Uneasy calm continues in Gopalgarh town of Rajasthan

GOPALGARH (RAJASTHAN), November 7, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Despite the initiation of an artificial "peace process" in the aftermath of September\'s horrific violence, the people in this nondescript town, which grabbed the headlines for the wrong reasons, seem to have lost confidence in the neutrality of the administration. Victims are yet to come to terms with the mishandling of the situation and, what they claim, the partisan approach of the police.



Amid the half-hearted efforts for restoration of peace following the communal violence and police firing, prayers began at the Jama Masjid here over the weekend and the mosque has been repaired. Power supply to the place of worship is also being restored with the community\'s financial contribution.



The small town in Bharatpur district continues to witness a deep communal divide, with the rival Gujjar and Meo Muslim communities blaming each other for an old dispute over a piece of land that reportedly led to the confrontation, followed by police firing and a mob attack on the mosque on September 14. Ten people lost their lives. Meos claim that two persons are still missing.



The series of steps taken by the Congress-led government, including the suspension of the Collector and the Superintendent of Police, to provide relief to victims seemingly did not go down well with the Gujjar community. "The [State] government has not acted impartially and is trying to appease Muslims," village elder Mohan Singh Gujjar told The Hindu.



Gujjars in the town are apprehensive that the community\'s youths may be arrested on charges of murder and rioting. Though the leaders do not admit it, most of the young men have left the town and are staying elsewhere with their relatives or friends.



The district administration\'s latest step for restoration of normality is the measurement of the Waqf land on which the mosque is situated and the demarcation of the disputed piece of land, which Meos want to use as a burial ground. Both the communities have been told that the land\'s title would be decided after the due process involving correction in records.



While huge crowds turned up in the markets after the curfew was completely lifted, the attendance of children in the local schools continues to be low. According to the local residents, this shows an urgent need for renewed efforts to restore amity.



Meos, who attended the Friday prayers in large numbers, point out that their demand for removal of policemen belonging to the Gujjar community from Gopalgarh and half-a-dozen police stations in the nearby villages has not yet been accepted. Besides, the policemen who actually fired indiscriminately on the people praying in the mosque have just been sent to the Police Lines.



Yunus Salim, former Sarpanch of Aadiya village, said the curfew and prohibitory orders after the bloodshed were used for obliterating evidence. "Policemen cemented holes on the walls caused by bullets, removed tiles and meddled with the crucial pieces of evidence later collected by the CBI."



Mr. Salim said the Meo community would expect the ruling Congress to remove Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal for his failure to prevent the violence and making 'irresponsible statements\' afterwards, justifying the firing. Of the two youths stated to be missing, one is from Dhondh village in Ferozepur Jhirka of neighbouring Haryana.



Seeks justice

According to Maulvi Mohammed Rashid of Meel Kheda madrasa, communal harmony could return to the region if justice was delivered in real terms: "Making no arrests on the pretext of handing over the case to the CBI and giving a free hand to the communalised administration does not send across the right signals."



Even as both sides have confidence in a fair probe by the CBI, the district administration has given an assurance for allotment of land for a graveyard at a different place. There is a consensus that political expediency should not be allowed to have any role in the governance, delivery of justice and investigation of the crimes.


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