Mukundan C, Menon# 6 Sumanta Banerjee* “The recent communal disturbances in aligarh were caused by a series of tension-ridden events which vere allowed to develop from June this year, by both the local Janata Party leaders and the City Administration. It reached the tragic climax on October 5, 1978, when Hindu communalists ran berserk ugu{nst poor Muslims. The Provincial armed Constabulary of Uttar Fradesh: echoed the same Hindu communal sentiments by shooting down anc killing innocent and unarmee Muslims." This {s whet we gathered from our on-the-spot study in Aligarh on Octobir 21 and 24 ane after tnterviewing a cross section of people {n both the affected and unaffected arcas, including both biased ané unbiased Hindus and Muslims as well as leaders of various political purtics ranging from the Congress(1) to the erstwhile Jana Sangb/KSS of the Janata Furty. F Even after two weeks of the major events we felt that the situation wis still tense, This is becsuse the disturbances of October § were not an {solated wad spontancous expresgion of communal hutred among the common people, but because the causes that led to the riot are still very much there an¢ are likely to be exploited by the vested political interests in the near future The immediate cause thet sparked off the tneteents of October 5 was the ceath of o Hinéu wrestler, Suresh alias bhorey, from stab wounds. bhorey's eying statement alleged that the assault has been inflicted by five people. According to Mr. Krishna Kumar ‘Navaman', Presi¢cnt of the aligarh Janata Party and erstwhile Jana Sangh leacer, Shorey could icentify three of the five assai- lante all of whom were Muslims, But the statements recorded by us from other political figures and social workers suggest that both sices comprised of mere gangsters and rough-necke drawn from both Hincus anc Muslims. about Bhorey, everyone with whom we talked agreed that he was 4 notorfous anti-social element. This {fs vhat Mr, Navaman hes to say about Bhorey: "Bhorey belonged to 2) id fos . Go “Mr. Mukunron C. Menon ind Mr. Symunta Banerjee are scting- Seqretary end Courdinetion Conmittce Mamber respeerively of veople's Union for Civil Libertice (betht State).the Ceng(I) on4 during the emergency bis gnng of criminnls ewe to be know rs the "golden gang." Though this ws cormmborated hy Mr, Iqbal A.Ansari, of the Enrlish Dopertment of Aligerh Muslim University rnd leeder of the People's Union for Civil Liberties, Aligerh Unit, he sided: "With the ndvent of tho Janate Party, Theroy chenged his loyalties nnd beenme n ctonge of the Jenatn, ao ie eemen Mth atch umer-world elaents," We found Bhorey's death was not a sequel to the fight over wrestling competitinn on Septenber 12 et a Mela five miles avay from Alignrh aa wes reported by the Delhi-baaod nationel dailies. From telking with » cross-section of the people in Aligerh, we eemo to tho conclusion that Phoroy's doath wan result of intorgeng fight. Let us reompitalate the events of October 3 when Bhorcy wao stabbed, In Aligarh every proprietor of e cinema hell hes to maintain a gang of rough-necks on his payroll to otave off di aturbances ovoy the sale of tickets, Phorcy wn apparently maintained hy the owers of Seemn Talkies, where thero waa a muaicel function arranged by the lopal Fhemistst Associ tion on vctoker 3 for the pirposo of flood relief, During the function Phorey wa assmulted outside the einoma hell by » group of rivel tough, The ronson veo "rivalry ovor the area of Anflmonse nd clientele of the cincme houses", mecorsing to Dr, Inpeh Anerri, decording to Mr. Kumer Davendra Pal Sirch, VieoPros tent of District tonereesti) "there were Hindu members in the group with stribed “horey vherona Phorey's gmup als) included Muslim tougha", Wie radcdt "enyone hrving communel feclings is an antlomeial elenomt, whether he is e ifina: or » Muslin,” The story of this group rivelry hetwoon touch gengs, without n tinge of comune] fccling was further orroboretca by meny other people incluting political figures, pmndendes ent the locrl populnce whom we intervicwcd, Commine] Tensions “ver the Aligerh Mualin “niversity Before coming to the retunl events of the aay when Rhorey ves acclored derd (Cetober 5) end the regilting @Motirbances, wo wala Ike to chrow light on ame developments that preceded and to’ which ve referred to wt the beginnirg of this report, Cur tem found from