 |
|
Muslim girl crying in a house being attacked
|
By
IOL
South Asia
Correspondent
NEW DELHI
, November 8 (IslamOnline) - After a relative
calm for the past few weeks, violence broke out Thursday, November 7, in
the communally sensitive area of Jamalpur in
Gujarat
's commercial capital Ahmedbad. Seven persons
were injured, some shops and houses gutted and vehicles were damaged in
arson.
Police
opened fire and lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under
control after two groups clashed and indulged in stone throwing and
arson, police said. The injured included a woman.
Tension
prevails in the area, which had borne the maximum brunt of post-Godhra
violence in
Gujarat
early this year. The situation is under
control but still tense," DCP Vikas Sahay said.
Trouble
reportedly broke out when a Hindu group of Diwali festival revelers
approached a Muslim area and burst crackers provoking protest from the
other side. According to reports, some Muslim shops and houses were set
on fire.
Only
last Tuesday, November 5, there was a flare-up between Muslims and
Hindus in Ahmedbad's Gomtipur area. Police units were rushed to the area
to stop the two groups from throwing stones at each other, he said.
The
last ten days of October witnessed seven incidents of communal violence,
complete with mob clashes and bomb blasts.
On
October 26, violence broke out in Juhapura, a predominantly Muslim area
of Ahmedabad. Mobs poured out onto the streets and started attacking
each other with missiles that included crude bombs. Five persons were
injured. This was the result of a road accident in neighboring Vasna.
But members of the two communities got at each other's throats in no
time.
On
October 22, violence erupted at Dindhrol village in Patan district. The
reason for rioting in this case was a noisy procession of Hindu
worshippers. While passing a mosque, Hindus were asked to stop beating
drums. They refused, causing arson, stone throwing and violence between
the two communities. The recovery of a body of a 22-year-old youth a day
later only worsened matters.
On
the same day, tension gripped Nadiad town where stone-throwing erupted
after a youth travelling on a scooter was hit by a stone. Several
persons were injured in this incident.
|
|
Securityman guarding a ransacked shop in Ahmedabad Muslim area |
The
general atmosphere of tension has placed the people in a state of
constant alert for any sign of trouble. Says Qamruddin Hussain, owner of
Hotel
Garden
in Juhapura, "We are now programmed in
such a fashion that at any hint of trouble, my staff down the shutters
in record time."
Talk
of peace elicits a sneer from retired director-general of police, MM
Singh. "There is no determination on the part of law enforcing
agencies to bring an end to the mindless violence. That violence breaks
out at the drop of a hat eight months after it started is proof
enough," Times of India quoted him as saying.
The
communal polarization and tension are so complete that any small
incident may lead to a big flare up. The Hindu ultra nationalist
extremists of the VHP and BJP want to keep the pot simmering in order to
consolidate their vote bank and benefit in the state legislature
elections next month.
|
|
Iraq:
- Text of U.N. Security Council Resolution on Iraq
- EU, Germany, Canada Welcome U.N. Resolution on Iraq
- U.N. Resolution Sets 2 Clocks Ticking For Iraq, Blix in Baghdad in 10 Days
- Bush, Blair Warn Iraq of Military Action If Defying U.N. Resolution
- Chirac, Powell, Annan Asked Syria to Vote For UN Iraq Resolution
- U.N. Unanimously Votes to Start Arms Inspections in Iraq
Ramadan
-
Ramadan in Kuwait Charitable
-
Tunisia Celebrates The Year’s
Holiest Month
-
Ramadan In Palestine: Tragedies,
Suffering and Poverty
-
Ramadan Holds A Special Significance for Indian Muslims
-
Ramadan’s Economic
Activities in Pakistan
- Brussels Denies Turkish Membership Would Spell "End" of EU
- China's Jiang Signals Retirement, Glorifies Achievements
- Morocco's King Names New Coalition, Islamic Party In Opposition
- Rice Porridge A Favorite Ramadan Dish for Malaysians
- Pakistani Court Restrains Extradition of Bin Laden-Linked Surgeon
- Contradicting Reports About Bali Suspect, Investigations Still On
- Fresh Riots in Gujarat, Seven Injured
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
