With communally sensitive Atali village in Haryana’s Faridabad district coming in the grip of communal violence once again, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has shot off a letter to the Union Home Ministry expressing apprehensions over the volatile situation that may spread to other areas in the State.After the May 25 incident of violence, the riot-hit Atali village once again flared up last week after people of two communities pelted stones at each other. Following the latest communal clash, Faridabad district administration had imposed Section 144 in the village and a large number of police personnel have been deployed in and around the village.
“The National Commission for Minorities has apprised the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, about the incident. Since this is the second such incidents of violence, the NCM has expressed concerns over the volatile situation in the village,” said Naseem Ahmad, Chairperson of NCM while talking to The Pioneer over the phone from New Delhi. Following this, the Union Ministry has issued directions to the State Government to take necessary steps to bring the situation under control, said Naseem Ahmad.
In its letter to the Ministry, the Commission has stated, “In spite of the assurances by local authorities, the report from Atali and fresh violence suggests that the local administration and police are not able to bring the situation under control. The Commission has been constantly in touch with the local administration and State authorities at Chandigarh in this regard. I thought I must apprise you of the volatile situation which has a potential to spread to other areas.”
A team of members of NCM had earlier visited Atali on May 27 to review the situation both in terms of restoring peace and maintaining law and order and quick relief/compensation to the victims. Although the team was not satisfied with the police intervention when the trouble started or the arrangements that had been made for the victims, both the police and the administrative authorities then and in later meetings had assured the Commission that all measures would be taken to protect the community and to prevent any further violence, stated the letter.
A team of NCM headed by Naseem Ahmad is likely to visit Atali village on Thursday to take stock of the situation.Naseem Ahmad said the NCM was in contact with the local administration and they (Commission) have been told that the situation was under control now.Earlier, the NCM in a report sent to the Home Ministry had accused Haryana police of abetting the May 25 attackers, who burnt down about 20 Muslim homes in Atali, leaving two dozen injured and prompting more than 300 people to flee the village. After its visit to the village, the NCM panel in its report had alleged the police watched silently and the station house officer (SHO) even ordered some of the cops to leave the spot.
Notably, the first incident of violence in the village on May 25 reportedly saw almost 2000 heavily-armed men allegedly setting fire to homes and shops of minorities in the village over disputed land where a Mosque was to come up. After the incident, more than 300 people from minority community left the village in panic and camped at the Ballabhgarh Police Station for several days.
In an attempt to find a solution to Atali village dispute, a 14-member committee has been constituted in a Panchayat held on Monday. Also, a Mahapanchayat will now be held on July 8 to discuss the issue. As per the reports, there are 19 FIRs lodged in the case naming about 50 men. A special team formed by Faridabad Police had on Saturday apprehended 68 persons for questioning after a search operation in the village.Following the incidents of communal violence, the BJP led Haryana Government has come under fire from the opposition parties and various social organizations for lack of action to control the incident.
The Congress had accused the BJP government for allowing communal situation in Atali village to flare up again resulting in fresh clashes and injuries to many people. The opposition has also demanded a firm action against the perpetrators of violence and adequate compensation for the victims. Responding to the allegations, the Chief Minister Manohar lal had assured that the guilty will be dealt strictly. The Government believes in equality of all religions and we are completely in command of the situation, he had said.