<< Prev Page    |    1    |    2    |    3    |    4    |    5    |    6    |    7    |    8    |    9    |    10    |    Next Page >> 7 Pattern of the riots in terms of its method, causal factors for its sustenance and fizzling out, etc. The 1990 riots established a clear method in the madness. The pattern shows some element of planning and mobilization prior to each attack. It is by and large Muslims who have been at the receiving end although in some cases they have retaliated attacking mainly Scheduled Caste pockets. During the actual rioting shops, establishments and homes of Muslim were singled out or attack. Victims testify to the extremely provocative slogans chanted by the frenzied mobs and the brutal way in which they killed innocent persons. Police and other sources point to the composition of the crowds. According to police in Channapatna crowds comprised of boys and men in the age group of 13 – 30. In towns like Channapatna there is a large unemployed army that can be mobilised. But a more serious development is the participation of schoolchildren which observers see as the result of the assiduous cultivation of teachers by communal organizations such as the RSS over the years. A notable development has been the involvement of middle-school and high school students especially in the villages. School teacher, eve becoming increasingly communal-minded and are using boy, for their purposes. This became clear while talking to some of those injured in the police firing in Davangere during the Rarna Jvothi procession. All the young men said that if there was another Rama Jyothi procession they would certainly participate. And why? “India is the country of Rama and I will give my life for a Rama temple in Ayodhya.’ says a youth no more than 20 years of age. Spread of riots The one thing noticed is that often though a communal incident is triggered off due to some local incident; it inevitably spreads to other areas, towns, villages and cities. The reasons behind this spread needs to be looked into and understood. Spilling out of riots from urban areas into surrounding villages One of the disquieting features of later communal riots (80’s onwards) has been the spilling out of riots from urban areas into surrounding villages. While large Muslim populations are mainly confined to urban areas, there are small pockets of Muslims in villages, which come under attack. This relatively new phenomenon poses both social and administrative problems. Socially, there has been little friction between Hindus and Muslims on communal grounds in the villages and the deterioration of relations shows that communalism is finding a new social (read rural) base. For the administration, especially the police, affording protection to small vulnerable communities is becomes very difficult. This was most notable during the series of communal riots in 1990. In M.K. Doddi, near Kolar, all 40 houses of Muslims were destroyed by mobs. In Srinivaspura, a taluk headquarters town about 200 kms from Kolar, nearly 400 hectares of mango orchards owned by Muslims were razed. The 4 households of Muslims in Sugattur village, 5 kms from Kolar, were looted and burnt by mobs, who also killed two young men. In Chikkabathi village, 5 kms from Davangere, the houses of 6 Muslims and a dargah were looted and burnt. Again in 1994 when there were riots in Bhadravati, it immediately spread to neighbouring villages of Mavinkere, Dodderi, Antaragange and Kalingahalli. The panic-stricken families fled their villages to take shelter with relatives elsewhere while others hid themselves in sugarcane fields. Some families also went to Shimoga and nearby places seeking refuge. Riots in Suratkal in 1999 – 2000 spread to nearby rural areas like Baikampadi, Kulai, Katipalla, Ganeshpur, Chokkabetu and Krishnapur. Spread of riots within urban areas If one were to look at the incident in Venketeshpura (Bangalore) in July 1998, when the hoisting of religious flag triggered off communal riots, it spread to other areas in the cities as well such as Lingarajpuram, Kammanhalli road and Kacharkanahalli and other surrounding localities. Even during Bhatkal riots of 1993, the violence soon spread to neighbouring villages of Bevalli, Mundalli and Nastara. In Bevalli a Muslim couple and their children were beaten by a gang and their house torched. The same night the gang set fire to a shop in Mundalli. In Nastara, hundereds of people gathered and set fire to the house few Muslims. Arrest of Men Another reason for the spread of riots is the ineffective role of the police due to various reasons. For example in 1997 riots in Jayanagar, trouble continued and spread because the police were scared to intervene for fear of bodily harm and poor protective gear. Moreover the armed policemen had been brought in from various places and had no idea of the topography of the area and there were no maps either to overcome this problem. During the 1986 Mysore riot most of the men were arrested leaving the women alone to fend for themselves. As hordes of attackers set upon these homes, the women were forced to flee. Duration of a riot Bhatkal riots went on for 9 months!    << Prev Page    |    1    |    2    |    3    |    4    |    5    |    6    |    7    |    8    |    9    |    10    |    Next Page >>