Fear rising in Karauli, Rajasthan with news that a BJP rally is to transpire there with Tejaswi Surya, president of BJYM arriving there.
In Karauli, when news came of the march reached the Rajasthan government, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is deploying hundreds of police in Dausa to deter any violence, which was heavily criticized by Tejasvi Surya who tweeted, “Receiving reports of deployment of hundreds of police personnel by @ashokgehlot51 in Dausa in order to prevent the BJYM #ChaloKarauli Nyay Yatra. BJYM intends to take a peaceful march in Karauli. It’s our constitutional right. We dare @ashokgehlot51 to stop BJYM!”
Receiving reports of deployment of hundreds of police personnel by @ashokgehlot51 in Dausa in order to prevent the BJYM #ChaloKarauli Nyay Yatra.
BJYM intends to take a peaceful march in Karauli.
It’s our constitutional right.We dare @ashokgehlot51 to stop BJYM!
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) April 13, 2022
Independent Journalist, Arbab Ali tweeted, “Received a call from a resident of Karauli who told me some BJP rally is going to happen there today. DM of Karauli confirmed to me that Tejaswi Surya, president of BJYM is coming there. BJYM tweeted a poster that read “A justice march will take place on 13 April in Karauli.”1/2
A march like this, at a place that recently saw communal arson, should not be allowed. The curfew which was lifted from 9 AM to 5 PM earlier, the timings have been shifted. Today, curfew was lifted only from 6 AM to 9 AM, residents confirmed. 2/2
Arbab Ali @arbabali_jmi
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He tweeted, “Muslim residents of Karauli called me up today. They are worried to the core about the march. Why is something like this happening when a curfew has been imposed in the area. What is the Rajasthan government thinking?
Arbab Ali quoted Narsinghanand Yati, extremist right-wing Hindutva leader as saying, “If you don’t want Hindu and Muslims to fight, there is only one solution for that, you will have to watch Kashmir Files” said Narsinghanand at Hindu Mahapanchayat in Burari.
Narsinghanand known for his hate-filled inciting speech has been recently exhorting Hindus to take up arms and fight and has been accused in the past of inciting violence with his incendiary speeches. Tejasvi Surya, the RSS swayamsevak and lawyer is serving as a Member of Parliament from the BJP also known for provocatory communal statements.
Received a call from a resident of Karauli who told me some BJP rally is going to happen there today. DM of Karauli, confirmed to me that Tejaswi Surya, president of BJYM is coming there. BJYM tweeted a poster that read “A justice march will take place on 13 April in Karauli.”1/2 pic.twitter.com/SxpqcvszLu
— Arbab Ali (@arbabali_jmi) April 13, 2022
The aftermath of the Karauli Flames
Freelance journalist, Hrishi Raj Anand who visited the zones of trouble shared a disturbing thread, “The stories of Muslims in Karauli need to be told. Today, I along with @Samriddhi0809 was in the violence-inflicted area the entire day. We met families from both communities.
But the pain that the Muslims have incurred is beyond what one could imagine.
Somebody claims to have lost stock of 5 lac rupees and someone says that they lost over 35 lacs. Someone’s 18-year-old son was assaulted by police and someone could not stop crying since they have never seen a time like this before.
Shops have been burnt, with nothing but debris left. People’s houses and mosques have been marked as restricted area stating it’s a ‘crime scene’ but the main accused still roams free. While most of the shops burnt were by Muslims, most to be arrested were also Muslims.
It was saddening to see that most of the people alleged that the police did not do anything. If they had wanted, they could have stopped this from happening. The Muslim locals did not blame their fellow Hindu citizens but did say that their support could have helped stop it.
The city was opened today from 9 am to 5 pm after 9 days of curfew. Right before 5 pm, the police force started to ask people to shut their shops. While they did so, there was a sense of grief and anxiety in the place. The people are still scared. They still live in fear.”
The stories of Muslims in #Karauli need to be told.
Today, I along with @Samriddhi0809 was in the violence inflicted area the entire day. We met families from both the communities. But the pain that the Muslims have incurred is beyond what one could imagine. 1 pic.twitter.com/6ASkb22md5— Hrishi Raj Anand (@hrishirajanand_) April 11, 2022
Karauli, the Violence and What Happened
During the Hindu New Year, Nav Samvatsar, a procession led by y Vishva Hindu Parishad(VHP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and the Bajrang Dal went to the town with “400-500 persons on 200-215 bikes”. Slogans such as ‘Jai Shri Ram’ were raised, and songs “of Hindu organizations” were played. On reaching a Muslim locality near Masjid Maniharan, reports said that Muslim local residents alleged the crowds raised slogans such as “Topi wala bhi Jai Shri Ram bolega (One wearing the skull cap will also chant Jai Shri Ram)” and other such slogans and these slogans, in particular, incited them to throw stones. The Hindus on bikes were allegedly pelted with stones from rooftops, causing injuries to the people on the bikes and the policemen accompanying them, police told the media.
There were around 100-150 people from the colony attacking with sticks,” and eight policemen and 11 locals were injured. In the burning of houses and shops, properties of more than 80 people from both sides were damaged said the senior police officer, adding that an FIR was also
The Rajasthan government enforced a curfew extended till April 10, as many as 23 were arrested out of the 44 identified, 10 FIRs have been registered, but conspirators BJP Mayor’s husband Rajaram Gurjar, Matloob Ahamad are still absconding.
The state government has now handed over the enquiry to be held under its Home Secretary.
While the right-wing groups blame the Muslims for the violence, the olence broke out in Karauli, The chief minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot said, “Ye aag lagane ke liye aate hain, poore desh mein aag laga rahe hain. Aaye, aag lag gayi (They come to light the fires, they are setting the entire country on fire. He came, and the fires were lit),” reported IE. The CM said BJP was “already in election mode in Rajasthan”.
An opinion shared is that the central government seems to have taken India back to the fires of 1947 as a simple festival today cannot be celebrated with the joys of festivities and spirituality anymore. Incidentally, the Muslims are not allowed to observe their Ramadan fast in peace, or are the Hindutva crowd allowing peaceful festivities. Over centuries, Hindus and Muslims have celebrated Diwali, Holi, and Eid peacefully together. What is happening, people are asking.