Policemen's promptness in firing, role of media in branding Muslims and shifting focus from victims

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

It's very easy to dismiss someone by throwing a label at them, also, there is a lot between being 'liberal' and 'illiberal' in real world. 

Regarding Bengaluru firing, it is clear that everyone is against violence, no one supports it. But it's not as simple, as media makes it. 

While many of us may claim that we don't watch TV news, but headlines can still indirectly shape our thought process & it is also the reason, how a victim can become a hooligan in our eyes.

First, a basic thing if someone abuses a woman or man, targets or indulges in character assassination, its termed 'harassment' & there are proper sections under IPC for registration of case. If action is not taken, there is harsh criticism of authorities. People stand with victim. Obviously, the victim is not asked why he or she went to lodge a FIR. 

Routinely people get booked for defamation or online abuse, arrests or convictions are at a later stage. Now, whenever it comes to Muslims', it is claimed that the community is 'over sensitive'. Section 295 (A) of IPC is for deliberate & malicious acts, intended to outrage feelings of any class. Now let's see.

Imagine, one group can claim that its sentiments got hurt over a historical movie, say Padmavat, go about ruckus and arson in different cities, (remember that bus carrying kids) but no where police would open fire. Right-wing groups have attacked police stations in different cities in the past, but never face bullet.

Despite the threatening language and scale of violence over days, these groups or Senas won't be termed 'extremist', no news would be planted about their links, and even in vernacular papers attempts would be made to term lawlessness as result of a 'genuine grievance' of 'false depiction'.

There are umpteen examples. Remember when a cop was shot dead in UP, and the accused was not arrested for days and later came out of jail as 'hero'! What provisions of law were used, which property was seized. Now, this post is not just about comparing different incidents of vandalism. No.

It is about something that even 'liberals' fail to realise. Whenever it comes to Muslims', it is claimed that the community is 'over sensitive'. In this case, a complaint was made. Case was not registered, there was delay. There was ruckus, but in this case cops fired, 3 died.

There're cases in the country where  police stations are targeted or vandalized but cops don't fire. Even after failing to get FIR registered and losing lives--no debate on excessive use of force, pm report or compensation, media presented it as a case of 'bloodthirsty mob'...

Violence is no solution, everyone condemns ruckus and commotion. But there are protests and mob attacks at many places. Here, in Bengaluru, people faced bullets, they were killed but there is no focus on deaths. No sympathy for victims, some of whom were perhaps not in crowd, as we found that one of them the sole breadwinner who was caught in melee on way home.

In case of Muslim protesters, stories are readily planted to link them to certain 'group', wild theories, suggestions about the role, attempts to bring 'extremist' angle. So, people get angry at them. You instantly accuse them, believe that 'they were wrong', even after they were killed.

It is not just majoritarian privilege but inequality, gross difference in how action is taken. Remember, even after acting sensibly you may be presented as a troublemaker while the goons treated with respect--that's narrative, media power. Remember Malcolm X words! So that's it.

It's something you need to know, yes, be very very careful in any protest or delegation that even if you've been wronged & you seek justice, one mistake, one or two persons infiltrating and creating ruckus, would lead to serious consequences. Because harshest action will come.

People who claim that they don't watch TV or go to WhatsApp, even they'll say, 'why this hooliganism?', 'why so intolerant?'. Not their fault either, that's how system works. How dare you speak, how dare you demand an FIR, how dare you be visible. Killed, but no word on justice or condolence.

Law should be visible on the ground, applied fairly, at least, to some extent. If others go about ruckus, its their privilege, you can't afford a minor slip. As, unjust portrayal can make you appear terribly lawless, madman, even if you want to pursue something legally & lawfully.

Such is the skewed system that someone comes and ask me after the killings, that why are 'they' so 'over-reactive' and 'bloodthirsty'? Who is bloodthirsty! I tell, I just want that if there is a hate crime or speech, anyone Hindu or Muslim, should face similar charges, action..

Ground reality is that we've our 'aasthas' over everything, because we are a majority. We can imagine what you eat, enter your house & thrash you but if you get wronged, don't dare speak or file FIR. Intellectually, too, we can label you 'backward' for anything. Be, live like a 'subject'!

