[Reader-list] The problem of Muslim security

[Javed]

The problem of Muslim security
If Muslims in such large number are leaving their place of birth
because of some fear, the administration should have found out the
reason and taken necessary steps to stop their migration but this was
not done and that is why adivasis were emboldened to attack Muslims...

The excesses and oppression that were heaped on Muslims of Sarada town
of Rajasthan’s Udaipur district have put the entire humanity to shame.
In a democratic country whose Constitution guarantees the security of
lives and properties of all its citizens and for which government has
framed detailed rules and regulations, if hundreds of Muslims of the
entire town are compelled to migrate to other places for the safety of
their lives; it clearly means that there are some lapses or the other
somewhere or that there are some black sheep who cannot tolerate the
existence of Muslims. There is no reason to believe that Udaipur’s
administration completely failed to provide security to Muslims and
all of them were compelled because of the fear of adivasis to leave
the entire town for some safe place. Some one took shelter in Udaipur
city, others went over to their relatives at some other place. There
were large number of people who perforce had to take shelter in
mosques. Leaving a very large number of people: women, children and
old people, their homes and hearths and taking refuge at safer places
outside show that there is nothing like administration, law and order
in Sarada town. If Muslims in such large number are leaving their
place of birth because of some fear, the administration should have
found out the reason and taken necessary steps to stop their migration
but this was not done and that is why adivasis were emboldened to
attack Muslims, loot and set their houses to fire thereby compelling
them to flee for their lives. Obviously, creating confidence in them
and to bring them back to their homes and hearths and to rehabilitate
them will take years. This has happened in a state which is ruled by
Congress. Had it been a BJP government it was understandable to some
extent that this is another Gujarat-like conspiracy against Muslims
but happening of such kind in a Congress-ruled state is surprising and
distressing. What is even more distressing is that our national media
has ignored it altogether. This means that all this game has been
played under a planned and organised conspiracy. Police personnel
entering the houses of Muslims and making searches and thereafter
rioters also forcing their entry in houses of Muslims, looting and
setting them on fire, slaughtering their cattle mercilessly are
unforgettable incidents of cruelty and barbarism. There being no
arrangement for their security by law enforcing authorities also
create doubt that some sort of a conspiracy has certainly been hatched
at some level. Government’s insensitivity to the plight of Indian
Muslims and taking belated and half-hearted measures in controlling
the situation indicate something else.

This may probably be the first incident of this kind in Rajasthan
against Muslims or any other community when hundreds of followers of a
particular religion were compelled to flee to another place for the
safety of their lives. Such incidents have certainly taken place in
the Valley where thousands of Kashmiri Pandits were compelled to flee
from their homes and take refugee at other places; but such excesses
against them were committed by extremists and government had no role
in their miserable and pitiable condition. Rather, government tried
its best to prevent them from leaving their hearths and homes. It
announced a series of concessions and facilities for them to stay at
their homes and this process of facilities and inducements is still
going on; but in Sarada the role of government and administration is
very shameful and condemnable. In 2002 Muslims in large number were
compelled to migrate to other places from riot affected areas during
Gujarat riots because there also Modi government had planned genocide
of Muslims but here in Sarada such a situation has taken place because
of callousness and indifference of local administration. In this and
other such incidents Muslims have more complaints against police and
government machinery than the rioters and government and police are
accused of connivance with rioters.

It is now to be seen what steps are taken by Rajasthan’s chief
minister Ashok Gehlot and what kind of arrangements are made for the
relief and rehabilitation of uprooted Muslims. If this situation is
not controlled at the earliest and with strong measures, communal
elements will not hesitate in consigning the entire state to blood and
fire. It is therefore the responsibility of state government to
provide full security to Muslims and other minorities and weaker
sections otherwise Muslims of the entire nation will have the feeling
of insecurity which bodes ill for the whole country.

(Editorial, Hamara Samaj Urdu daily, 29 July 2010 - translated by NA Ansari)