Hindus stop construction of illegal mosque in Kolkata Leather Complex

Gangapur, a village alongside the famed Kolkata Leather Complex under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Leather Complex Police Station within 24 Paraganas (South) district, remained witness to a communal fracas on December 24, 2013 due to bids of fortifying an illegal mosque in the environs. It has been learnt, a few people (belonging to Muslim community) appeared in the land sharing an ancient temple of Banadevi surprisingly and without consulting anyone, they commenced to build up a new structure – later found as an illicit mosque. The news was enough to both unnerve and enrage local Hindus as they knew that they would have to pay a high price for this ultimately.

It is worth mentioning, the ancient temple exists within 100 meters of the disputed and illegal structure; Hindus worship at the temple regularly and the Banadevi fair is also organized there annually.  As a result, the effort behind this new mosque was deemed as evil by local Hindus. They also realized that completion of the same would endanger Hindu locality and its way of life. And this new crisis would not be limited to any jolt only. On the word of a villager (on condition of anonymity), “even If Hindus have no problem with any new mosque, past experiences are enough to ascertain that any such development would call Hindus, their religious beliefs and also worships a halt. And administration supports these evil designers only.” 

As there was no other option for a peaceful resolution, local Hindus, led by Hindu Samhati, organized a mass resistance to the shady project leading to its termination finally.   

Steer clear of Hindu Samhati

One sharp, stern struggle, and the slaves of centuries are free - George Massey 

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable - John F. Kennedy

No matter how much omnipotent can a regime be, it cedes to the power representing people ultimately. This has been the guiding principle for all generations but contemporary Bengal administration is yet to comprehend it and hence, it is busy to hound and despoil Hindu Samhati, known for its glaring role in monitoring and reporting violations against Hindus in the state. Ever since its formation, there have been relentless state government-sponsored attacks on it and horrific developments in Rajbari, under the jurisdiction of Sandeshkhali in South 24 Paraganas district, of late bring to light what Hindus are going through.

 Following the visit of a team of Hindu Samhati to the abovementioned area and its neighborhood on December 17, 2013, local administration, instigated by Islamists, lost no time to both terrorize and penalize Hindus in the area. Even if Hindu Samhati’s team members during the visit were surveiled by Muslim youths, it was hard to imagine then that more problems were awaiting local Hindus. Amoy Bhunia or Gora, a decent Hindu youth in Rajbari, was arrested out of no reasons and a large contingent of police along with RAF was deployed to foil any effort to release him.  When a large number of local Hindus, defying all oppressions, built up a peaceful protest against the detention, police and RAF lathicharged 1000 of them brutally and as per reports, it was done under the instruction of Shahjahan Sheikh, highly influential leader of Trinamool Congress in the locality – infamous and worked as a reliable crook of CPIM till a few months back. No less than 11 Hindus including 5 women were arrested. One of them was Rumpa Bhunia and owing to police attack, she suffered several injuries. Nevertheless, daring struggles of Hindus made police release the detainees ultimately.

But it was not all as on the next day police, in the dead of night, forayed No. 14 Baghmari village and arrested Ramchandra Sardar and Babusona Sardar. But this also turned out to be a failure for police only as they were snatched by Hindus in the midway. Hindu women in strength were present in the mob and used jharu or broom to teach police and administration a strong lesson.   

Is this a new beginning for passive Hindus? Perhaps it is and with the increase of oppressions on them, resistances will also become harsher – it can be said without doubt. 

Police inactivity intensifying communal rivalry in Sutahata, East Medinipur

What can be the result of brazen minority appeasement in Bengal got apparent once more when on December 14, 2013, at 10 pm, Muslim youths in strength raided the crossing at Chaitanyapur under the jurisdiction of the police station of Sutahata in Haldia in the district of East Medinipur to conquer a strip of land alongside the thoroughfare owned by PWD (West Bengal Public Works Department). The strip of land is located at 200 meters away from the crossing and is owned by Tamal Sinha and his family. But it is lying vacant for years.  At 10 pm, almost 200 Muslim youths from the neighboring areas of Dhekua, Ramchandrapur and Jagatpur turned up there surprisingly with a banner of All India Minority Association or AIMA and started to fence the land. Members of the Sinha family rushed to the spot but instead of talking to them Muslim youths went on with the job. Even if the local police station was phoned repeatedly, there was no response. The local market committee also remained silent and then, finding no other way, youths of the Sinha family tried to prevent crooks physically but it backfired. They were thrashed by the crowd. Hindu women of the family were also insulted. 

But this failed to dampen spirits of Sinha family; women of the family tried to dismantle the makeshift fence in the wee hours on December 15 but at this time, they were lashed. However, the situation started to change once local clubs like “Juger Jatri” and “Nabatara” were informed in the morning. Members of the club along with local shopkeepers lost no time to pull down the fence and this led to fierce clashes between the two communities at several spots in the environs. 