And, even talking about all this on social media is something that shocks-hurts them. How dare this guy lives here, speaks this much, talks about 'double standards', so let's get into his FB-Twitter timelines and question him. A lot of guys have the gall to 'question'. Now, label us whatever you want. Fine!

Bottom line. You are engaged in most restrained behaviour, you try to be the most ideal citizen, you are always law-abiding but even one incident among hundreds, here too you face atrocities but you'll be again termed 'bloodthirsty mob' or backward and even you will accept it. 

In the case of Bulandshahr, when inspector Subodh Kumar was killed, police post was set afire, but not a single newspaper could write, 'Bajrang Dal attacks police station'. The harsh sections, special acts, UAPA are not meant for all, isn't it!

Understand these aspects, also, how narrative is created, how we fall in trap. How to be more careful, how to deal with this level of branding. The need to talk more about diversity in newsrooms, at least, at local level, city and state, are some of the main points that need urgent attention.

READ: Bajrang Dal attacks police station, cop among two killed in Bulandshahr

[Photo is for representational purpose]

Police excesses in Mumbra: Midnight raid, illegal detention, humiliation in the garb of 'search operation' shocks residents in Maharashtra town

Around 300 policemen stormed into Rashid Compound in Mumbra (near Mumbai), entering houses, detaining elderly citizens, youths and even the minors.

They were all brought out, forcibly taken towards the police vans and herded to the police station.

Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Amit Kale led this operation that has sent shock waves in the entire Mumbra settlement, and causing anger among Muslims.

There are 11 buildings in the Rashid Compound. All of them were targeted for this 'midnight search operation'.

It was not about policemen entering one or two houses to catch suspects, with warrant. People were woken up in the midst of the night, without telling reason to women folk, the police dragged the male members away.

The senior citizens, schoolboys and prominent persons including poet Obaid Azam Azmi were also forcibly taken away, for no fault of theirs. The victims have recounted the harassment faced at the hands of policemen, to newspapers.

Inquilab reports that women in the bedrooms were woken up during this 'house search' operation. Azmi told the policemen that his father was an MLA, yet, there wasn't any respite. Local residents alleged that many policemen were drunk.

The incident stunned the residents and the news of the mass detentions spread like wildfire. People began gathering outside the police station. Local NCP MLA Jitendra Avhad and members of the social organisations began gathering on the spot.

Seeing the situation was now getting out of hand, the police later released 80 persons. Residents said that it was saddening to see the mistreatment of such magnitude and the manner in which people were taken away like criminals and made to sit on the floor in police station, an eyewitness was quoted in the newspaper.

This incident had occurred on the night of Wednesday and Thursday. The reports in newspapers quote residents as saying that policemen were armed with cutters to break the doors. Over a dozen police vehicles had entered the locality in this swoop.

The reason was that police had to catch certain chain-snatcher. This report tells how '80 Muslims were held to catch a chain snatcher'.

There was no criminal found among those detained. The police highhandedness has been widely condemned.

On Thursday, meetings were held at different places. A formal complaint was also made to home minister. This has happened in a Congress-ruled state.

Though an inquiry has been promised, the highhandedness and the totally unjustifiable action, once again shows the mindset and the biases of sections among the Maharashtra police.

Report in Urdu Times, says that while officials in the raid had said that they had orders from top, senior officials said that they hadn't given any such order to conduct the midnight swoop.

Mumbra is located in Thane district, but falls under Greater Mumbai. It has a population of nearly 10 lakh [1 million now]. The place has a strong Muslim population. In fact, minorities account for 70% of the population  here. Jitendra Avhad is the NCP legislator from here.

The police commissioner has also promised that inquiry would be completed in eight days, say newspaper reports. One hopes that the police officials will conduct an impartial inquiry and take action against policemen responsible for such excesses.

MUMBAI POLICE SAY IT WAS ROUTINE CHECKING DRIVE

Shamelessly, it was termed a routine checking drive! Where on earth, cops enter homes at 2 am, herd people out, parade them, force them into van, take to police station, made them sit on floor and then for no fault of theirs, and then say it is 'routine checking drive'.

