NEW DELHI: Top Muslim glans, religious leaders, Members of Parliament and intellectuals, courted arrest outside the Prime Minister’s residence to demand the immediate dismissal of the Maharashtra and Gujarat Governments and handing over the riot affected areas to the Army.

The Muslim leaders assembled at the Gole Methi chowk and staged dhama before courting arrest.

The Muslim leaders, including Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasmi, Dr.Kalbe Sadiq and Qazi Mujahidilisiam, also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, The memorandum said:” All norms of a secular democracy and humanism have been shamelessly violated and a horrible genocide is being perpetrated by fascists, fanatics and maniacs bent upon destroying Muslims life and property.”

The Muslim leaders and members of Parliament were also joined at the dharma by Janata Dal leaders Ram Vilas Paswan and Surender Mohan.

They said the Maharashtra and Gujarat Governments have colluded with the communal and fascist forces in unleashing and committing atrocities against the minorities.

“Bombay is brutally being ravaged by Shiv Sainiks, who are holding the city to ransom and are Supported and helped by the police in their diabolical designs and deeds.” The mule of law has been banished and the Center does not Seem to be concerned at all,” the memorandum said.

It accused the Narasimha Rao Government of exhibiting total lack of contro! and will to contain violence. “The Sangh Parivar is deriving ill-conceived pleasure from the holocaust,” it alleged. The Muslim leaders demanded an immediate and effective action to stop the damage. They said the State Governments should without delay or demur perform their important duty of protecting the life, property and honor of the citizens, The Muslim leaders said paramilitary forces and the police have proved totally ineffective and exhibited partisan attitude, Ram Vilas Paswan said that Muslim leaders and intellectuals would also hold dharma and court arrest on Jan.14 to press their demands. Several other political parties including the Akali Dal, would participate in the dharnas, Paswan said, The memorandum also urged the Government to allow the relief committees to take the sick and injured people to hospitals and provide relief to the needy and poor. The relief committees require adequate police protection to carry out their work, it said.

Other prominent members who. courted arrest were Maulana AsrarulHaq, Mufti Mokarram, Shahmi Imam of Fatehpuri Mosque, Abdul Sattar Yusuf, Ibrahim Sulaiman Sait, MP, Obidulla Hazami, MP, Abdul Samed Siddique, MP, Dr.F.A.Faimi, MP, Syed Shabuddin, MP, E.Ahmed, MP and Kamal Faroouqi, Syed Hasmi, Abdul Wahab Khailji, Jamait Hadith, Mohd Shoab Anjum, rector Shamsul Ulum and Mohd Sufiyan Qasmi, DarulUloom, Deoband. The Muslim leaders said if their demands were not met expeditiously “we shall have to consider other ways and means of securing redress.” Meanwhile, Z.K Faizan, Congress leader on Wednesday demanded the setting up of an inquiry commission headed by sitting Supreme Court judge to probe the communal violence in Bombay and Ahmedabad. He said the commission should also investigate the role of paramilitary and security forces, which he alleged played a partisan role during riots in these two cities. He said the Central leadership should take firm action against the two Chief Ministers of what he called as inept handling of the situation. “It looks that Chief Ministers are hand in glove with the communal forces,” Faizan said.

Article extracted from this publication >>  January 22, 1993