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- From: bond@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca (Girish)
- Subject: Mumbai Riots
- Message-ID: <1993Jan27.143725.25607@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca>
- Organization: University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada
- Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 14:37:25 GMT
- Lines: 77
-
-
- Recent News on Riots (From UPI):
-
- NEW DELHI, January 27 -- Fresh outbreaks of sectarian violence
- erupted in the Indian capital and Bombay, leaving three people dead and
- nine others wounded, authorities reported Wednesday.
-
- Two people were killed and seven others wounded after the police
- opened fire to disperse a mob in riot-ravaged Bombay, capital of western
- Maharashtra state, authorities said.
-
- According to authorities, violence erupted when a mob attacked a
- group of Hindus returning from a religious ceremony in north Bombay. The
- mob also set fire to a slum.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Following is the mail I received from one of my friends about Mumbai riots:
-
- I was in Bombay from the 18th of Dec to the 16th of Jan. From what I saw
- and heard Shiv Sena saved Bombay. You ask anybody and they would say the
- same. The Muslims had planned to burn down Mazgaon dock (property and
- people) They were armed with AK47s. Most hindu areas were armed with
- petrol bombs to protect themselves if these Muslim fanatics came by.
- In Tardeo Muslim fanatics dressed in police uniforms shot a couple of
- people in the night. It was a drive by shooting. Belive me a lot
- of shit happened. On the 9th of Jan I saw parts of Bombay burning from
- Malabar Hill. I live there. A couple of cars were burned outside the
- governers bungalow. A lot of politics was involved...
-
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- After reading the UPI/AP news reports only, I found it hard to believe
- in above mail. But yesterday, my friend came from Mumbai and what he is
- saying is pretty same. He lives in Jogeshwari. He says: we would have
- witnessed many more deaths (Hindus, according to him) had Shivsena
- not retaliated.
-
- I also got a chance to read almost all Marathi newspapers from Mumbai
- during the week of riots [Maharashtra Times, Loksatta, Nav Shakti,
- Nava-Kal, Samana (Shiv Sena daily)]. The newsreports in these newspapers
- and the reports from UPI/APnews are totally different. Needless to say,
- I tend to believe in local newspaper reports.
-
- These newspapers contain many photos of burnt temples, people firing
- from the mosque, crowds on VT station going out of Mumbai etc.
-
- The daily "Loksatta" in one of the editorials, have severly criticised
- Jafar Sherif, a Union Cabinet Minister for holding a secret meeting
- with Javed Khan, State Minister and many local Muslim leaders/mullahs
- during the days of riots. It has also criticised Jafar Sherif for
- his controversial comments about Sharia (he said something like Sharia
- is more important for him than the law. If anybody knows about this,
- please confirm). The state minister, Javed Khan is MLA from Deonar
- where many temples were burnt during these riots.
-
- From these newsreports, it clearly looks like Shivsena was nowhere
- during first two days of rioting. People were being burnt alive and
- killed but police refused to fire because of the criticism on their
- actions in earlier riots. Perhaps, that is why Shivsena retaliated
- (Shivsena believes in "Offense is the best way of defense" principle!).
-
- The APnews/UPI newsreport that provocative statements by Bal Thakare
- worsened the situation is outright false. All editorials/his statements
- in "Samana" (Shiv Sena daily) are not any different than what they
- have been writing for years. Actually, he repeatedly requested people
- to end rioting and establish peace.
-
- Many newspapers have also accused the landlords in Dharavi area (many of
- whom are notorious smugglers) of violence.
-
- After reading these local newpapers, I know why the Central Govt. is
- hesitating to take any action against Shiv Sena.
-
- -- Girish.
-
-
-