The officer Amit Kale hasn't been suspended as yet. There has been no action so far against other policemen who were part of the team. The officials claim that an inquiry has been instituted. Let's see if it is just a delaying tactic or they will take action.

ROLE OF MEDIA: INDIFFERENT TOWARDS VIOLATION OF CIVIL, DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

The English and Hindi newspaper almost completely ignored the incident, despite the gravity of the biased action. There is clear bias against Mumbra at the root of this post-midnight swoop. Indian Express followed the news and printed it on its front page.

But for most other papers, it was just no news. TV channels that get into hyper active mode at minor incidents, didn't take up the case. It was an incident over which the Maharashtra government and Mumbai police ought to be questioned, so that corrective measures are taken. 

From Mumbai to Malegaon: Skewed vision of police & Congress government's apathy

Role of Maharashtra police in terror probes has been far from satisfactory

It was befitting the Congress politicians, though they'd never have in their wildest dream, imagined such a response.

Malegaon residents snubbed Sonia Gandhi & Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who landed here a day after the blasts.

The Congress chief and the State chief minister had come to this 'power loom town' for a display of their concern towards people and handing out 'charity' of disbursing the pittance of Rs 1 lakh for every dead when the families had barely finished with the last rites.

1. Compensation that was sanctioned for the kin of victims in the Mumbai blasts was Rs 5 lakh, so it seems even the second class citizens of a third class city [infrastructure-wise] could have been offered, at least, Rs 2 lakh!

The compensations vary [depending on media coverage and other factors] like a boy rescued from a borewell hole who gets Rs 3-4 lakh and free education for life for suviving in a deep pit to Rs 3-5 lakh in Gujarat and UP for victims of terrorism and riots respectively.

2. The City of 8 lakh [0.8 million, 70% Muslim] has just one municipal-run hospital of 30 beds and no ambulance. The victims had to be ferried on handcarts to hospital and due to lack of facilities and beds, taken as far away to Nasik.

3. Deshmukh and other leaders of his party had made false promises of opening hospital in the past but they never materialised in the last 50 years. It was the same Congress government in the state that had let the police loose on ordinary Muslims in the aftermath of serial blasts of Mumbai.

There were incidents like as many as 200 Muslims getting rounded up from a locality in midnight swoops and illegally detained and the officials [politicians also] refused to believe that any 'other' extremist organisation could be involved in the blasts.

4.Though I hate this nomenclature of terrorists as Hindu or Muslim but the attitude of police was inexplicable even after the incidents in Parbhani, Jalna and Nanded apart from the blasts in Jama Masjid in New Delhi and incidents in Maharashtra when the hand of Bajrang Dal and other extremist groups was found.

Malegaon: A City that has been targeted repeatedly

5. It is not that I believe that organisations with Muslim sounding names would not kill Muslims [nothing could be more foolish than this thought] but investigative agencies should not appear so sympathetic to Bajrang Dal despite its repeated involvement that has been proved.

"It was in April this year that a bomb went off at the residence of Bajrang Dal officebearer Naresh Rajkondwar in Nanded. Naresh and his accomplice Himanshu Phanse died on the spot. The police seized timer, switches, detonators, 1.5 kg gunpowder from the spot. 

Two other accused died in the incident. The narco-analysis report was submitted to the police but they were reluctant to divulge the information about the three accused", writes Times of India, in its report, published on April 12.

Similarly, Sanjana Chaudhary, member of Bajrang Dal was arrested for bomb blast at a mosque in Parbhani but probe has not progressed even after Chaudhary's arrest, writes Nitisha Natu in the news item 'Police grope in the dark on Hindu groups'.

Besides, several incidents in 2002-2003 suggested Bajrang Dal hand but what angers the Muslim community is that the police and the state government simply ignore them and are not ready to link any possibility of their involvement with the Malegaon blast.

6. Even the fact that skullcaps and fake beards were recovered from the Bajrang Dal activists [reported by many national dailies], the state government and its agencies were not interested in probing the organisations and the links of suspects.

7. I remember when the blast occurred in Nanded, the Home Minister RR Patil immediately named 'Islamic terrorists' in a hurriedly called press conference but when the accused were arrested, his enthusiasm was missing and he neither went for a deeper probe. The accused were not labelled as terrorists either.