interviewing verious sources that eomnal tensions kira been building up at ALigerh for quite some time over novtain esucs, One of the main Ssaios wna the Aligerh Muslim University (a) PAL! which urn before Perliament, nnd wich amght to reiterete the rinority eherecter of tho institution. In fact, emong some of the main figures involved in the communel digturbanees of October 5, there sro tw wlLknow Hing serdeniest Mr, M.D. Gupta, leetrer in the Psychology opertnent af the wU, end Mr, Menge Rem, a leeturer in the Hiralal Vernaend Tegrec Gnllege. Poth ere reportes to belong to the eretwile Jonr Sangh, These lerrtea nendanielans are helicved to havo oppored tho-5- B11] snd crrricd on n capnign since June this yeer against tho proposed 'ninority chereeter! of the University. & meeting vas held in fugust this ycer, sniq to be presided by Mr. Shiv Heri Sengnl, ansther erstiile Jenr Songh onder end on importent Janata Party member and ~ lawyer, Speeches vare ~elieved to hrve been deliver ? rt thet meeting wrning egninct the passing of the AU BALL, According to those who attended the mecting, the sPerkora warned Uiet 1f the Bill urs prssed “Aligarh would be mado into eno ther Marathunda — the obvious reference to the anti-Herijan riots sparked off hy the upper-saste people of Mrrathwate rerion egeinst the nezing of the University there after ‘r, Anbedkri, Thrt feelings rer high mong Hineu commnalists of Allrrrh over the AY 1s corrobornted. by both Hindi ns woll na Musli personalities, Mr, Krishna Kumer 'Nevamant seid: "In tho pect, out of the totel sents 80 percent vero reserved for those who pasidng out from Aligerh colleges affiliated to @MU sho ere mrinly Muglina; 10 pereent for the nominees of the Vico-Mancellor; ni the.renaining 3A percent left for stucents sutside Aligarh, tins giving a mengre chance for Hinéa students, In 1978, however, n change waa nrde to this pettern shere the respective proprtion is 7n + a lo. At presont, in the Cormerce clnss, for exemple, there rre 112 Muslims against 0 Hinaus of the total 12) students, Aa a remit, Hintu studonts wanting to ctuay et the MU pre pt» aisnavantegeous position,” | Dr, Irfan Hrbib of W's History Deperinent, wio iserlo a el Listovien, corroboreted this by saving that there wc a sort of discrininrtion erainat Hindus in the KW beentse of the emission policy, "There 4s certein «mount of proference for Muslin studenta, The Hineu stutents siudying in the convent sciool werd not mdmitted in 4MU oven 4f they got more marks then the Much! Hinaf prrenta living et Aligerh, therefore, often toreed to scnd their chilsron outside the tow for ravenced stuntes, heemise of the venrt!. in conta reserved for nomninority exrm. dudes", Dr. Hebi obsc..ed. According to Mr. Kuner Dovendrn Pal Sing, the clihax of the eonmunel feelings steadily built up by the crctuhile Inne Sench mesber and the present RSS rencied tts height on etober 5, He, entimed: "This wes not a commun] rhot,. rether x politienl frenmy wth the Aligerh Muslin University ms the backersund, The eczsrn! reactionery fors2s, who were alueys opposed to the Allerg University ena who were conspiring since June this yerr, crested the @aturbences ro e dress-rehersel for the fbire, Tho ¢rma Srngh clenente in the aligerh Jonnts Party are cut. to exploit t neitont to serve their mein cempeign egninst the M7 bill. Th osnre led by Mr, Krishne Suner Navrmen, President of Aligeris Jonain Pertr, and Mr, Guiv Herl Sangel, crstutdle Jane Sangh Presifc:t, with the netive support of Mr. B.De Gusta end Mr, Manga firm -- both lecturers 4, MU." C0. f4)w4e In this connection it wula be worthwhile to mention that wo cane eoriss reports strongly surgesting thet both Mr. Quote #nd Mr, Mengn fon heve boon ngiteting for quite mnetine for setting up another university et AMigerh, which stoula be, ncerraing to then “gomuler" in charr -ter, Mr, Neveman wes cshette on the Atoeriminetory cherectir of the ANU, “kecoraing to him Aligarh city comprises of noatly Hindus (60 percents 40 percent upper easto and 2 "percent lovor seote, the rest 40 percent being Muslins), and therefore the present. pattern end set up of the university aula undergo » vitel chango. We would now like to throw light on another cnse of rormnal tenaton thet hea been building up. From telks with the Maslin inhrbitente of Menrk Chowk, the wrat afferted area of Aligerh during the Yetober 5 