Haldwani violence result of steady rise in communal tensions in Uttarakhand: Fact-finding report
Citizen fact-finding team, comprising members of APCR, Karawan-e-Mohabbat releases report
A citizen fact-finding team, comprising members of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Karawan-e-Mohabbat, and civil rights activist Zahid Qadri, visited Haldwani on February 14, 2024, to investigate the recent violence that erupted in the region. The team's preliminary findings, based on extensive discussions with members of civil society, journalists, writers, lawyers, and a few affected persons who spoke on the condition of anonymity, reveal alarming details about the events leading to the violence.
Communal Tempers and Polarizing Narrative:
The fact-finding committee’s report asserted violent incident on February 8, 2024, in Banbhulpura, Haldwani, did not occur suddenly; it was the result of a steady rise in communal tensions in Uttarakhand over recent years. The state government, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami, and radical right-wing citizen groups have contributed to a highly polarizing narrative with disturbing elements. The discourse includes creating Uttarakhand as a holy land for Hindus, excluding other religious minorities. Claims of various alleged forms of Jihad, economic and social boycotts of Muslims, and eviction threats have fueled the divisive atmosphere.
“Other strands of this divisive discourse include unsupported extravagant claims of a series of Jihads allegedly waged by the Muslim population of the state including Love Jihad, Land Jihad, Vyapar Jihad, and Mazaar Jihad. One consequence of this discourse has been calls for economic and social boycotts of Muslims. The eviction of Muslim tenets from houses and shops and demands and threats for them to leave the state. Along with this the Chief Minister has made repeated declarations that his government would take the strongest action against “Love jihad” and all the other alleged forms of Jihad. The Chief Minister also has proudly declared as an accomplishment of his government the destruction of 3000 Mazaars, while adopting mostly silence about unauthorized Hindu religious structures in forest and Nazul lands,” the report added.
Disputes and Eviction Notices:
The report also stated that prior to the incident, Haldwani, with a significant Muslim population, experienced small communal clashes and disputes. A prolonged dispute arose around claims by the Indian Railways regarding settlements in Railway land occupied by Muslim residents. Disputes also emerged about the legal ownership of urban land in Muslim-majority areas. The immediate trigger for the recent violence was the disputed ownership of around 6 acres of land claimed by Sophiya Malik, which the state government contends is Nazul land.
Peaceful Resolution Turned Violent:
The situation remained relatively calm until the evening of February 8, when the Municipal office, accompanied by significant police protection, arrived to demolish a sealed Mosque and Madrasa despite the matter being sub-judice. The demolition sparked anguish among residents, especially when police forcibly removed and beat women who stood in front of bulldozers. The refusal to hand over sacred properties before the demolition further fueled community anger. The ensuing violence saw stone-throwing by both sides, injuries to police and residents, and the escalation of tensions.
“Matters continued to be peaceful with the local community satisfied with the intervention of the High Court to resolve the question of ownership however without warning on the evening of 08.02.2024 the officer of the Municipal office with significant police protection arrived with bulldozers and a large contingent of Municipal workers to undertake the demolition the sealed Mosque and the Madrasa despite the matter being sub-judice. There was immediate anguish by the residents and a group of women residents who stood before the bulldozers in a bid to prevent the demolitions. However, both female and male police personnel reportedly not just forcefully removed them but also beat and dragged them. This further inflamed the sentiments of the local community. Their anguish was further aggravated when their plea that the Quran and other sacred properties in the Mosque be respectfully handed over to the Imam before the demolition was also brushed aside’” the report stressed.
Escalation of Violence and Police Response:
The violence rapidly escalated, with crowds setting vehicles near the police station on fire, resulting in parts of the police station being ablaze. The police responded with firing, a measure typically reserved after exhausting less lethal crowd dispersal methods. Conflicting reports exist about when the firing started and when formal shoot-at-sight orders were given. Officially, six people were reported killed, but local residents believe the actual toll may be higher. The imposition of a prolonged curfew and internet shutdown has further heightened tensions and caused significant hardships for the affected community.
Widespread Search Operations and Alleged Police Brutality
Reports indicate that the police conducted extensive search operations in approximately 300 homes, beating residents, including women and children, and damaging properties. Numerous individuals, including young men, women, and juveniles, were reportedly detained and taken to undisclosed locations for interrogation. The fear and dread in the area are exacerbated by the ongoing internet shutdown, preventing residents from communicating their fears and reporting alleged incidents of vandalization and beatings.
“Both senior members of the civil society and the people from the affected areas that we were able to make telephonic contact with including the local journalists reported that the police entered homes an estimated 300 homes extensively for searches, but they reportedly beat up residents including women and children and extensively damaged properties both within the homes and the vehicles parked outside. Large numbers of young men, some women, and juveniles are also reportedly beaten detained, and taken to unreported locations for interrogation. As a result, the entire area is engulfed in fear and dread. This is further aggravated because of the internet shutdown which again continued right till the time of the day of our visit which along with the unmitigated curfew has not allowed the residents to communicate their fears, concerns, and grievances and also report the alleged incidents of vandalization and beatings,” the report added in conclusion.
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Chadha, others wouldn't have left AAP had it followed 'right' path: Anna Hazare
Mumbai (PTI): Social activist Anna Hazare has said Raghav Chadha and six other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha members would not have quit the party had it followed the "right" path.
"Everyone has the right to hold an opinion in a democracy. They (Chadha and others) must have faced some trouble, which is why they left," Hazare told reporters on Friday in Ahilyanagar district of Maharashtra.
AAP Rajya Sabha members Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak addressed a joint press conference in Delhi on Friday, announcing their exit from the Arvind Kejriwal-led party to join the BJP.
Chadha claimed that nearly two-thirds of AAP's Rajya Sabha members had quit the party and would function as a separate faction.
"It is their (AAP leadership’s) fault. Had that party followed the right way, they would not have left," Hazare said.
Hazare reiterated that Chadha and others must have faced difficulties within AAP, and that is why they left. "Had the party gone in the right direction, they would not have quit the party," he added.
"There must be some or the other reason (for their leaving AAP). In a democracy, every person has a view about where to stay and leave," Hazare said.
The Chadha-led exodus marks a significant setback for the Kejriwal-led party since its formation in 2012, which followed the momentum of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement.
