The All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) expresses its grave concern over recent incidents in UP, Ranchi etc. in which members of the minority community have been the victims of State violence and terrible injustice.
The last few years have witnessed an unrelenting series of vicious attacks on the minority community. Incidents of lynching and physical attack have been accompanied by a barrage of hate speech, threats of murder and rape etc. Those responsible have gone scot free for the most part despite nationwide protests. The remarks about the Prophet made on national TV are the most recent of these attacks made with complete impunity.
It was only after outrage expressed by the various Islamic Governments, that the Government took action against the official BJP spokesperson who had made these remarks along with another BJP leader.
Large sections of the Muslim community have been outraged by this campaign of hate and what happened on 3rd June in Kanpur and on 10th June in other parts of India were a result of this.
It is most unfortunate that some of these protests became uncontrolled but it is important to remember that only isolated incidents of stone throwing occurred in a few places and the situation was brought under control fairly quickly. Tragically, Ranchi saw the deaths of at least two young Muslims on 10th June. Hundreds of Muslims, including minors, have been beaten and jailed elsewhere.
What is most condemnable is the fact that the UP Government has resorted to the most brazen ‘bulldozing’ of the rule of law and has actually demolished Muslim homes in Kanpur, Prayagraj and Saharanpur. In Prayagraj, the home of someone accused of being the ‘Mastermind’ of the protest, was demolished without any proper notice being issued and in complete contravention of the principles of natural justice. AIDWA also condemns the fact that his wife and daughter were taken away from their home at night by the police. They were subsequently released.
In Kanpur, a building being constructed by a Muslim who has been described by the administration as a relative of the ‘Mastermind’ here (which he denies) was demolished. In Saharanpur, young protestors were brutally beaten by the police in the police station and the homes of two poor Muslims have been broken by the administration.
While AIDWA condemns all acts of police brutality, it expresses grave concern over the way in which the UP Government has taken the law into its hands and meted out draconian punishment in a most arbitrary and outrageous fashion. AIDWA appeals to its units across the country to raise their voices against this injustice. Maintaining communal harmony and peace is the need of the hour.