Flot, ve rerched to the conclusion thet the Hintus heve teen trying to oust the Muslime fron the aren for quite some timc. There ere hardly ten or fifteen Muslim houses in the itindu dominsted pron of "anak Chowk, Aesoraing to Mr, Kumar Davenare Pal Singh, Manck Chowk is a strong RSS welt, Mr, Krishne Kumer Nevemen's house i also in the anme Yohrlla. Aerorting to the affected Muslim vietima in anak Choxk arce tho RSS clenents ackes them to leave the houses or face serious eonacqioncon, Most of the Muslims living there mre fruit-eollern, brass ken’ tere: venders ona cxployeen in amell fectories nna ther mint dnauctri nl estebliahmonts, Ineidentelly, those were the pconle who wre the malt fergets of attrck on Metober 5 es vill be evident from tho resort of the aetuel incldcnts thet wll he Aescrihed, he Imediete Cru We woula now Ike to come to the irmeatnte ruses of the October S Aimburhances, és for ra we cowl sathcr, there wero tw or throo Aneldents thrt oreceses the namlt on Phoroy, on Odtober $, ana his death on Metober §, According to Mr, Krishna Kumer Newmman, onc Mr, Viehm Dutt who ues the roferce mt the wrestler's mntch of Soptenber 42, ves roseultea ty Muslims on Septenber «, Thin weg followea ty the strbbir.: of © Muslin on September 15, which tna rorroborrtes hy many Aneluaing Mr, Nevenan, (n September 48, one Knoher Mel] = a Hine Wes nasaulted en? Aled on Septenber JR, There mre tw: differont versions ~ regering bis death, Wile Mr. Nevenan thinka that he vas a vietin of Muslim comminali an, other important personnlities of Aligerh foc) that it wre a sequel tor fondly quarrel, Mr, Naveman geve the stetistice of murders heforc the riot sterted to estrhlish his anmument that tho whole Anefaont wes e roailt of Muslim vengence: "Kacheramal we rurdered on 18th Septonber; Suresh/Rhorey on 5 Octoher et 3.39 p.m; and Rathan Le1 ena Genegh Lel at 3.48 the sate any. "All these wero Mindi a, end oll others including Muslims, were killea faring tho rit", Mr. Neveren ascertained, He further addeds "ahout five months beck there veo n truck inciaent killing one Muslin st the university erer and the Muslin eormni ty irmedintely vent on rampage burning tip other tricka", Ce. 5)thers, w felt thet this truck incident 2 in other Liprents thrt led to the Oetoher § rot were howver toneture, From cyowtness qeesunts, #a ues eorrolorated hy all politien! -raers, public figures ona mchel workers, tho facts thet onerge throws Almal ert on the District Atministration of Aligerh in ellowing the tregic events to reech its climex wieh eoula have heen ehecked with proper ection in time. On October 5, Shorey une declerca acnd in the District Hospitel, situate? in the heart of Aligerh, on? the District Megistretc, epprehenaing trouble, posted scMor offieiela incluaing SP (City), AUM(City), City Megistrete, and the PAC men at tho hospital, But in solte of wll those procmtions, when Bhorey's death wa announces his associates, who hea p-thered outside the hogpitel mich errlicr, "snatched" the dead boay from the official mistody, From verious surces cur tenn camo to know that those who "onatchca” the aead boty conaiatea of perple who woro earlier Aeteinea hy the police tut wore released unter presmre, including ghereo, hy tho crotuhile Jena Sane nna RSS men lea by Mr, Krishna Kuner Navemen, We, thereforc, foun4 the vhole epiaode roleting to the Nenatahing" of tend boay ng mysterious, since mick nn inefaont could hove happenea even in the prozence of the armed PAC pnd other senfor offioiels prrticulerly when there were tensions since September 12, Also, it de ommon knouleare thet the boay of anyone killed from asemult shoulda be whjectea t» post-mortem, Mut in this ease, nothing of this sort happened an’ the body wes allowed to be “matched” away. Fut from our tall ‘ar tonn wes Curther mystified by the lnter hapoenings, Wile the "anntehe?