“We are sensing an ‘Era of Terror’ coming back to Gujarat” feel Muslim professionals
“Is it Vibrant Gujarat or Violent Gujarat”
“Are we re-entering into the era of terror? Whether things are going out of control by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel? Why VHP is being given free hand and why is it that Gujarat police has started sheer discrimination against Muslims and turning a blind eye towards their pleas”?
These and many more questions, doubts, allegations and observations with specific cases were briefed to the media at a press conference in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Focusing their talk on “Religious Hatred and Discrimination against Minorities” Muslim professionals including Kaleem Siddiqui (Editor ‘Tarkash’), Abdul Hafiz Lakhani (Secretary of Milli council – Gujarat) and Shamshad Pathan a promising advocate of Ahmedabad put forth few cases and explained that the law and order situation in Gujarat was fast going back to the days of fear and scare for the minorities specially the Muslims.
Serious allegations and grievances of discrimination echoed at the press meet. Siddiqui said “it looked as if the ‘era of terror’ was round the corner. With the tainted cops and seriously accused top police officers being taken back to jobs by the state government gives a clear message to the unjust and unfair as to there is government patronage for you. Of late we are witnessing a silent terror like atmosphere in the air of Gujarat especially in Ahmedabad and Vadodara where a kind of ‘Vanzara era’ of 2003-4-5 is glaring into the eyes of Muslims”.
Siddiqui stated that “On 30th August 2014 at 8 PM during a show on Zee News, Mahamandleshwer Naval Kishor Das made a hateful speech against holy Quran and Islam. When I went to Bapu Nagar police station to register an FIR against Mahamandleshwer Naval Kishordas & Sudhir Chowdhari (editor – Zee News) it was not accepted”.
Similarly, Siddiqui pointed out that one Viral Desai who is an activist of VHP (Bharuch) – has been hurting the feelings of Muslims but no action has been taken against him while a tea vendor Zakir Hussain Shaikh a tea vendor in Juhapura area was grilled by ATS and Crime branch.
Siddiqui pointed out that before elections the then Chief Minister and now the PM Narendra Modi had tried to pose Muslims rolling in money with Rs 700 cr kite business whereas it is not the truth. Siddiqui said a common man can also see the plight of people living in Jamalpur and such areas who make kites for 2, 3 rupees. If they are so well off why does their life style change. Go and see the plight of Muslim areas of Gujarat? argued Siddiqui.
Shamshad Pathan a leading advocate of Ahmedabad observed that “of late Muslims were being deprived of their basic rights – police was refusing to take their FIRs. In fact there were cases wherein those who went to lodge a complaint were humiliated, chased with lathis or even detained illegally.”
The trio said there was a clear rise of fear and scare among Muslims in Gujarat specially in Ahmedabad and Vadodara.
Siddiqui questioned the role of police which nabs Thasra’s Maulana for his alleged statement against garbhas but pays no attention towards several messages floating across provoking Muslims and hurting their statements, even when the attention has been drawn with names and details yet no action has been taken so far.
What does it explain? Siddiqui asked. Prime Minister’s silence over the police’s discrimination against Muslims in Gujarat was also very painful. Siddiqui said during his time as Chief Minister he could at least control VHP like fundamentalist elements who were now upsurging with evil designs. On the other hand police is turning a blind’s eye on Muslims’ pleas, where should Muslims go for getting justice and to lodge complaint.
Lakhani added that PM promised us that ‘achhe din aane wale ahi. But, for Muslims here in Gujarat is it not correct that “ache din chale gaye’? he questioned further making a point that slowly the terror and violence against Muslims who are already so backward and financially so poor in Gujarat it looks the much acclaimed ‘Vibrant Gujarat is turning out to be ‘Violent Gujarat’?
When asked about the forthcoming Bakr idd, Siddiqui and Lakhani stated that “Why does the government not arrange an open market for the Muslims and help them buy animals at fair prices, why are cows birth and complete records not maintained. They feared that it is actually a big business of the VHP which is hand in gloves with the bootleggers handling the slaughtering issue and made it a business for money and also to terrorise Muslims and spread the religious hatred against Muslims”. All this is taking place in the new ambience of police discrimination.
They said soon they were going to organize a bigger programme to put forth the cases in public.
kaleem siddiqui
ahmedabad
mob. 9276848549
