauldron of hate.
Keywords: Assam riots, Mumbai protest, Azad Maidan Ground
Comments:
Why would Muslims in Mumbai indulge in unruly
violence to protest against alleged killings of Muslims in Assam and Myanmar?
Feeling of insecurity, as stated by you, could be one of the many reasons. But
surely, these are not local Muslims or else they should have protested about
more valid reasons rather than alleged violence in far away Assam or Myanmar (
a foreign country). What is the country having common borders with both Assam
and Myanmar? The answer is Bangla Desh. Why were these protestors having more
affinity towards issues pertaining to Bangla Desh rather than towards the local
issues? This is a matter of investigation.
from: Pramod Patil
Posted on: Aug 13, 2012 at 06:21
IST
Police and state intellgence have bene caught
napping. In such
agitations for which thousands travel in groups in suburban traisn,
there is a laot of advance indication. People trek from trains right
from 1 am onwards. The precise questrion is on the issue of police
lack of alertness and not being rpeapred to meet the situation. All
these potential demonstrators congregated in VCST station. EVEN TGHEN
POLICE DID NOT GET ALERTED AND AUGMENT THE FORCES. the result the mayhem in A MAIDAN. politcal accountability demands the home minsiter's resignation.
agitations for which thousands travel in groups in suburban traisn,
there is a laot of advance indication. People trek from trains right
from 1 am onwards. The precise questrion is on the issue of police
lack of alertness and not being rpeapred to meet the situation. All
these potential demonstrators congregated in VCST station. EVEN TGHEN
POLICE DID NOT GET ALERTED AND AUGMENT THE FORCES. the result the mayhem in A MAIDAN. politcal accountability demands the home minsiter's resignation.
from: s.subramanyan
Posted on: Aug 13, 2012 at 10:01
IST
Its a matter of deep concern that self-styled
leaders hijack the collective thinking of Muslims and do not allow individual
perspective to take root.What pains me more is the concern for 'Muslims' and
not Indians.Had it been a protest against communal violence,it would have had
credibility and support of all. This sectarian approach has alsways hindered
the Muslim integration in the main stream and will continue to do so until we
have minority leaders with nationalistic outlook.
from: Apurv Sharma
Posted on: Aug 13, 2012 at 10:23
IST
It is not deja vu. Never in the past such violence
has been unleashed by Muslims in the city. Even the 1989 protest march against
Rushdie's book was peaceful until a political decision by Sharad Pawar translated
into a shooting spree by a communal police commissioner in charge. Pawar's
worry was that such huge crowd was organised by politically lightweight Muslim
leaders, threatening his own Muslim proxies. Currently too, there is clear sign
that the group - Brelvis were more aligned to Sharad Pawar's NCP and it is
widely believed Sharad Pawar was raring for a showdown with Congress, its
coalition partner, who were investigating a big irrigation scandal by a NCP
minister. Hindu has clear independence to go deeper into the news and views
beyond the news and views that seems to become a stereo-type coverage of Muslim
affairs. Muslims are not allowed to have an independent existence, without
first paying their dues to the political parties. Hindu must probe and boldly
report all sides.
from: Ghulam Muhammed
Posted on: Aug 13, 2012 at 14:43
IST