™ aoe boy of Thorey wes token out in nn Lilegel proecssion rlong rrors wheh re known ty be senaitive for commnal riots, the rma PAC ena the local polien simply kept quite by accompanying the prrcasion, The processionists were thus allowed to carry the Yory towents Abul Keri Choureh ena Uper Kot, elong the mein merketing eontre pn? n Muslim doninstea rrep, instena of proceeaing towarda the qrenntion groun? which Mes in an entirely Aifferont AMreetion, It to pertine't t note thet the processionists shottted provocetive sloxens emmute, like "Khoon ke hrala khoon” (Dlooa for bloc’), and "%& ke Wadle aan” (tin for one) according t> mony eyeedtnesses, ‘There were aifferences regarding some slogans, While the Congress (I) elains thet the precosionists nlso raises provocative alogara egainct Muslims, Mr. Neveman llegea that they shoutea "Jenate Party muraebna", Howver, none of our respontents Acnio’ the proceasionistat shouting provoertive slogens which is clerr intication of the miserable fedlure of the A’mint stration in checking the proteacion frm passing through scneitive nna rlot-prone erces, All of then enndemnes this Inretion on the part of the police, except Mr, Nevanant "The police seule nt stop the procession carrying the dont hoay of Rhoroy because f the “tremendous mil teney" of the pertietpenta vio were inn "furfous moa", He however charged thet the ormeeasioniate were loa vy Conrreas (I) ana Youth Congreas people sho wre followers of Cl. fe)vreyts melden cane", Mr. narrated another instrnce of conmunel hetrea: "in » mone in Aligerh enst, some pork meat wna foun? sonc time brck, None knows who Wea responsible for it. Indire Genaii visite? Alicerk, ena mccoring to our information all the inctAcnts prior to the riot were hat :c4 by Congreas(I) to further Mrs, Grnahits election chences n+ Chickenagelar®, As fer ps our teem coula huila up the sequence of events fron the pvnileble evidence, the proceasioni sts plncoa the body in the miAdlo of the rord lesaing to Uper Kot, dccoraing to come other reports, the processionists hea alresdy stertea looting shops, mainly those owned by Muslims, on their wey en@ hea eosmlted x fow Muslizs. In fret some Muslims were assaulted right in the hospital compound in the presence of top officlels, We ceme across come other reports suzgesting nat the Muslims from the Uper Kot aren, afturted on a slightly higher level, resorted to brick-hatting on the marchingain procossiont sto carrying the Aeed boay, The Role of the P. Fut whatever the sequénee is, the team wre convince? of one fact vidch wee rorroborated hy both the contending parties — — linais pms Muslins -~ az well ns the politicnl opponents in Aligarhs "The Provincial Areca Gnstchulery (PheC.) resorted t+ firinit indiscriminately", Altioueh the PedeCe veo ortered to fire in the air to Almerse the fighting nob, 1t vac quite evident to the tenm that they Sirea Aeliborntely at the Murlin houses, We cme across severe] Muslim houses in the Manek how ren herring sullet merks, When we wero inspecting the mullet marke on Oetoher 21 (16 says after the Mrint) we cola seo the PRO men still poetes on the mofe of some high hullaines (owed by Hints) wth thir !flep rimed nt us ona the Muslim houses, Accoraing to Mr, Iqhn] dnseri of AW, n Einar pontlemen of the nren tan naked on Getober 8 hy the PAC men to daontdty the Muslin houses 12 that they emda shoot that trom & ventare point, . The story of Mr. Kuner Davenarn Pal Singh, OONG(I) lenaor, Wen corroborrtes ly meny of our respensente: tan Termel Inne {3 @ nerkct prea shere ine pertiouler portion only Muscling Mre. Tio {5 nbouto.5 kam, fron Aiea) Karin Chovteh, wb Hina: eormunalists were there meking trout les on etober 5, pn4 it unc froe of provocations, In spite of nil these, the trigcerhappy PeAsCe men marcher Into. tho pron en? fires on the Muslims. Twp pereons ated Skemin, clerk, tn Aballe Girls Collere, who sicaumher to his Yullet injuries only on Ath Yctoker, ana the other who vane from Meerut dn search of Job pn@ vas staying in dligerh with » guost," * (see)=o According to the ovicences ve collected, another Muslim uss Killes in the seme aren es a result of gich Aclibornte firing. The victim, bolonging to Benrres, happener to be insiae e Momuo in the locality when n tuclet hit him, Incitontn?ly all these throo victins were hit by bullets wien they vero inside thelr houses or mosque, We rlso learnt thet beceuse of Gienin's mirder, tho Administration fenrea thet the nova might sperk off another riot — this timo hy Muslins ~ - on the pattern thet wns sot off by Bhorey's aenth, Put nothing happened. Mr, Kuner Devenara Pel Singh namitted that the PAC of Utter Frogesh hea trafitionelly been a ruthless force and mtorious for its cruclty, "It merely Lives up to its tradition this time", he adaoa, Severe] of our respontents also claimes thet the recruitment to PAG from the Muslim community is rostrictea