Ballabhgarh attack was pre-planned: CPM

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, June 1

The BJP government’s “partisan attitude” stands exposed in dealing with a communal attack in the district’s Atali village, says the state CPM.

“The attack appeared pre-planned by Hindutava elements who misled people through rumor-mongering and incited the mob to attack a mosque under construction,” said a report of a fact-finding team of the party.

CPM leaders, including MP Tapan Sen, visited Atali today. State committee member Satbir Singh claimed it was an organised assault to disturb the communal harmony and create a fear psychosis among Muslims. They met officials, including the Commissioner of Police, later.

“The authorities ought to repair the damaged houses, release compensation and arrest culprits,” said Surender Malik, secretary of the state CPM.

He said the report concluded the attack was a well orchestrated move and the way the authorities acted proved that it had a silent support of the ruling party, as no one had been arrested so far. Sen said the violence damaged the social and cultural fabric of the village.

The report said the authorities were forcing the minority community to strike a compromise. The report cited an incident in Sonepat, wher members of the Balmiki community were forced to withdraw their complaint of violent attack on their colony allegedly by armed goons recently.

Abdul Rehman, Ameena and Fatima and other victims camping in a police station in Ballabgarh said nothing had been done to assuage their fears. “The Jat community is mounting pressure on us to give in to its demands. Members of the dominant community say they will allow the construction of the mosque on the condition that no one should be arrested,” one of the victims said.

The standoff could not be resolved on the seventh day of since the attack despite a meeting of stakeholders at the police station.

Congress keeping watch

New Delhi: The Congress is keeping a close watch on the situation in Atali village of Faridabad where clashes broke out on May 26 between members of two communities over a disputed piece of landwhere one community was building a religious structure. The party will later send a delegation to the spot to help douse communal tension in the area. Former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda spoke to the state DGP in this connection. State Congress chief Ashok Tanwar also spoke to party leaders from Faridabad and asked them to help bring the situation under control. — TNS