A fact-finding team says orchestrated violence against Muslims on September 4 destroyed 95 Muslim shops, 11 houses and four mosques. Besides, 42 vehicles were torched
Team Clarion
HYDERABAD – A conspiracy involving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and police inaction, and possible connivance, have been blamed for the communal riots that rocked Jainoor town in Telangana last month.
A recent report from a fact-finding team of social and civic activists sheds light on the anti-Muslim riots that erupted on September 4. The report, released last week, outlines the series of events that led to the riots, accusing the state government of neglecting its duty and allowing a climate of hostility to fester. It questioned the inaction of law enforcement agencies which “turned a blind eye to the growing tensions.”
According to the findings, approximately 5,000 rioters from the Vaddara, Vanjara, and tribal communities wreaked havoc in the village, destroying 95 Muslim shops, 11 houses, four mosques, and setting fire to 42 vehicles. The report alleges that the BJP incited the violence using a purported attack on an Adivasi woman on August 31 as a pretext to target the Muslim community. It further suggests that certain leaders from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), alongside the BJP, sought to retaliate against Muslims for their support of the Congress party in recent elections.
The report highlights a “false campaign” that lasted for 20 days, wherein accusations of “Love Jihad” were spread, insinuating that Muslims were responsible for the sexual assault of tribal women. It criticises the police for failing to investigate these claims adequately. “Despite the gravity of the allegations, the police did not make any serious effort to uncover the truth,” the report notes.
In a bid to address the situation, the report calls for the establishment of an independent inquiry commission led by a retired judge. It demands the dismissal of various police officers, including the Deputy Superintendent (DSP) and the Superintendent of Police (SP), for their apparent failure to manage the escalating situation.
The timeline presented in the report indicates that a minor clash occurred during parliamentary elections on May 12, when a Muslim boy was injured after being struck by a member of the Vaddara community. Following the incident, several boys from the Vaddara community assaulted the injured boy, leading to retaliation from a group of Muslim youths. Tensions escalated when Ayub Khan, a 55-year-old man, attempted to mediate but was brutally attacked by members of the Vaddara community in the presence of a sub-inspector named Sandeep. Rumours of Khan’s death sparked further unrest, leading to the gathering of about 200 Muslim youths.
In a troubling twist, the report details how, after another incident involving the Vanjara community, false narratives were spread suggesting that Muslims had killed an Adivasi. Despite the lack of evidence, police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against 76 Muslim boys. The high court later deemed the situation a political conflict and granted bail to the accused.