to a very great extent, Wo ourselves cule not locate » single Muslin mong the large contingent of PAC men rosming in the city, , However, the only praise for the PAC vhich ve heard in Aligerh crme from the Jenate Party Preaiaont Mr, Krishne Kumer "Nevemen”, He felt thrt if the police ena the PAC were not there, the "alturtion coula heve tekon 9 turn for the wrse for the Hints", decoraing to him, it wns the Muslims who hea attacked the Hinaus first when they caro to Uper Kot with Bhorey's Aena hoay, He aefentea the PAC'g firing at the Muslin housetol’s on the ¢rount thet the Muslins haa "firea® mt the PAC, He claimea thet the Muglizs omea "unlicensed guns" ana that the alatrict edninistretion hra not seizes the guns in spite of complaints mate about then", @n our reverted query, he mdmitted thet he ald not know shether pny PAC or policemen were injured by Muslim gun shots, He rlso confirmed our finding that no Hinay house hea beon burnt down on attacker. We were, however, shown a few turnt shops near the Kotwell police station suppose to be HintLowned, Put these Hindi shops vere flanked by fe Irtee mmber of Muslim shops All of which were burnt, (n the other hena, we noticed, at least in tun pleces, iglated Muslim shopa looted end burnt bile the majoining Hinai shops left untouchea, We Ala not sdtness n single such isnletea Hina: shop es w tarzot of ettack. The Aftermeth ot Menek Chovks We visited severnl houses in Mansk Chouk, walked alenp the narrow lanes an4 by-lenes and talks to the inhebitante to gether the exact information 3 to what really happonea there on @ctoher 5. Accorain to the inhabitants, at lonst 12 people were killea only in Menrk Chowk (rvrainst the official figure of 12 ns the totel mmber of ®enth). The first house we visited uae House Mumber 304 in Mera No, 13, two Muslims were killea here, named Idequat, aged 35, ent Mukhtler ngea 43, They wre fruit-vendors, We wore shown m long (... 8)eae spear (ebout 5) wth which they were piereod to acath and which Wes left by the assellents, The room in wich thoy vere killea, ves rengrcke’, The wrenfolk vho vitnessea the scenc are still inp Arner sunte, Tho vtnesses connlninca to the police mt the Madar Geto Police post wich is in cherge of th.. aren nnd situetoa only a fow hu. garas from the secne elong with n Hct of names of the Burders, One of then ts Setya, oon of Alijerh City Jenate Perty Fre@idens tir. Krich seen with p gun supervicir> the ne hone of those whose nares were piven ts the others ere still roming prount the nrca fins bes been wrecutes, ‘hile » fow heve fled, In the adjoining house, No.325, the owner Snrveri Begum who Was e witness to the scene tola the team that the bory of ono victim who waa killea Fy the sporr wna out into tw ana flung into the burning pyre. Accoraing to her the HSS clements triea to teke possession of the Muslin praises in the locality rbout tw wocks beck asking then to vacrte the houses or face Aire eonsequences, An amount of Rs. 2,000 kept by her an’ nant for Hin} pilgrimare ues also lootes. The police, efter more than 5 hours of inactivity, camc sna merely took Aown the rejort, Even though the culprits were dAonti fica Fy the Jocel people they were not arrestoa, Sarvari Begum's house was eonpletes ransacke® An? ve saw the broken boxes ena othor belonrines dying p21 round as contteres, Pointing to her burnt houge, she showod us the next tell Hineu tudlaings fiom Were petrol wag poured aow follows by cotton fircbelles, The next house we vicites waa No.2i5 in the sane wera, Three People were killea herr : Sileman, son of &bALL Rahmen, Reif ana an unknowt rickshewmaller who Aia’not belong to the aren but happenca fe be present in the lscality ena wes ceur'.t up in the communal frenzy. The rikiarwulerts tenth wes the ghastlicst. 