- From VHP to civil society, everyone making peace efforts
- Former minister ‘spreading hate’ in public rallies
- Congress defaming Govt: Dy CM
Three months after the brutal rape and murder of a minor girl in Rasana, Kathua, a debate has started across Jammu on whether the society had been divided on “communal lines” with certain politicians and rightwing groups “sowing seeds of hate and suspicion” creating a sense of insecurity among different communities.
After the Amarnath land row agitation in 2008, Jammu witnessed a sharp divide among the different communities but the situation thereafter remained peaceful.
The peaceful atmosphere in Jammu has been a reason why the West Pak Refugees, Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) migrants, displaced Kashmiri Pandit, migrants from Talwara, Reasi, Chenab Valley and PirPinjal decided to settle in the region.
The divisive politics in Jammu region and Kashmir has created a divide between the two regions even as people are economically and financially dependent upon each other.
After horrific rape and murder of a minor Gujjar girl in Rasana, the society seemed to have been divided on communal lines after suspicion was created to generate an alternative narrative to the Crime Branch investigations which scared the nomads – Gujjars, Bakerwals and Maliks living in the Jammu plains – Jammu, R S Pura, Bishnah, Samba, Kathua and other parts.
The mutual trust between the communities and inter-dependence was broken and due to the attempt to generate hate many nomads migrated two months before the scheduled seasonal migration to the upper reaches from parts of Hiranagar and Kathua.
While a section in Hindu community sees Crime Branch investigation as insufficient, Muslims are largely satisfied with the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s probe as are the parentsofthevictim.
The protest rallies across Jammu and Kathua by former forest minister ChaudharyLal Singh has also attracted attention of many people.
After Rasana rape and murder, some political parties started their political games to gain ground where BJP has a legislator.
There is anger among the people against the rightwing legislator, Kuldeep Raj Verma, which has led to blame game between the ruling BJP and opposition where Congress is accused of taking benefit and adding fuel to the fire by joining hands with the Hindu EktaManch.
The Hiranagar assembly seat, which is presently reserved for the Scheduled Caste community has been opened up with the upper caste candidates having eyes on their political future.
Resultantly, various political parties including Congress, BJP have been battling for the turf in Hiranagar.
The rightwing BJP held opposition responsible for playing with people’s sentiments and for indulging in dirty politics.
“Some Congress-planted people are involved in the recent incidents in the State to defame the government with false propaganda,” Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said at a party function of BharatiyaJanataYuvaMorcha(BJYM) here in Akhnoor.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the Congress was not able to digest the overall development done by BJP across India and in Jammu Kashmir as well.
“They don’t have any issue to raise against the BJP government that will become their election manifesto in the coming elections,” he said. “They have dragged themselves to a low level for doing politics on the death of a minor girl and are creating a communal environment across the country.”
Singh said he wanted to ask the Congress-planted puppets who were becoming patriots in Jammu where they were when Congress was in power during the past 60 years.
Talking to Kashmir Post, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) State Secretary, AjayManhas said, “Yes there is a communal division after the Rasana incident as some anti-national elements tried to divide the society but people are mature enough to foil such attempts.”
He said there were attempts to create chaos and that these elements had been successful to some extent.
“There is a need to avoid communal tensions,” Manhas said. “For the past 15 days, we have been looking at the Rasana incident and because of the confusion we want a CBI probe to ascertain the facts behind the incident.”
He said some people who had done politics over the issue and earned money were involved in the incident.
“In the areas ahead of Bari Brahmana to Kathua, locals have good relations with one another but certain outsiders are involved in vitiating the atmosphere,” Manhas said.
He also questioned the role of New Delhi and Mumbai-based news channels saying, “The national media did not raise voice against the incident when it happened but raised the issue after several months, which suggests that some agency might be behind it.”
Manhas said the minor girl’s family must be get justice and the accused be punished.
“We have tried everything to keep the situation peaceful,” he said.
Muslim Action Committee State President, Muhammad Sharif Sartaj told Kashmir Post that “RSS-minded people were trying to divide the people with a motive to create fear among Muslims.”
He said there might be a RSS conspiracy from Nagpur following which the minor was abducted, raped and murdered in Rasana.
“It is evident as Hindu EktaManch came in support of the alleged rapist,” Sartaj said. “However, secular forces are with us and they have saved Jammu from getting communalization of the incident, he said, further adding “Negative minded people have been exposed.”
Talking to Kashmir Post, former MLA from Vijaypur and State Congress General Secretary, Manjit Singh said, “On humanitarian issue, ruling BJP-PDP parties are looking at the case from different angles with MoS PMO (Jitendra Singh) demanding a CBI probe, which exposes them for whipping up communal passions.”
