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Muslim Forum demands action against culprits

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Muslim Forum on Thursday expressed concern over the Chittaurgarh district administration’s failure to arrest the culprits of communal violence in the city on Holi, in which 60 shops were torched, and the previous attacks on Muslims in Kapasan tehsil on the pretext of an alleged cow-slaughter.

The Muslim Forum – functioning as an apex body of Muslim groups in the State – alleged that the accused, many of whom had been identified in the First Information Reports, enjoyed political protection because of their proximity to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The “free rein” given to them had weakened people’s faith in the law and order machinery.

A delegation of the Muslim Forum, which visited Chittaurgarh earlier this week, found that while the government survey had assessed a loss of Rs.63 lakh in the destruction of Muslim community’s business establishments, it had paid a paltry Rs.3,000 each to 49 victims as compensation.

“The approach of Collector P.L. Agrawal and his subordinate revenue officials confirms our suspicion that the ruling BJP has successfully implemented its plan to break the economic backbone of Muslims. This will have serious consequences in the run-up to the Assembly elections this year,” said Jamat-e-Islami Hind State president Mohammed Salim, who led the delegation.

Mr. Salim and the Forum’s convenor, Qari Moinuddin, regretted that the Congress had failed to play the role of an opposition party by challenging the BJP’s communal policies and getting justice to the victims of violence. “On the contrary, some of the accused in the Kapasan violence are said to be the members of Congress,” they said.

The Forum demanded immediate arrest of the culprits and release of the innocent people, belonging to both the communities, wrongly implicated in the riots cases and payment of compensation to the victims commensurate with their losses. It also demanded strict action against the government officials guilty of conniving with the rioters.

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