Why this double standard? Everybody knows RSS cadres have a history of bomb-making and involvement in fanning communal hatred despite propaganda of its being a cultural organisation in recent years [one need not remind that their men were involved in killing Gandhi and its involvement found in innumerable riots].

CM Sudhakar Rao Naik AND 92-93 Mumbai riots

8. Such was the Congress state government and state-machinery's response to blasts that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had to issue a statement and assert that 'role of Hindu organisations couldn't be ruled out' two days back.

But for Maharashtra government, it seems that a terrorist simply can't be a non-Muslim. The indiscriminate arrests of Muslims in the aftermath of Mumbai blasts suggested the approach.

The State Home department and Anti-Terror Squad of the state refused to believe that there could be another hand though the investigators were reportedly closing down on a group of Hindu extremists.

What angers the Muslims in Maharashtra is the chameleon like leaders of Congress though the Muslims have themselves fallen in the trap of the party due to lack of political alternative and the perpetual fear of BJP-Shiv Sena instilled by Congress leaders.

Time and again the Congress has come to power in Maharashtra with the promise of fair treatment to Muslims and the minorities have fallen in the trap again and again--the fear of 'right-wing BJP and the communal Shiv Sena'.

And after the PM's and Union Home Secretary's statements that involvement of no group could be categorically ruled out, the state police suddenly seems to have broadened the scope of their investigation process.

The ATS chief who had earlier 'ruled out the involvement of Hindu outfits' reached diametrically opposite stand of 'can't conform role of Hindu fundamentalist organisations yet'.

This was despite earlier leads as reported in papers that terrorist groups active in Kashmir would not have committed another incident as already terror trails were leading to Malegaon and it would have caused arrests of members of their sleeping cells.

Besides, there was belief of police that during Shab Barat such incident by a 'Muslim' terrorist group would 'antagonise Muslims' (as if Indian Muslims are not antagonised with terrorists already and Indian Muslims are't victims of terrorism)--Such communal vision in terror trail.

Now that most of the suspects caught are not Muslims, the point is not that Muslims can't be involved, anybody could be and must be treated alike. The investigators should be open-minded and must not be biased to such an extent, as witnessed recently.
9. Now the verdict for Mumbai blasts is all set to be delivered, it is pertinent to remember the role of the then Congress Chief Minister (late) Sudhakar Rao Naik. Of course, the Shiv Sena perpetrated the riots that caused over a 1,000 deaths but it was absolute inaction of Congress Chief Minister, who had refused to take action & let the rioters kill citizens in December- January 1992.

When prominent citizens approached him to rein in the rioters, he told them to go to Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray and request the latter to end the riots. The fate of the Justice Srikrishna Commission's report on riots is known to all.

The same Congress that promised action against policemen and politicians indicted by the Commission [part of its election promises] did not implement the report. Riots occurred before blasts but the petition for implementing the Commission report is pending with the Supreme Court. No effort was made to speed up the process for arrests of riot accused by government.

10. All terrorist acts are equally condemnable and the accused need toughest sentences. But absolute one-sided action and exonerating some militant groups just because they are not Muslim send bad signals. Except TOI and HT, Hindi and Marathi papers did not carry the stories about Bajrang Dal workers and the recovery of skull caps, fake beards. 

Why? [Does it not make a good copy like the one about mushrooming madarsas or madarsas breeding terror]. And when police and the other government agencies function in such a way, their credibility is seriously eroded. 


Unless there is confidence, share of information and good intelligence input would not come from the sections that feel alienated and persectued. Surely, the police and politicians must introspect for the sake of the nation.

And the worst is the politicians and mediamen parroting that Muslims and Hindus of Malegaon showed restrained and remained united. Fools, you think Muslims and Hindus who live in each and every town of India, are mad.

As if, we are ready to fight and kill each other in an hour of tragedy like the British thought of us: Hindus and Muslims, always raring to kill each other. Better you, politicians learn to control your own tongues and spare us of your biases. It would do good to all of us.

Read more posts on this blog on

1. Extra-judicial killings and Fake encounters
2. Terrorism