- Supreme Court lawyers and activists release investigative report on Tripura anti-Muslim violence.
By Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi: Releasing a fact finding report on Tripura violence, an investigation team of Supreme Court lawyers and human rights organizations on Tuesday revealed that if the BJP government had wanted, it could have thwarted premeditated violence against Muslim minority in Tripura but it allegedly gave free hands to the Hindutva mobs. The investigative report also revealed that Muslims were attacked at several places across the state and 12 mosques were ransacked and damaged.
The detailed factual inquiry report titled as “Humanity under Attack in Tripura; #Muslim lives matter” was released at the Press Club of India by the team members who visited Tripura.
Addressing the media, they underlined that the manner in which the situation has been developed after the incident of violence against Muslims in Tripura suggests that if the government had wanted, it could have saved such a horrible incident from happening.
“This is the complete failure of the government and the political interests of the BJP. The ideology of violent patriotism has captured the state and has conspicuous support amongst the public,” they added.
The investigation team met the aggrieved parties and gathered information and facts related to the violence and came to the conclusions that the protests were held at 51 places in Tripura over incidents of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. Violence started over the demonstrations, properties were burnt and a huge panic situation was created targeting particularly Muslims.
‘Violence started after the demonstrations. The facts which have come to light before the investigation team primarily indicate that if the government had taken appropriate steps on time, the violence would not have assumed such a horrific proportion.
The fact finding team found that the incident happened to further the political interest of Bhartiya Janta Party. Their Probe reveals that the protests were held at 51 places in Tripura over incidents of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. As many as 12 Masjid have been vandalized and Quran also burned when rioters fired at a Masjid in Panisagar of North Tripura.
Munawar Ali, 72, a resident of Rava Bazaar in Panisagar told the fact-finding team that announcements were being made for the 26 October misal (rally) from October 15 in the Panisagar division. In that announcement, VHP people were saying that Hindus who would not participate in this rally will be boycotted.
“The people of VHP had brought JCB machines to the rally. With this machine their intention was to damage shops and mosques. They tried it unsuccessfully at a shop in Rava Bazaar. We, all the men, children, young and old of the village started gathering near the mosque to save the mosque. The distance of Rawa Bazar from the mosque is 500 meters and the shops of Rava Bazar are clearly visible from there” he added.
We have never seen so much hatred in all these years. After the BJP government came to power in the state, an atmosphere was created against the Muslims. The result of which has come out in the form of violence, local Muslims told the team.
When the arson was taking place, we called the local BJP MLA Vinay Bhushan Das 7-8 times. He picked up the phone once and said that he was in a meeting in Agartala, Munawar Ali stated to the Team.
After the incident, the men are guarding outside the houses in night shifts. There is still an atmosphere of fear among the people.
The report makes 8 demands:
- The Government should make an inquiry committee headed by a retired High Court judge and get the whole incident investigated.
- Separate FIR must be filed on the complaint of victims.
- Due to this incident, all the people whose businesses have suffered financial loss should get appropriate compensation by the state government and it should be compensated soon so that these innocent people can get their life back on track and their businesses and work can resume smoothly.
- The government should get the religious places damaged in arson and sabotage rebuilt at their expense.
- Despite the possibility of violence, the police officer not taking any action should be held responsible. They should be immediately removed from their post and the police station and a new police officer should be appointed.
- Strict action should be taken against persons and organizations who raised slogans insulting Prophet Mohammad in the rally so that the cordial atmosphere of the state is not spoiled again.
- Strict legal action should be taken against the people who create false and provocative messages and them viral on social media, and against all the people and organizations who repeatedly incite people and create ruckus for the rally. Case should be registered against these people and strict action should be taken against them.
- Whoever is guilty in this riot, and have engaged in looting and arson, should be investigated in the fast track court without any discrimination.
They announced that the investigation team will soon release its detailed report in Delhi and this report will be sent to the President of India, Chief Justice of Supreme Court, Union Home Secretary, National Commission for Minorities, and National Human Rights Commission.
