Tripura, Nov 13: Maharashtra’s State Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil appealed to people to maintain peace following stone-pelting incidents during protests against recent violence in Tripura on November 12.
There had been calls for a Bandh (shutdown) in the north-eastern region by some Muslim organizations. During a protest march in the afternoon, stone-pelting occurred in the communally sensitive town of Malegaon, in Nashik district, said a police official. Police dispersed the mob with lathi charges, the witness said.
There is now total control over the situation in Malegaon. High-ranking government officials and government police have taken up residence there. Nashik Collector Suraj Mandhare advised the public not to believe any rumours. Bhadrakali and the Old Nashik area were seen to have bandh activity as well.
The District Collector’s office in Amravati was thronged by more than eight thousand people demanding that atrocities against the minority community be stopped, officials said.
Between Chitra Chowk and Cotton Market, people were stone-pelted as they left after submitting the memorandum. An official from the Nanded police department said two police personnel sustained injuries when stones were pelted at their vans. At all of these locations, he said, the situation was in control, and FIRs were being filed.
As per a statement from the Minister of Home Affairs, the protest marches in Tripura to protest the violence against the Muslim community have taken a violent turn in some places, but the situation is under control.
In Maharashtra, he urged people not to be misled by rumours and to maintain peace. It was assured that the violence that occurred during the protests would be punished.
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In the case at hand, Mr Walse-Patil said that police should use restraint and ensure that no law and order issues arise. Ashok Chavan, senior congress leader and minister of state for public works, also appealed to people to keep the peace.
Deputy Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari received a memo from Rasa Academy, a Muslim organization. It demanded compensation for those hurt in the violence in Tripura, as well as the reconstruction of the mosques that were damaged.
Bhendi Bazar, Mohammad Ali Road, Kurla, Mumbra, and Bhiwandi in Thane as well as popular Muslim neighbourhoods in Mumbai were also affected by bandhs.
Devendra Fadnavis, former Chief Minister of Tripura and leader of the BJP, maintained that certain people were trying to take advantage of the violence.
In a statement, Chandrakant Patil, state BJP president, said this reaction by the Muslim community in Uttarakhand was unnecessary. There are some elements in the Muslim community who defame the entire community, he said.
