Haldwani Violence Not An Isolated Incident: Fact-Finding Team Report (image-twitter/karwanemohabbat)
As per the report on Haldwani violence by a seven-member fact-finding team has claimed that the violent clash that took place on February 8 was not an isolated incident perhaps a culmination of escalation of communal tensions fueled by divisive rhetoric and policies.
The report has also claimed that the violence that occurred over the demolition of a mosque and madrassa which was alleged to be built on government lands, the death toll may be higher than the official figure.
The violence has led to reported beatings, 300 homes being searched by police, property damage, and internet shutdown in the regions.
As per the official report, only six were reported to be killed in the clashes. The incident occurred as an outcome of the propagation of a narrative built by Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Dhami and radical right-wing citizen groups to create the northern state as a “Devbhoomi- the holy land for Hindus, which would have no place for other religious minorities, the fact-finding report by Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), Karawan-e-Mohabbat and civil rights activist Zahid Qadri suggested.
The report was made by the civil society fact-finding team after visiting Haldwani on February 14. The report citing the witnesses’ testimony alleged excessive use of force by police, including indiscriminate firing and brutality during searches and detention.
The team consisting of advocates and retired public officials, conducted interviews, gathered eyewitness accounts, and documented evidence to understand the situation on the ground.
It is to be noted that there was a steady rise in communal tempers in Uttarakhand over the last couple of years which has resulted in calls for economic and social boycotts of Muslim tenants from houses and shops. They were largely threatened and demanded to leave the state, the report says.
Further, the members also highlighted that the violence was also the result of Dhami’s projection of “the destruction of 3000 mazaars” in the state as an “accomplishment” of his government. The report alleged that the government has remained silent regarding the unauthorised Hindu religious structures in forest and nazul lands.
What led to Haldwani violence?
According to the fact-finding report, the community”s anger was fuelled when a group of women who stood before the bulldozers to prevent the demolitions were reportedly forcefully removed. They were dragged and beaten by male and female police personnel.
The police action angered the public. Moreover, their plea to hand over the Quran and other sacred properties from the mosque to the imam before the demolition was also neglected, the report says.
When the demolition began, the locals started pelting stones which resulted in the injuring of the municipal workers and journalists. However, there is video proof that the police also resorted by pelting stones at the crowd.
