Page 38 - 15MAR2020E

OpiniOn
SIGNS OF
THE TIMES
HumrA
QurAISHI
The Delhi-based writer
and columnist’s books
include Kashmir: The
Untold Story. She co-
authored a series of
writings with the late
Khushwant Singh and
her short stories are
part of anthologies.
The views expressed
are her own
Administration, political
system fail a community
Culprits of Delhi progrom range from hate speech-givers, master
minds, the foot soldiers and also those particular cops who either stood
like mute spectators or helped the goon-brigades, the actual rioters
oday the non-Sanghis the actual culprits but the victims! Also,
are not believing word of riots are made to happen! After all, riots
what the political rulers cannot take off or spread out, without
of the day are dishing out the prior knowledge of the police force
in the context of the Delhi and the agencies. Also, if the administra-
T pogrom 2020. Foremost, it tion wants it can control riots within an
was a well-planned and well-organised hour or two!Not to overlook a connected
targeted attack against the minority fact — the already battered and shat-
community The Musalmaans. And the tered Muslim community faces a severe
accompanying tragedy is that the actual setback each time a riot is ‘made to hap-
culprits (yes, the real and actual!) are pen’ and with that they are targeted and
going about scot-free. These culprits assaulted and looted and ruined. Lasting
range from hate speech-givers, master dents on the survivors.
minds, the foot soldiers and also those Though I have before me several vol-
particular cops who either stood like umes on the communal riots in India but
mute spectators or helped the goon- the most comprehensive is ‘Communal
brigades, the actual rioters. Riots The State and Law in India’. Pub-
The political system and the adminis- lished several years back by the Institute
trative machinery under its control has of Objective Studies, edited by Iqbal Ansa-
failed the Muslims. One has to speak to ri, this volume carries ground reports by
the survivors to grasp how terrorised several IPS officers and civil servants and
they sit. After all, they are the first in the academics and also well- known known
firing line! They have heard enough of names in the legal sphere — Padam Ro-
those fraudulent political speeches. They sha, KF Rustamji, CV Narasimhan, VN Rai,
have had enough of the communal NC Saxena. Justice Hosbet Suresh, Justice
characters, out to kill them and their chil- VR Krishna Iyer, VM Tarkunde. These are
dren. They know they are at the mercy of very detailed reports, with unmoving
the Hindutva brigades hovering around; focus from horrifying disasters that came
perhaps, as part the fascist build-ups for along with each riot.
further destruction of forms, human or Also, highlighted in several of these
concrete. reports /studies, is the biased role of the
What is compounding the tragedy police force. …Professor Satish Saberwal
for the Muslims is the biased role of the and Professor Mushirul Hasan’s study
cops. No sudden development but yes, of the Moradabad riots (1980) focuses on
accelerating at an alarming pace in these the role of the police, “The city’s police,
times. Reaching absolutely dangerous for long weeks, acted rather like a force
levels. Making it very, very difficult for the organized to beat, loot and kill the Mus-
targeted citizen to even survive. lims. The PAC, in particular collaborated
I have been going through the details with communal elements and goondas
of riots and rioting taking place in the to bring about an open clash between
country. Crucial aspects stand out. The Hindus and Muslims.”
police is either a mute spectator or even Veteran police officers, VN Rai and
goes a step beyond — it does not arrest PadamRosha, also took note of the fact
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