Bharatiya Janata Party MP Arvind Dharmapuri has alleged that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is responsible for violence in Telangana’s Bhainsa on March 7. He said that a series of communal riots have been taking place for the last few years. He further alleged that these clashes are happening due to the inefficiency of the police department. He said that the police is under TRS and MIM’s pressure.
Dharmapuri said that the three who were injured were journalist, and one of them is critical. He called the incident “very unfortunate”. He said that the police had registered cases against 100 people, 50 Hindus and 50 Muslims. He questioned the basis of registering cases in equal numbers against both communities.
https://twitter.com/Arvindharmapuri/status/1368807330574311426?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwRemembering the January 2020 communal violence in Bhainsa, Dharmapuri said that at that time majority of the properties that were burnt down belonged to Hindus. He alleged that TRS and AIMIM want Hindus to be driven out of Bhainsa. Naming one Javed, whose family members have held the Municipal chairman post in the region for a couple of decades, Dharmapuri said that he was the triggering point behind yesterday’s clash.
He also alleged that Javed is a big land grabber. Dharmapuri said that a couple of days ago, there were videos circulating on social media that pointed towards land grabbing incidents in which lands belonging to Hindus were being grabbed. He claimed that because of those videos coming out, they started attacking Hindus.
Had the police acted independently, the situation would have been in control – Dharmapuri
Dharmapuri further said that if the police department had not worked under TRS and AIMIM’s pressure and took appropriate action against the culprits of the last year’s violence, yesterday’s incident would not have happened.
https://twitter.com/Arvindharmapuri/status/1368807469665775616?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwHe further questioned Cyberabad Commissioner Mahesh Bhagavath on the inefficiency of the police department. Bhagavath had said that police would file a case against social media users who circulate videos and messages related to the incident.
He said what was his department doing other than sharing warning to social media and WhatsApp users. He said that the main culprits of the last year’s incident are roaming around freely. He asked, “What kind of case should be filed against you for not taking action?” He added, “Had you put those goons behind bars when the previous riots surfaced, this array of riots would have not happened.”
Bhainsa communal clashes
On March 7, an argument between a biker and some locals triggered a communal clash between Hindus and Muslims in Bhainsa, Telangana. 10 people were injured and at least two houses and one auto-rickshaw were set ablaze during the clash. Section 144 was imposed in the area and a heavy police force was deployed to control law and order situation.
In January 2020, a similar clash had broken out between Muslims and Hindus in Bhainsa where 11 people were injured and several houses were torched. The Telangana government had filed a case against a journalist for reporting how a Muslim mob had attacked Hindu houses while chanting ‘Allah Hu Akbar.’