Aligarh still in Communal tension.
Hindu Mahasabha asks community in restive Aligarh to arm themselves.
Anuja Jaiswal | TNN | Aligarh | Nov 3, 2016:: As tension continues to prevail in Babri Mandi Area of Aligarh, which witnessed communal clashes on Monday night, the Hindu Mahasabha has asked members of the community to arm themselves with swords and tridents (trishuls) and has even offered to arrange arms licences for them.
The “arm yourself” call by Hindu Mahasabha’s UP unit comes at a time when the administration is planning to send notices to those who were involved in the violence and ask each one of them to sign a bond of Rs 20 lakh as a preventive step to de-escalate the prevailing tension and prevent further clashes. The call issued by Hindu Mahasabha’s spokesperson Ashok Kumar Pandey has upset the Muslims, who are now accusing BJP, RSS and their affiliates of fomenting trouble with an eye on the assembly elections in the state.
Though on the face of it, the situation in the congested lanes of Babri Mandi appears normal, with residents going about with their daily routine under the watchful eyes of a huge posse of police personnel, tension is palpable and the bitterness between the two communities evident. The blame game between the communities continues, each accusing the other for disturbing the communal harmony in the area.
Admitting that the situation was tense but under control, Aligarh senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rajesh Pandey said 40 people involved in the violence have been identified. He said notices would be slapped on all these people and each of them would be asked to sign a bond of Rs 20 lakh to ensure that they do not indulge in any violence in future.
A sense of insecurity prevails among the members of both the communities. Though no one wants a repeat of Monday night’s events, the people are apprehensive that trouble may brew again.
Talking to TOI, Shahbuddin (55), who was injured during Monday night’s violence, alleged that doctors at Malkhan Singh Hospital, refused to treat his fractured leg. Alleging that they are witnessing the worst forms of “polarisation”, Shahbuddin said, “While injured members of the other community are being provided immediate treatment, we are being turned away on one pretext or the other.”
Masroor Ahmed, an Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) employee whose name figures in the FIR registered by police, claimed that he had been booked even though he was nowhere near the spot where the clashes happened. “Groups belonging to the other community accosted me when I was returning home after offering evening namaz at the nearby mosque,” said Ahmed, alleging that the men had even threatened to kill him.
Meanwhile, Hindus living in the area alleged that the other community members have been making life difficult for them. They claimed that a businessman from the area had put up a “house for sale” poster on his property on Wednesday because of the prevailing insecurity. The poster was taken off only after local police gave him the assurance that he and his family would be provided protection.
Gaurav Sharma, a resident of the area, alleged that youths belonging to the other community indulge in eve-teasing and target Hindu girls. He said Monday’s violence was triggered by an eve-teasing incident.
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