COMMUNAL CLASH IN KOLKATA
HINDU GIRL MOLESTED IN BELGACHHIA: MEDIA BLACKS OUT NEWS FOR KEEPING ‘PEACE’.
Islamic expansionism has gripped almost the whole of Kolkata. Barring a very few areas, every place has become sensitive due to Hindu-Muslim tension.
On 21st April evening, Belgachhia area of North Kolkata felt the communal heat. Hindu houses and a market was attacked, a Shiva temple was severely damaged, another temple attacked and some Hindus were beaten up mercilessly.
Kundu Lane of Belgachhia area is a mixed population area. The Hindu inhabited Kundu Lane Slum and Muslim inhabited Belgachhia Slum are adjacent. Hindu women and girls always have to face eve teasing, indecent gestures from the Muslim youths. There is a small tea-shop owned by one Hindu Sri Nilu Banerji in Kundu Lane where both Hindus and Muslims drink tea. On last 21st April evening, Sri Banerji went out of his shop for some work. His 17 year old daughter Soma Banerji was running the shop. Six Muslim youths came to the shop, ordered for tea, and started to disturb the girl with indecent gestures. At first Soma tried to ignore the obscene actions. But ultimately the Muslim boys started molesting her by touching her body. Soma could not tolerate this and raised an alarm. Some Hindu youths rushed there, protested, but the Muslim boys ignored them and told them that it is no business of them. Then the Hindu youths beat the Muslim boys and locked up three of them to hand over to police. The other three fled and reported to Muslim locality. Hearing this, Muslims came back in large numbers. Hindus too became ready. Stone throwing started. By this time the police showed up. Somehow controlled the situation and took charge of the three Muslim boys. The police posting is continuing in the area.
Here it should be mentioned that this Kundu Lane comes under Ultadanga P.S. where officer in charge is Abdur Rejjak.
At 11 pm. night, it was dark due to usual power cut in Kolkata. Taking advantage of the darkness, Muslims of neighbouring area on the other side of a railway line joined the Muslims of the Belgachhia slum and they attacked Hindu area in Kundu Lane. First they attacked the local market of Kundu Lane, stoned and demolished some shops. Then they attacked 5/6 Hindu houses. They broke window panes and furniture and beat the members of the houses mercilessly. Then the Muslims attacked a small Shiva-Temple and destroyed it partially. Then they started attacking the famous Yasho-Madhav Temple of the area. By this time, some Hindus gathered courage and unitedly started to resist them. The Hindus threatened the Muslims that if they do not stop attacking the Yasho-Madhav Temple, then they will demolish the nearby Mosque. The threatening worked and the Muslims retreated in the dead of night.
Among the Hindu houses attacked, one prominent was of Ms. Namita Das. She is an elected Councilor/Corporator of that area, i.e., Ward No. 3. She is from CPI(M). Her father shouted in next morning, “ We fled from East Bengal to avoid persecution by Muslims. Here too the same situation. Where is your Subhas Chakraborty (A Minister and MLA of that area)? He is such a big leader, why he has not come to save us?”
In the morning of 22nd April, Hindus gathered in large number at Kundu Lane. They were tremendously aggrieved. Sri Bablu Das, a CPI(M) cadre and brother of Namita Das led the mob to Belgachhia Metro Rail station. They blocked the Metro Rail service for 2 hours in morning. A huge Police contingent with RAF (Rapid Action Force) reached there to control the Hindus. Kolkata Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakraborty himself came, tried to pacify the Hindus. After 2 hours, blocked of Metro Rail was lifted, but the main road block continued till 1 pm. Their main demand was to arrest all the six Muslim culprits. Police already let off the three molesters whom they booked previous evening.
On the 22nd afternoon, a Hindu Samhati Team visited the area. The whole area is cordoned off by a large number of police. Hindus are afraid that anytime Muslims from the other side of Railway line will enter their area and attack them. There is a large Railway residential housing complex, named Dakhindari Rail Quarter by the side of the rail line. Hindu residents of Kundu Lane and Dakhindari Rail Quarters are now demanding to build a high wall in between the Rail line and the Rail quarter. What a pity! We saw that a large number of police manning that boundary area very cautiously. We also came to know that Kolkata Police Commissioner assured the Hindus that the high wall will be built.
On 23rd April morning Md. Salim came to the area to meet the people there. Hindu women abused him, and he had to flee the scene. Md. Salim is the CPI(M) candidate in the ensuing Parliamentary Election from this Kolkata North Constituency.
Everyday evening, the women Metro Rail commuters of this area have to face the misbehavior and indecent gestures by the Muslim youths. It has become a practice for them. So, Hindus of the area are already perturbed and aggrieved.
The whole area has become extremely tense.
On 23rd April morning, in the advice of their leaders, Muslims too blocked the main road to use pressure-tactic so that Police do not arrest the Muslim culprits.
The eve-teasing and molestation of women is not confined to Belgachhia alone in Kolkata. It is a common practice by the Muslim youths in many areas of Kolkata.
Police and State Govt tried to prevent the media persons to enter the area. But here, media houses are more than willing to suppress the news. Their stated theory is: the news of any communal clash will spread the clash in more areas. So, it is better to suppress this type of news for maintaining communal peace. Hence, Ananda Bazar group of papers absolutely blacked out this news. Bartaman and some other papers published it very insignificantly, as a mere eve-teasing news.
Telephone no. of Ultadanga P.S. is 033 23566263
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