The Jodhpur violence, which saw four policemen being injured and over 50 people arrested, is just another flashpoint in Rajasthan. Since April, the western state has been grappling with communal violence
April has not been a kind month to India. Various states across the country, such as Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh witnessed violence in the name of religion.
In the recent few days, such communal clashes were also reported from Punjab and on the holy day of Eid, Rajasthan’s Jodhpur city too erupted with violence.
The clashes in Jodhpur come at a time when the western state was already rocked by previous similar incidents in Karauli and in Alwar.
Here’s a timeline of the violence that Rajasthan has seen in the recent times.
Jodhpur violence
In the early hours of Tuesday, clashes broke out between two communities in in Jodhpur’s Jalori Gate area.
As per the police, the entire incident occurred approximately 11:10 pm on Monday night.
The conflict started with the hoisting of a flag on Eid on the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa near Jalori Gate in Jodhpur.
Vandita Rana, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jodhpur West, said that preliminary investigations had shown that the tensions resulted after one community hoisted an Eid flag at the statue of a freedom fighter.
What followed next was the two communities clashing with one another and pelting stones at each other.
The police had to resort to lathi charge and fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Reports stated that at least four policemen were injured in the ensuing clashes.
On Tuesday morning, fresh clashes broke out again in the area when members from the Muslim community clashed with the police.
Indian Express quoting officials reported that the people had come to offer namaz in the area but were sloganeering and trying to remove a saffron flag, which replaced the previous flag they had installed. When the authorities tried to stop them, they got angry and engaged in violence.
Following the violence, authorities suspended mobile internet services and imposed a curfew in 10 police stations areas of the city.
Rajasthan minister of state for home Rajendra Yadav said over 50 people have been arrested in connection with the incident so far, PTI reported.
The chief minister has appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony. He also accused the BJP’s central leadership of trying to defame the state government.
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot also urged people to maintain peace and called the incident unfortunate.
The clashes soon became a political debate with Congress’ Gehlot indulged in a war of words with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Gehlot said that it was the BJP’s agenda to defame him.
“It is their job to incite Hindu-Muslim riots. How long can you do politics in the name of polarization? This country belongs to all religions, all castes and PM Modi and central government also have to understand this,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.
On the other hand, the BJP took on Gehlot and said that the violence was a result of the latter’s appeasement politics.
BJP state president Satish Poonia said, “Putting up an Islamic flag on the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa by anti-social elements and removing saffron flags put up on Parshuram Jayanti is condemnable.”
Poonia also requested Governor Kalraj Mishra to initiate an investigation into the incidents related to violence in Jodhpur and also pass necessary instruction to state the government to ensure maintenance of law and order in the state.
The United Nations also took note of the violence in Jodhpur, with a spokesperson from the global body asking that government and law enforcement agencies ensure peace and harmony. “I think the basic point is our hope that the various communities will work together and that the government and the security forces will ensure that everyone can go about their activities, including celebratory activities, peacefully,” Farhan Haq, the secretary-general’s deputy spokesperson, said.
Alwar clashes
On 22 April, tensions ran high in Rajasthan’s town of Alwar when the administration demolish a 300-year-old Shiva temple. As per TV reports, the temple was brought down by bulldozers and the idols were displaced using cutters.
The BJP and other Hindutva organisations, like Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), irked by the move organised an ‘aakrosh’ rally.
Sharing a video of the incident on Twitter, BJP leader Amit Malviya launched a blistering attack on Congress.
It all began in Karauli
On 2 April, communal clashes erupted in Karauli after a bike rally organised on the occasion of the Hindu New Year allegedly met with a stone-pelting incident as they passed through a market, leading to a confrontation between two groups.
The clashes led to arson as shops and vehicles were set ablaze, while over two dozen people sustained injuries.
Shops were gutted and violence stone-pelting incidents were reported from Karauli. Image Courtesy: @Hamzwa/Twitter
The police imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the area and also suspended mobile internet services. A curfew was also imposed in the area for the next three days.
Two days after the incident, the police arrested 46 people and detained seven others for interrogation in relation to the stone-pelting incident.
Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Bharatpur Range, Prasanna Kumar Khamesra told ANI: “Thirteen accused have been arrested in connection with the incident in the case registered at Police Station Karauli and 33 people have been arrested for violating curfew order. Seven people have been detained for questioning. A total of 21 two-wheelers and four-wheelers were also seized by the police.”
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had blamed the BJP for the violence, saying what happened in Karauli was “an experiment by the BJP”, which “has been done in seven states on Ram Navami”.
The chief minister had then said to reporters: “What happened in Karauli was an experiment. Across the state, all religions took out processions together on Ram Navami, but the way they were used in Karauli… the same experiment has happened in seven states on Ram Navami. There riots broke out, and then bulldozers came in.”
Violence linked to polls?
The recent spate of violent incidents in Rajasthan has left many worried, but for Ashok Gehlot this seems to be a BJP ploy ahead of the elections in the state, scheduled for next year.
Speaking to India Today, the Rajasthan chief minister said, “It all began with Karauli (violence during a rally to mark Nav Samvatsar). Although Rajasthan was peaceful during Ram Navami, this (Karauli’s) modus operandi was used across the seven states that reported violence on Ram Navami. I had said even then that it was the BJP’s design to incite riots across the country.
“When the temple was demolished in Alwar, there was a BJP board. They had passed the proposal (to demolish the temple). Yet they blamed Congress. And the third incident at Jodhpur which happened today was the result of rumours. There is already an atmosphere of violence in the country. BJP is just stoking the flames.”
With inputs from agencies
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