Left slams police inaction, partiality in violence-hit Jahangirpuri

A fact-finding team of Left parties that visited the violence-hit Jahangirpuri on Monday accused the Sangh Parivar affiliates of using religious occasions and festivals to create communal tension while pointing fingers at the "inaction" and "partiality" in the actions of police.

A 13-member team from CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) and Forward Bloc visited Jahangirpuri which was hit by violence during a Hanuman Jayanti procession organised by Hindutva organisations last Saturday and demanded a time-bound judicial probe to "unravel the truth which will no doubt bring to light the diabolical efforts being made by the Sangh Parivar to disturb communal harmony" in the national capital.

The Left parties also demanded that the President and the Home Minister should "immediately intervene to reverse the partiality" of the Delhi Police.

The fact-finding report said that there has not been a single incident of communal clash in the locality and Hindus and Muslims have been living together for decades. Bengali Muslims have been living in Jahangirpuri since the inception of this resettlement colony, at least for four decades.

Also read: Majority of shops shuts, situation remains tense in Jahangirpuri

"It is shocking that the BJP should term them as 'illegal' or describe them as Rohingya refugees. They are bonafide citizens of Delhi," the report said.

According to the report, a group of 150-200 people "armed with weapons" and accompanied by "loud DJ music" were roaming in processions since afternoon on Saturday raising slogans. Quoting bystanders, the report said some of those in the procession waved pistols and swords, which are "confirmed by videos shown on various TV channels".

"Loud and aggressive slogans were being given. The team was informed that this was not a procession organised by local people but was organised by the youth wing of the Bajrang Dal with most from outside the area," the report said. Two police jeeps with just two police personnel each were accompanying the procession.

The violence started during the third round of procession in Block C where Bengali-speaking Muslims stay. "The fact is that the incidents occurred when the procession stopped outside a mosque at the exact time when those who were keeping 'roza' were gathering at the mosque for the prayer," the report said.

It questioned the police action to allow the procession to stop in front of the mosque at a time a crowd of Muslims have gathered there and if it is called a conspiracy, then police itself has a responsibility.

It was at this time stone-pelting started from both sides and some residents also said "arms were later brought by some elements in the minority community", the report said. "There was a fear among the residents near that area that the processionists would enter the mosque and that the police were not taking any action. Those in the procession were outnumbered and ran away," the report said.

Also Read: Jahangirpuri clashes: 23 arrested, police say nobody involved will be spared irrespective of class, religion

The report said that the fact-finding team saw some cars and a motorcycle which were burnt. A shop belonging to a Hindu was looted. Police who came to the spot were caught in the cross stone-pelting and some suffered injuries.

After the incident, the report said, police conducted raids in the area and made "indiscriminate arrests" and when women tried to find out from the police why their homes were being raided, "male police punched them in the stomach and beat them".

When the fact-finding team went to the police station, the report claimed, they were surprised to find that Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta and local MP Hansraj Hans accompanied by people shouting Jai Shri Ram slogans were addressing a press conference inside the premises in the presence of police officials.

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