1. uns fret hanged from p rose rha then cunbhea, We sew U which is still there es eri naer of the treveay, Hew: teken Aown ha burnt one hews led vonaorts mich eart, All vhis wos Aone in the presence of the territies Loeml people, acesrting vo tr. Irfan Habib of AM, the rikshaw puller warn rectaent of Sohrrbe. noms Dorhpar, Allgerh ent he left wot wth hia Scher before lertr aping to Lami Circne to pick up customers Marin: tie firet show, Wo also saw the chrrred remains of the cart, wiore we coula still meke out wurnt bones mn’ renrine ~£ bangles itifch the ven@r usc’ to soll. Harif, the ocaiprnt of the house, sea that the house wns ettackes by know RSS’ elements like Beku, Kesar Dev, Suresh, Ratha Chrren, Tillo>, ana Une, The house wes completely turnt sown, lesving no mof nna only the charred Wells now ranein, (..6f9)=O Tho next house was No,246, Hore » newly married Muslin, celled Selim, ngea 19, wes shot aena by » mtorious roughneck of the aroa celles Behatur end his accomplice, Laxmi, Both are still st large. Thus, rlmost every Nuslim house in Menak Chovk carried » trlo of tregedy - ~ cither killings, or loot, or areon, Tho carnage started from 5,30 pam, on October 5, hours after curfew was imposes, and lasted until mianight. In spite of repeetea requests to tho nonrby police strtion, no help ceme. aadea to the assault by the Hinar conmunelists, wes the indlecriminate firing by the PAC, "It vas a mircele how we survived", sei@ a small boy from Ma, Manmr Ahmedta house Aeseribing the showering of bullets end shoving us the marks on the walls, Mony inhabitants of the locelity, incluaing the lnrge mmber of victins, complained thet eMong the prominent pereoneli tics who led tho ntteck were Mr, Krishne Kumar 'Nevamants son ena Mr, B.D. Gupte of the MMU Psychology Depertment, They pointes out the high builaings of the Hintus from where the letter were alleged to have throw petrol. bombs on the lowlevel Muslim homes, Meny gich homes were reauced to cinters, From availeble reports, ve coula make out that the concontration of attack on Manak Qhovk hea nothing to Ao with the mein procession earrying Bhorey's den-boay, The attack was pre-planned aA was a part of the threntence plen to oust the few Muslin houses thet romainea in the pre-ominately Hindu erce (referred to earlor), Neighbouring Hina houses, which surmun the few Muslim settlements, became the main ‘arsenals for the Hindus sho from the moftops poltea prickbats, petrol honbs on@ other sumfnition on the Muslim houses. AccorAing to’ some reports, the Muslims resisted for quite some time, but they finally he to gdvo’ wry. Ween Mr, Krisnnn Kumar 'Navamen's attention vas arawn to tho ghastly Ancitents of Menek Ghovk, the rftormeth >f which we witnossea, he onld thet the Hinais vio were trying to escape the PAC firing by fleoing through Monak Chowk vere ettacked by the Muslims, ana they, therefore, retelinted by "burning few houses", Ho aadods "Won the troublo starter at Menck Qiovk, I informea the police, The trouble sterte at 5.90 p.m., but the policemen reached there only et 12,00 p.m. Tho Muslims in my erce heve confimea thet I an innocont and that it 4a 1 sho protcete then, This they havo ‘one in writing.” But the Cong.(I) lender, Mr, Kumar Davenera Fel Singh, rejected this claim: "It is false. Anyone can manipulate to get this done, Bven I can ao that boing r Minea, from the Muslim community, or even from menbers of RSS," C...f0)The Polition! Remificn The siturtion following the October 5 Aisturbances is further exacerbrter by the Aifferences an? jockeying for power among the ocr) politicns, To stert vith, tho 4M) rh unit of the Jamta #erty 6 Aivicc*, Of the 20 rerbers, nt lecct 18 nre reportea to have signed n strtenent Accending the renovrl of Mr. Nevenen fron presitentship, Mr, Nevemen guspects thet Dr. Fannalal of the erstwhile GongressC, ate to personel rivalry, 1s trying to oust him, He aloo alleges that the GoneressI 1s fomenting conmunel troubles, mn? referrca in this connection to Mrs, Genhi's UP visit just before the Oetober 5 fneiaents, He contime: "Within tho Janata Party, the B.L.D. faction has alrenay abused Mr. Morerji Desai ana Mr. Jeg jivan Ren beortse of their sons. Now they went to melign the imeo of the entire dene Sangh utilising the nane of RSS, Dr, Pannalal, who wea corlicr Aoniod Jenate Mik ticket ent felled to become the Presiaent of ALigerh Jenate unit, joined henas wth the supporters of Raj Narain ‘to teke eaventee of this siturtion to abase mn@ throw me out of power", Folitienl observers of Aligarh point out thet right from the Central through the Strte, aown to the alstrict level, the Janata High Command is compelled to aepen# on the fomer Jena Sangh component of the party ep now the BLD faction 1s trying to bring atmut the aownfall of the prescnt miling perty, The U.P, Qief Minister, Mr, Rem Naresh Yoav, although belonging to the former BLD esnnot affora to antaronice the Jrne Sengh menbers -n whose sipport he has to Aepena to retain