Riots were politically planned: report

BY HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, APRIL 6 � The All India Milli Council (AIMC) today released a “fact finding report� on the violence at Curchorem-Savordem which mentions that “the attack on the Guddemol mosque on the night of March 2-3 and the violence against the Muslim community living in Curchorem, Savordem and Guddemol, was part of a well planned strategy by political forces to communalise Goan society.�
The AIMC appointed a 4 member team headed by SC human rights lawyer, Nandita Haksar to investigate into the violence.
Addressing a press conference in the city Haksar said that the report “was to try to probe the root causes of communal violence.�
The report covers the rise of communal politics in Goa, human rights violations of Muslims in Goa, the mosques at Socorro and Ekta Nagar, Mapusa.
With reference to the speeches made by the BJP party members, the report mentions “that the BJP members including the ex-CM Manohar Parrikar and the local MLA Ramrao Desai continue to spread the disinformation not only about the actual incident but about Muslims in general. They are fuelling hatred and anger against the Muslims by telling blatant lies, spreading false rumours and making defamatory statements.�
Referring to Parrikar’s speech on March 4, 2006, it mentions that “the former CM did not attempt to console the Muslims and his speech sent out the message that people responsible for the violence are the victims themselves.�
On the role of the administration during the violence, Haksar and her team mentioned that “the civil administration has not acted with the responsibility that is expected of them. It is true that the police did offer protection to Muslims gathered inside the Curchorem mosque when the violence started. However they failed to protect the property of the Muslims.�
Further, the report mentions that “the Congress party has no programme for countering the communalism and many of its MLAs and members are former members of the BJP. �
Haksar and her team have recommended that “the government must bring out a white paper telling the people the truth about the communal violence in Savordem-Curchorem.� Further “the government must have a programme against communalism and initiate a public debate on the issue of outsiders.�
The other recommendations are that “the Muslims of Guddemol must be allowed to offer namaz which has been stopped by the local police and must be provided with land (which they will purchase) to build a mosque so that they can exercise their right to freedom of religion.� The recommendations have been submitted to the AIMC which will submit it to the government, Haksar said.
The team appointed include editor of Lankesh Times Kannada weekly Bangalore, Gauri Lankesh, radio journalist, New Delhi, Vinod K Jose, and editor of Guide magazine, Bangalore, Bilidale Eesha.
Also present was Iqbal Mohidin, member of the AIMC, Goa State.