From: Subhas Gatade
(The below update follows the article at: http://www.sacw.net/article980.html)
This is to give you an update on the communal situation in Rohini (the area in NorthWest Delhi) Sector 16 which saw sudden flaring up of tension last week. As can be expected the Hindutva forces are playing a very mischievous and criminal role to aggravate the situation. The building of a new mosque in this area, on a piece of land alloted by the Delhi Development Authority, has given them a pretext to polarise the population.
Last friday (26 th June 2009) these communal elements had mobilised hundreds of people to stop people from offering Namaz at the mosque. If police would not have been there, things could have taken a turn for the worst.
Some of us who happen to live in this area had organised a meeting of citizens groups, social-political organisations to decide our strategy (27 th June). It was decided to organise a signature campaign and also submit a memorandum to the higher authorities. Today a eight member delegation of these organisations met concerned officials and conveyed to them our concern.
The memorandum submitted to them emphasised three things :
- A significant section of the local population does not support such attempts to create new divisions in the society
- It is expected that the administration would play a proactive role to ensure constitutionally guaranteed right to faith and would also take steps to remove the feeling of terror in the minority community.
- The administration would make extra efforts to nab the real 'ringleaders' of this agitation.
A few friends have talked to the media but as of now the matter is severly underreported.
Coming Friday is crucial. It would reveal the level of preparations of these fanatic elements.We will have to monitor the situation closely.
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