bio position, He hes very reluctently ntreea to the promsoa juaietal ingiry int, the Aligerh happenings, ana there 1s a strong suspicion in Alivarh thet Mr. Yedov wula nt like to teke any strong retion reeinst the Jena Sangh, kolitienl observers of Allverh els) sco the sane moa reflectea in the stetument nee by the Jeneta Gilet, Mr. Chanare Shekher, Wthout releasing the fll report of the Centrel Janate throa-nen team, vbich ving sont to investierte {nto the élirnrh ricts, Mr, Chenare Shekher uns reported to have exonerstea the RSS, Fron wipt ve heard in Alignrh (perticulerly fron those who met the Janetn three-man teen) there appears te be tw versions of the originel report submittea by the tean to the Centrsl High Comnana, One version which was ‘supposed to be critierl of the RSS has been suppresses, it is alleged, The Gongress (I) leeder, Mr, Kamer Devonarn gal Singh, ferrs thet 1£ this trena contimes, the Jenn Sangh might be pablo to frustente the vork of the proposed Juaicinl ingiiry ana coula also pressurize the goverment t witharew the MMU R411 or moaify St in favour of the Jane Sengh, It is aifficult to acny the uperhnna that the Jenatr Sangh fretion enjoys aue to the precerious brlenee of forces within Jenate ¥erty, our tee felt, OC... tye)= ile The Juaictel Enquiry A fow worts on the jublic reretion to the proposed Juatetal inquiry eval’ be relevent in this connection, AccorAing to Tr, Irfen ligbib of t 2 IMU, pest experience isa shovn that such Anquirtes teke # lon tino mua the oilprits rennin unpunished, Pr, HeMth contimed: "The provious rlot in 1971 lastoa for three tayo, Tho Judicial enquiry comission was » fritero, None ues prosecutoa. The govermont never iublighed the Katia Co port subaittoa after three yerrs, thourh it repeatedly arnou nrc considering the reosmenartions. & eiTl asumalter 1974 riots clerrly itcntifies tho atlprits in the curt, then they wont unpunicies, With this oxpericnee, the people gonerrlly Ao not heve confiaenco in the present enquiry comission" Dr, Hnb{b leo pointed out that not a single persons hes been eonvictea curing +11 these yeers (six riots, incluaing this one, auring the 30 years of Independence) on grounds of pnrticdpating 4n conmunel riots, There nre obviously loopholes in the lew wich nooA to be removed, ho assorted, Aeooraing to Mr. Kumer Deventre Pel Singh of. Conrreso(I), the mecess of the Judicial inquiry wula aepend on the locrl aaminietretion, Ir the lntter chose to Le Dissea in fevour of hinaa cormunalion, 1 cooporrtion wuld te fortlicoming from thon, Mr, Krishna Kuner Nevrnen, however, weloomea the juafetal inquiry. Ho nadca that ho bra nothint to’ fonr from the ingitry, na hoped that the reel frets wuld come out, Hc pssurea fill cooperetion to the inquiry. ad Ry ena lenge, it anperrea tous thet the man in the streot in th is sccptienl sbout the fu@feial inquiry, prinarily beeruse of MtLlity of Hniler inguirtes endo in the pret, = The Local Aaintst rations There wns a videsprend fooling thet the loorl ntvinietretion including the Distiict Magistrste ana the Sincvintonaent of Polec hea feilea in tecks ¢ cturticn both before tho Lota sterted ena on the any ft bh Wart wen the role of the amministration? To be frir &> them, At wll hnve to Le strted thet following the @icturbences at the wrostling meth on September 12, the DM haa iaporca a rinteeirfou quring the night 22 the rlot-prone areas of Alfgerh. This haa been in operstion for quite ocmetine before the Oetober 5 tnciaonte. Case)ole = Fut politicel pressures on the City Aeministretion wore rprerently too stronp ty pllow the DM to be more firm rvainst potentinl cormunal trublamekers, This is noknowleagot by both Hintu’ end Muslim lenaera, Accoraing to Mr, Krishne Kumar 'Neveman' hinsclf, when the IM wented to errost nll the wrestlers of the town +7 9 precaitionary menaure on otober 4, he vehemently opposed 4t. Again when the IM arrostoa five Hinais ena tw Muslims the sane evening on suspicion of communal trouble-mekers, Mr, Neveman complained abut iscriminetion eeainst the Hinds, Accoraing to Mr. Iqbal Anseri, Mr. Neveman'a supporters ena Hignay conmunalists gheraced the Kotwrli police station on Cetober 4 @onanding the relorse of Jefpsul — - an associate of Bhorey - = who hed bocn arrested cerlicr ne a procmtionary noasure. While poople genermlly amit thet the Df is an honest peroon, thoy point out thet he