A fact finding team from the Left parties (CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), Forward Block) had visited the areas of Jahangirpuri-C block affected by communal violence on 17th April 2022 in the course of a Hindu-supremacist procession organised on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. They spoke to the affected people and residents of the area belonging to both communities. The delegation interacted with at least 50 households. The delegation also met Shri Kishen Kumar the Additional DCP of the area, in the Jahangirpuri police station and other police personnel in the thana.

What happened on 16th April?

The team that went to investigate the facts was apprised by everyone that on Hanuman Jayanti, a group of 150 to 200 people armed with weapons in their hands and loud DJ music were roaming in processions since afternoon raising slogans in the streets of Jahangirpuri. By standers said they saw pistols and swords being waved by the processionists which are confirmed by videos shown on various TV channels. Loud and aggressive slogans were being given. The team was informed that this was not a procession organized by local people but was organized by the youth wing of the Bajrang Dal with most from outside the area.

The team was informed that the procession was accompanied by two police jeeps—one at the front of the procession and the other at the end. However each jeep had only two personnel.

The first question which arises: why did the police not make adequate arrangements? Why did the police allow open arms to be carried in the procession? 

The team was informed that the procession had already made two rounds of that area in Block C Jahangirpuri in which the dominant residents are Bengali speaking Muslims. It was in the third round of procession that the incidents occurred. If there was a “conspiracy” by the local Muslim residents to attack the procession as alleged by BJP leaders, the attacks would have taken place earlier. The fact is that the incidents occurred when the procession stopped outside a mosque at the exact time when those who were keeping roza were gathering at the mosque for the prayer. .

The second question is: Why was the procession allowed to stop there? Why were slogans allowed just outside the mosque? In other words an armed procession is given license to stop outside the mosque shouting slogans at the exact time when roza is to end and when a crowd of Muslims had gathered. If these incidents are to be described as a conspiracy—it is this which is the conspiracy in which the police itself has a responsibility.

The team was told that there was stone-pelting which started from both sides. The team was told that there was a fear among the residents near that area that the processionists would enter the mosque and that the police were not taking any action. Big crowds collected. Some people who did not want to be named also said that arms were later brought by some elements in the minority community. The processionists were outnumbered and ran away.

The delegation saw some cars and a motor bike which had been burnt. A shop belonging to a Hindu was looted. It also was informed that the police which came to the spot were caught in the cross stone pelting and some suffered injuries.

At night on the April 16th the police conducted raids in the area making indiscriminate arrests. When women tried to find out from the police why their homes were being raided, male police punched them in the stomach and beat them.

The team went to the police station. There they were surprised to find that the BJP President Adesh Gupta, Hansraj Hans MP were addressing a press conference inside the police station premises in the presence of police officials. Around them were people shouting Jai Shri Ram slogans.

The third question is: Does this not clearly show the partiality of the police? The team found that in the entire area, there was no confidence in the police and that it was a completely one-sided prejudiced inquiry influenced by BJP leaders. It is also to be noted that the BJP has openly praised the role of the police. In this connection the one sided arrests by the police of mainly members of the minority community even though video evidence is available of the provocative behaviour and aggressive actions of the processionists is totally unjust and motivated.

The delegation spoke to the Additional DCP and informed him about the feelings among the residents of the total partiality of the police triggered by the indiscriminate picking up of youth of the Muslim community while there was no action against the processionists. The delegation also informed the police about the complaints from women of being manhandled by male police personnel.

The team found that among people living in the locality there has not been a single incident of communal clashes. Hindus and Muslims have been living together for decades. The Bengali Muslims have been living in Jahangirpuri since the inception of this resettlement colony, at least for four decades.  They are mainly self-employed households involved in street vending, petty trade, selling of fish, waste collection etc. It is shocking that the BJP should term them as “illegal” or describe them as Rohingya refugees. They are citizens of India and residents of Delhi.

Conclusion

The team found that the incidents in Jahangirpuri have occurred as a part of the agenda of some of the sangh parivar affiliates to use religious occasions and festivals as occasions to create communal incidents. In the case in Delhi it should be seen in conjunction with the earlier incidents.  The South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor from the BJP announced a ban on the sale of non-vegetarian food, ABVP tried to enforce vegetarian food in JNU and attacked those protested, Rajaram a caretaker of a farmhouse in Chhawla village was killed by cow vigilante’s alleging slaughter and to all this is the Jahangirpuri communal violence as the latest chapter.

It is reported that the inquiry has been handed over to the crime Branch of the Delhi police. This is an eye wash and unacceptable. A judicial inquiry with a time bound mandate should be ordered to unravel the truth which will no doubt bring to light the diabolical efforts being made by the sangh parivar to disturb communal harmony in the capital.

The members of the delegation comprised Ravi Rai, Secretary, CPI-ML, Rajeev Kunwar, CPI-M, Maimoona Mollah and Asha Sharma, JMS, Shweta Raj, AICCTU, Prasenjit, General Secretary, AISA, Vivek Srivastava, and Sanjeev Rana, CPI, Sanjeev and Subhash, DYFI; Amit, Forward Bloc, and Kanwalpreet Kaur, advocate.