The investigation team includes Supreme Court advocate Ehtesham Hashmi, Advocate Amit Srivastav (Co-ordination Committee, Lawyers for Democracy), Advocate Ansar Indori (Secretary, Human Rights Organization, National Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (NCHRO) and Advocate Mukesh, Civil Rights Organization People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL, DELHI).
[…] “Muslims were targeted at 51 places, 12 mosques vandalized in Tripura” says SC lawyers r… […]
[…] By Abdul Bari Masoud […]
1/ The Muslims have stolen holy sites of all religions. They stole the The temple of Mount from the Jews, the Blue mosque from the Christians 3. The babri mosque and many others from Hindus. Muslims are illegal occupiers, similar to what china is doing today.
2/ The Jews prayed at the temple of Mount before even Mohammed was born.
3/ The Quran has no mention of the Al Aqsa mosque or Jerusalem
4/ The Muslims occupied the Mount of Jews after the death of Mohammed
5/ Muslims killed all the kins of Mohammed they are not the followers of Mohammed preaching’s rather the followers of Yazid.
6/ The Quran says over 50 times the Prophet Mohd was sent for the children of Israelites. The Israelites are the descendants of Issac where as the Muslims are the descendants of Ismail.
7/ The saudis and UAE have made friendly relations with Israel if they are not un-islamic then how can someone supporting Israel of condemning Hamas become anti Islam, this is fake propaganda of Muslims.
8/ Fatima was killed by 2nd Caliph Umar due to Umar kicking her in the stomach while she was pregnant and he also burned the house of Fatima.
9/ Imam Hussain had to flee muslim majority Arabia as they faced persecution at the hands of muslims.
10/ Caliphs were related to Yazid and had good relations with Yazid.
11/ Jews were in Majority in Arabia but they were driven out of Arabia after the death of Mohd.
12/ There was a place called Palestine before birth of Mohammed but the residents were not muslims or Palestinians. There is no mention of Palestine nor Palestinians in islamic history. the Palestinian people were first mentioned after 1950.
13/ Muslim Propagandists if you disagree with above prove me wrong from historic context with references from Quran.
14/ The quran says you cannot build mosque on someone elses holy land , in this case muslims have occupied the temple of mount.
15/ India strategic interest lies with Israel but muslims want to ignore strategic interest of India and oppose Israel. why are Indian muslims anti India.
16/ Hammas has struck Israel with 3600 misiles in last 2 years, so why Israel cannot have right to defend itself. it is upto muslims radicals to live in peace instead of fake propaganda.
Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad 1400 years back , but lslam starts with its first Prophet Adam ( peace be upon his ) . Abraham ( lbrahim ) , Moses ( Musa ) , David ( Dawood ) , Jesus ( Eisa ) , Jacob ( Yaqoob ) , Noha ( Nuh ) , Mother Mary ( Mari Amm / Marium ) they all belong to lslam long before the birth of Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad is not the first Prophet of lslam but the last Prophet of lslam or the last Prophet of all the Abrahamic faiths. Al-Aqsa Masjid ( Aqsa Mosque ) was the first qibla ( direction of prayer ) for Muslims during and before Muhammad ; and it was latter revealed to be changed during life time of Muhammad from Palestine to Makkah ( Mecca ). Quran is a revealed book and every thing of historical importance is not possible to be recorded in any Holy text , many things of historical traditions have been carried forward to next generations by Arabs by means of oral narrations and traditions. Islam teaches to the Muslims to be patriotic toward their country and even after partition of lndia by British on religious grounds many Muslims refused the creation of Pakistan and stayed back in their motherland lndia ( the land of their forefathers and their parental DNA ). Before and after partition of lndia on religious grounds many Muslims in lndian army have sacrificed their lives defending their country lndia while fighting against Muslim country Pakistan. Israel though a brotherly religion ( being Ahl-e-Kitaab religion and religion of Abraham and Moses who are equally revered by Muslims , Christians and Jews ) still forcefully occupied Arab lands of Palestine which is unjust and inhuman , so Muslims in lndia & other places and many non-muslim Nations also sympathize Arab Palestine on humanitarian grounds against the inhuman occupation of Arab land of Palestine by the unjust Zionists of so-called lsrael which is actually an Arab land . I hope it is clear 🇮🇳