He said the coalition partners had failed to fulfill their promises and raised this issue to widen the regional and communal divide.
“However, Congress will not allow communal elements to create a wedge and keep the State united,” Singh said. “The coalition partners should have been on the same page since the crime was heinous, and no one should side with the criminals.”
Accusing BJP of a dual policy, he said while BJP ministers were backing the Crime Branch probe, their second line leadership was demanding a CBI inquiry.
Opposition National Conference (NC) leader and MLA from Mendhar, JavedRana told Kashmir Post that there was an attempt to divide society communally but the secular forces took immediate measures and failed their attempt to communalize the situation.
“The communal elements will try to disrupt the atmosphere but when national and social media came to the front, their design was foiled,” he said.
Rana asked the former minister ChoudharyLal Singh to behave like a responsible politician.
“Congress and BJP are exhibiting double standards in Kathua and at the national level,” he said.
Talking to Kashmir Post, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) Chairman, Harsh Dev Singh said, “Some politicians of PDP and BJP are responsible for creating a communal atmosphere when Jammu has a time-tested history of communal harmony.”
He said they would not allow communal elements to hurt religious brotherhood at any cost.
“To gain politically, both the ruling parties want polarization in the State,” Singh said. “Had they agreed to a CBI probe, there won’t have been any issue.”
He said the government thinks those demanding CBI probe were communal which was provocative.
PDP General Secretary VedMahajan told Kashmir Post that he did not think society was divided in Jammu on communal line on the rape and murder of the Gujjar girl.
“Such elements exist in every society and Jammu doesn’t promote communal elements but has always welcomed people from outside,” he said.
Talking to Kashmir Post, BJP spokesman Sunil Sethi said, “There was definitely an attempt to divide the society on religious lines by revealing the identity of the victim.”
He said a part of society was divided on communal lines due to social media reactions.
“Collateral damage has happened unnecessarily,” Sethi said. “We are trying to restore communal harmony and have succeeded to a larger extent.”
He said BJP has neither permitted the former minister Lal Singh to hold rallies nor was he using the party platform.
“No leader from BJP is attending his rallies,” he said. “These things are being looked into.”
Former Member of Parliament, Sheikh Abdul Rehman told Kashmir Post that there was an attempt by some politician to divide the society.
“Crime Branch, on the basis of evidences, has a strong case against the arrested persons. Unfortunately, communal elements like Hindu EktaManch, backed by certain politicians, and Jammu Bar Association are on the back foot after the Crime Branch probe,” he said. “The Dy CM’s statement suggested the arrested persons are innocent.”
Rehman said the situation was similar to 2008 agitation.
“Both the ruling parties don’t have an understanding and the government needs to be extra-vigilant from the communal elements so that such incidents are not repeated in future,” he said.
President of Nature/Mankind Friendly Global Party and former minister, Babu Singh told Kashmir Post that they had formed Jammu Kashmir United Peace Movement (JKUPM).
“On April 29, we have a kept discussion on the issue in Jammu,” he said. “The girl was brutally murdered after rape, which is a heinous crime to which the world has also reacted with anger.”
Singh said the issue should not be seen with a communal or a religious angle.
“We condemn the crime and do not look at it as a Hindu or a Muslim,” he said. “A culprit is a culprit and a victim is a victim.”
Regarding the demand for a CBI probe, Singh said, “In Delhi, Nirbhaya also did not get justice. Nilofor and Asiya case and KunanPoshpora mass rape case are before the public with no results from CBI.”
He said the issue was communalized under a design and an attempt was being made to make the crime a political tool.
“Unfortunately, communal forces and former ministers are giving statements to defame Dogras and Hindus,” he said. “It is not the question of Jammu or Dogras but of humanity and cruelties.”
On Saturday, Chetna Sharma from Hindu Swabhimaan along with a group of rightwing people visited Rasana, Kathua and met the families of the accused.
“By holding Sanjhi Ram responsible for the brutal murder of the minor girl, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has been using J&K Police to repeat the history of 1990 when Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave Kashmir valley,” she said.
“We are demanding a CBI probe so that innocent people can get justice and accused, who are at large, are put behind the bars,” Sharma said.
“Mehbooba has been using Police like Jihidis to make Jammu Hindu-free, which should end,” she said. “Hindus must unite today as it is the question of Hindu community’s survivor, today it is Sanjhi, tomorrow it will be some other person.”
Cautioning her community, Sharma said, “In next 10 years, Hindus will be in danger as their population is decreasing.”
She said her community should increase its population and get ready to fight back.
“It is the final battle of Hindus and in next ten years entire country will be in the grip of Jihad and there is a need for the Hindus to unite,” Sharma said. “This is the last battle.”
