Dhule Violence: Changing Anatomy of Communal Violence
Ram Puniyani
The violence in Dhule
Maharashtra seems to be the new face of communal violence in India. As per the
report of a major national daily (Jan 26, 2013), the evidence with the newspaper
shows the evidence of police looting and destroying the property. The video
clips in possession of the civil society groups also show one police official
exhorting the rioting mob to move on. So far even if it was there it was not so
blatantly clear. One sensed the partisan nature of police as discerned through
different inquiry commission reports, but this type of role of police is a new
and downhill chapter in the history of communal violence in India.
Communal violence has been a
major menace to our nation, from last more than a century, and more
particularly from last three decades. Rise in communal violence can be
correlated with the British policy of ‘divide and rule’. This policy was
achieved by them by introducing the communal view of history through different
books by British authorities. The communal version of history was taken up by
the Muslim and Hindu communalists to suit their political agenda of opposing
the political, social and economic changes which aimed at Liberty Equality and
Fraternity. The communal forces spread hatred against the ‘other’ community,
the result being that the communal perceptions started being part of the ‘social
common sense’, hatred for ‘other’ community became the foundation on which the
communal violence took place or was orchestrated. This in turn strengthened the
communal forces in different areas, and increased the levels of misconception
for the ‘other community’. This parallel and opposite process went on till the
tragedy of Partition, which was the biggest act of communal politics, the
outcome of British policy of ‘divide and rule’.
During British rule the
communal violence was a communal riot. In this both Hindus and Muslims
were pitched against each other in an inhuman way, regarding; perceiving as if
they are doing something for their religion. The political agenda of retrograde
forces wore the cloak of religion. While communal forces made merry, the
innocents suffered and the police took a neutral stance. They were trying to
balance out without taking any sides while controlling these acts of violence.
This neutrality of police started changing after Independence, when gradually
the communalization of section of police force started taking place and its overall
neutrality started getting eroded by the day, to the extent that later a section
of police started helping violence in a pro active way. And over a period of
time, those who are supposed and are duty bound to protect the innocent
citizens, became partisan. Shooting the minority community members and throwing
them in canals (Meerut Malyana 1987), or burying them in the field and growing
cabbage over them (Bhagalpur 1989) was painfully observed.
A whole ‘Riot mechanism’
gradually came up in which the communal forces instigated, the so called secular
forces looked on or subtly helped and the police took sides with majority
community. At the same time the political leadership, bureaucracy, and police
who are supposed to protect the innocent citizens, failed to do their assigned
job and still got away without getting any punishment. This impunity gave a
signal to them all that they can carry on with this game of marginalizing the
minority community and reap the harvest of communal politics on the electoral
arena.
This ghastly situation is
taking a further turn for the worst. And now it seems the communal forces and
the communal foot soldiers are having an easy time as sections of police force
are blatantly communalized. Police not only has become the active player in the
game, police is shamelessly providing a cover to those indulging in violence.
This painful fact comes to surface in the recent violence in Dhule, 6 January
2013, where over 40 people from the minority were shot above knee, in abdomen
chest, neck face and back, out of which six died, three had to undergo
amputation and remaining one’s are recuperating with serious injuries. The
citizen’s inquiry committee which went to Dhule for fact finding was shocked
out of its wits to find as to how the event which required a simple
intervention from the police grew into the tragic incident. The mater was too
trivial; the victim came to police chowkie to complain and with a request to
intervene. Police constables on duty, apparently told the victim to go and
settle the issue himself. The victim a Muslim auto rickshaw driver came with
few more youth, the youth from other side also collected and stone throwing
began. The clips, taken on video; show that the police acted as a cover for the
Hindu mob which charged towards the Muslims. The police force also seemed to
have begun to violate the police manual in letter and spirit. The mandatory
loud speaker announcement, use of tear gas, lathi charge to be resorted before
firing was done away with and a straight firing was resorted to. The police
training says the firing should be to disperse the mob, begin with firing in
the air and then below the knee. In Dhulia the police thought it is a redundant
exercise, so the firing was a targeted one, above the knee, above the waist, in
abdomen, chest, face, neck and back.
The victims who fell to the
police bullet were left to be taken to hospital by friends and relatives.
Police claims they were attacked seriously, acid was thrown on them. The civil
hospital record shows that all the injuries suffered by police were minor. Some
of them were admitted to hospital wards to show that they have been attacked
seriously. No case of serious acid attack on the police, no case of serious
injury, which requires hospitalization! The mob burns the houses; mostly those
of Muslims, few Hindu households are also burnt. Police did not entertain any
FIR of the victims. Next day morning the area is washed clean to wipe out some
remaining evidence. Those wanting the FIRs to be filed were told that since
they are themselves culprits of violence, filing FIR will go against them. A
rumor was floated that combing operation will be done in Muslim areas. The
victims in Hospitals take early discharge fearing that they will be charged as
being the rioters in the violence.
The civic administration did
not set up any relief camp for those whose houses are burnt. Ration was distributed
knowing fully-well that those whose houses are burnt cannot cook as all cooking
vessels and utensils are burnt. The political leadership, Chief Minster and co.
is apathetic and it takes them 10 days before driving down a distance of few
hours to assess the situation, to address the woes of victims and to announce
the much needed compensation. The compensation announced is meager for reasons
best known to the Chief Minster.
What trust the victims will
have in such state machinery? A feeling of utter neglect and helplessness is
prevailing amongst the victims. Some relief has been provided by the community
organizations. That does not help the matters beyond a point.
The violence in Dhulia comes
in the backdrop of violence in Akot, Raver and other places in the region, over
a short span of time. There is an urgent need for better relief, setting up of
Police-Civic society Mohalla committee, sensitization of police in communal
matters and to counter the misconceptions widely prevalent about the minority
community. Who will undertake all these? Can Government think out of the box
and take initiative in this direction? Who will get justice to the victims? And
will the Central Government muster courage to bring in the Communal Violence
Prevention Bill, which was presented in National Integration council. The draft
bill can be modified by standing committee before finalizing. This bill should
at least ensure that the section of political leadership, bureaucracy and
police will not be spared for their acts of commission and omission due to
which violence occurs and keeps simmering.