Even if the intervention of local police and administration has succeeded to calm down the situation for now, any peaceful resolve seems to be far off yet as Hindus and Muslims have got busy in hurling accusation at each other. Local Hindus have urged the local police to detain the perpetrators on the night of December 14 but police, reportedly being cautioned by political groups hell-bent to retain its minority vote bank, remains inactive. And this is adding more fuel to the fire. 

Hindu Samhati’s Protest March against Hindu Persecution in Bangladesh unfolds a new chapter of Struggle

Unfolding a new chapter in the history of West Bengal, Hindu Samhati, to express its abhorrence against the ongoing Hindu persecution in Bangladesh and also to convey its solidarity to minority Hindus there, brought out a massive protest march in the town of Bangaon in North 24 Paraganas district, on December 10, 2013. The demonstration which commenced its headway from Batar More (crossing) in the noon was joined by Hindus in throngs and while the march went on, hundreds of Hindus were witnessed (on both sides of the thoroughfare) to cheer it. Some were even found to term Hindu Samhati’s endeavor as opportune and as the only way to make the nonchalant, obtuse Indian governance conscious of the cruel reality on the other side of the border and how any more silence may destabilize the integrity and also economy of India.  It is worth to mention, hundreds of Hindu families, as per fresh reports, have already entered the Indian mainland for security following the violent clashes back home. And this is nothing new; it is no secret whenever there is any resistance from liberals or resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism in Bangladesh, Hindus turn into the worst casualty.    

Press and media reports from Bangladesh have already depicted how Hindus have become the sole target of Islamic oppression yet again and some of the most revered columnists there have also termed this onslaught of Islamists as the cruelest effort (in the recorded history) to exterminate Hindus racially. Now the question remains whether India is aware of its outcome or whether she hopes to deal with Bangladesh unflappably for a better future in the Indian subcontinent.

The protest march was addressed by leaders of Hindu Samhati who were found to state without qualm how this crisis is endangering the Hindu civilization in the Indian subcontinent and also the fact that any failure to halt  this will lead to an arrant disaster only. The protest march tried to move towards the Indo-Bangladesh international border but was stopped by the local administration halfway.

Muslim politics is back in Bengal – with renewed strength

There is no more any need to shroud under any political banner of nationalists or Marxists to carry out Islamists’ agenda of proving and also retaining supremacy. Gone are the days also when a Muslim individual in Bengal would prefer to be under the camouflage of any political ideology to execute own religious stake. Unlike the 1950s or 60s or even 70s, contemporary Muslims in Bengal are potent enough to make their own destiny even if by irking Hindus. Islamists are backed by the entire political spectrum, let alone administration and media. 

How Islamists are strengthening their political clout in Bengal can be discerned from the electoral demands posited by their representatives before the imminent Lok Sabha election in 2014. 

Tahrik Foundation of Kolkata engineered a discourse over “Muslim Agenda (Before 2014 Elections)” on December 1, 2013 at St.  Xavier’s College’s auditorium in Park Street which turned into a great success eventually. Speakers at the conference included Maulana Muhammed Abu Taleb Rahmani, president of Indian Ulema Council and Dr. Syed Zafar Mahmood, president of all-India Zakat Foundation and member of Sachar Committee, who spoke vehemently at the (alleged) state-sponsored cynicism to the widespread Muslim population in the Indian state of Bengal and also asked the government to abide by their 20-point agenda. 

On the word of Dr Mahmood, one of the best ways to better the community is to escalate Muslim representation in both central and state legislatures. He also said that the Muslim population in India being 13.8% there should be 77 MPs proportionally. What should be done then?  He prescribed Muslims to vote and support the party interested to foment and also keep Muslim interest as the priority.   Others who spoke on the occasion and basically on the Muslim agenda included Imam of Baker Hostel Niamat Hossain Habibi, Syed Imtiaz Hossain, Faisal Ali. 

A few points in the “Muslim Agenda (Before 2014 Elections)” include  – creation of time-bound fast track courts to try terror allegations; providing compensation of Rs. 50 lakh to each person who is judicially acquitted of terror allegations; deletion of the conditionality of religion from the definition of “Scheduled Caste” and also of paragraph 3 from the 1950 order through a simple parliamentary resolution; establishment of equivalence between Madrasa and other education; establishment of equal opportunity commission; involvement of Muslim beneficiary groups in planning and oversight of projects; concentration to benefit the entire Muslim community across India instead of a few chosen ones.

It is worthwhile to mention, Pakistan (originally a movement of a few feudal lords in North India then) became a pan-Muslim struggle due to Bengali Muslims’ active participation.