belonrs to the Schoaulea Caste, en? in n cnate-riaaon ntmogpbere thet provedls in U.P, is constreined by circumstances. Foliticel oressires from the top often have to be rccomorrted, na other se he might be foolrtea, nna his carcor ruined by the powerful politierl laters, In aieh elrounstances, it wae qiite possible tint the IM more ena more sicaamber to the presmres of the Hintu eormnal lertors as the drys pr amminietretion vas com Sich nllegetions ero confimed by the events of Coteber 54 How wes Phoreyts boay nilowed to Le "snatched" by his followrs? Wow aia the police rn@ the 440 nllow the procession to nove into the Maslin rrena = = events which hrve been Aescribe carler, The pbjoet surrenser of the local colic to the hoo@luna urs quite evident to cur tonm when we visited Uper Kot, The shops thet were turnt were literally skirting the wells of the very Kotwlf police stetion, The tem erme acres one perticiler stop - - a clgerette stall owed by one Manne - — altunted opp rite the Kotyrli police stetion ena vhiek veo Iroted on Uctover 6 wion the dpy-andenkeht earfou Une wappraca to boon f : As for maintaining law end oracr after the Octoter 5 incidents, the District Aministretion hes teken a few steps, ike seizing M- Krishna Kumar Navementa acubleterre] pun, Sut Mr. Nevenen hes been provided famed protection in the shape of two FAC Jawens wo pre posted in his house hear the Madar Gete, (When we askea for Mr. Nevamen on entering his reaiscnee, one of the policanen cellea the people upstairs: "Sahb hait" We aloo saw in hig office room, while weiting for Mr, Nevemen to eone, » binck plastie covelop lying on the vee vith merkingt "Yeanv Awes Co,, ams dzmni tion Denlers, 15/284 Civil Lines, Kanur, Tel.+ 2-724, This vas noprrently meant for keeping tullct runes). C... ye)is. The FAC Jawens are :osted in the Manek Ghowk rca, along Ab@ul Kerim Cheureh, in Uper Kot en@ other rlot-pone rrens, But the mle of the 44 on October 5, when they betrayoa on umd stakebly iinar conmunel bias ty shootine own innocent Muslins on teking ain at thelr houses, hrs emac’ the Muslirst confizenc in the FAC, Our term felt thet the #06 insted of instillinr trust mony the minority community is creating further tension ty its presence, It should be fnmedistely removed from the scene ana replneea ty more trast.uorthy protection forces. We felt in this conncetion thet » aiseiplines volunteer force recruited frm responsitle local people — both Hinaus ana Muslins —— coula be encvurarea ns nm permenent wetcheAog 2g vell ns a pmtection force, We foun? thet in the erens wicre the disturbences took place there 43 @ cenerel amity mony the orainery Hinaus rn Muslims, There Were reports of Hiinau shopowners saving their Muslim omployeea ana vico-vorsn, ccoraing t> Tr. Irfan Hatdb, the wfe of his olloeme, a Bengeli Hineu, after starving pll throuch, the curfowbcund Auys of Cetaber 5,6 ena 7, ren nury from her house in the city aror along wth her three chilaren en? took shelter inn Muslin fricnats housc in the University erca when curfew wes withdrew for an hour on 8 October, *** Tt wes quite evident, thet » hnafal of notorious chamcters -— know hooaluma on? criminnls —-were instrunentel in perpetrating the enrneve of Cetober &, They oul hrve teen dalntea ana pit in protective custody Ly the eanistretion much crrlier, Even now, they nre et lero, Role of the Students ena Teachers The only reacening ferture in the whole sconarfo uns the role of the menrenent, stucents rn@ terchers of MU, They aia not «llow the commune] frenzy to sorena to the University emus —-vhich in the past hoa elwys teen» hotbed of gich frenzy, In soite of the Aenth of -ne of its «employees — the clerk Sianin from police tullet wunas — the AMU communt ty showed restrnint and succeeaca in turiine the into the only Aslena of senity in the elty, There are eases of 76> flecing the curfewbsund city (the curfew wes meant to protect the citizens) to trke shelter in the AMU cemus, The curfew urs often tumea inte gnokesereen from tohin’ which tie hootlums opereted wth impunity (e.g. the ghastly killings at Menak Ghovk ena the looting of the clgrrotte stall opposite Kotwall police station), The aisk to evn cuffew ubich 4e in operation now outs the poor labourcrs of the city to the utmost aifficulties, Rickshaw pullers Vho mke the nexdmum errnings airing the evening hours are forced t> stry tone starving.