He Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Veer Bahadur Singh, knew about the planned massacre of Muslims in Maliana, and encouraged the idea as a means of teaching the Muslims a “lesson”. The policemen acted with murderous impunity because they knew they had the Chief Minister’s backing.
Mr. Veer Bahadur Singh did this to appease Hindu life and property during the first two days of the riots. This last round of rioting in Meerut, which took such a heavy toll on both sides, was in fact, started by Muslims. The price that was extracted from the community for this effrontery was the arbitrary and willful massacre in the village of Maliana, of “suspects” picked up from the Mohalla Hashiampura, in the heart of Meerut. The police killed wantonly in Maljana village itself, while residents of Hashimpura were taken to the edge of a canal, shot dead, and thrown into the canal.
One senior police officer who objected to this “revenge” plan has been transferred — out of Meerut.
The State government has also launched ‘a major cover up drive by planting false stories to the national news agencies and selected, influential newspapers saying that the 85 persons missing in Maliana have “returned”. (As Sankarashan Thakur reported in “The Telegraph” last Sunday, this is a bit a bit and absolute lie. Pressure was put on this newspaper to prevent the publication of this story.)
Now the Union Home Minister, Mr. Buta Singh, has given central sanction to this lie by categorizing the reports of the Maliana massacre as “disinformation”. Mr. Buta Singh said this at the meeting of the National Integration Committee on Tuesday.
Mr. Veer Bahadur Singh has found it necessary to conduct this cover up because of rumours that his job was in danger after the Prime Minister’s visit to Meerut and his visit to Maliana where he heard the stories of the massacre himself from the local people.
But the cover up is not working because at least members of the police force with some conscience are beginning to speak out, though they are not ready to go formally on record. The district administration of Meerut (which obviously has been guilty) has prepared the report for the Union Home Ministry which concludes that nothing much happened in Maliana.
The State government has opted for silence as the answer to the charge of the massacre of the residents of Hashiampura, in the hope that everyone will simply forget that it ever happened. People from this area were lined up near a canal and shot dead by the Provincial Armed Constabulary.
A lobby around the Prime Minister is trying to persuade him that removing Mr. Veer Bahadur Singh now will lead to the loss of the “Hindu vote” in Uttar Pradesh, and therefore, a way has to be found to save Veer Bahadur Singh. It remains to be seen whether Mr. Rajiv Gandhi will act or will compromise once again in search of yet another elusive vote.
Starting from the reopening of the Babari Masjid following a manipulated court order, Mr. Veer Bahadur Singh has been using the “Hindu” card as a shield with which to defend his Chief Minister ship. Fortunately in India such politics does not work, which is why the Congress is in a shambles today in Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Veer Bahadur Singh has done enough to destroy his party in his own State. We will see whether his destructive finger will now touch the Union government which is hardly blessed with good health either at the moment.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 7, 1987
