Prime Time on Malda: BJP Insists Violence Communal in Nature

The violence in Malda continued to dominate Prime Time television debates.

Kamlesh Tiwari’s derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad during a speech led to violent protests by Muslims. (Photo Courtesy: CNN IBN)

The Times Now prime time debate dealt with the issue of whether the “secular brigade of Award Wapsi” has displayed hypocrisy regarding the violence that broke out in Malda, when a mob of 156 thousand Muslims protested against Hindu Mahasabha Activist, Akhilesh Tiwari’s comments on the Prophet.

The mob protested on a national highway, burning down a government bus and nearly two dozen BSF vehicles.

Arnab Goswami started off with the charge that the same group of people who had launched an attack against the government citing the rise of intolerance as a reason behind the Dadri lynching case, had been uncannily silent about their opinions about Malda riots.

He also added that the Muslim fringe was backed by the CM of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee who instead of addressing the Malda riot, was busy attending Ghulam Ali’s concert.

Siddharth Nath Singh, member of the BJP maintained that the Idara-e-Sharif organization is not only closely linked to the Jamaat but that it had also circulated flyers to mobilize the mob of Muslims. He said that the attack was communal in nature.

<p>It was a planned riot. You people (Award Wapsi supporters) are the most anti-social people who do not understand what is secularism. When you play with the vote bank, then its communal.</p>

<b>Siddharth Nath Singh</b>

Goswami also attacked and charged author and columnist Anil Dharkar, Senior Advocate in SC, Sanjay Hedge, activist, Satinath Sarangi and Professor Qaiser questioning their “secular silence”. To this, author and columnist Anil Dharkar said that such an issue should be condemned in any case, whether perpetrated by Hindus or Muslims.

Goswami then accused Dharkar of going soft on the Muslim fringe, asking how it was that condemnation could be accepted in this case when condemnation wouldn’t do in the case of Dadri.

Satinath Sarangi denied that it was a case of communal mobilization maintaining that the mob only wanted to get one point across, that they are offended by what Tiwari has said about the Prophet.

Sanjay Hedge rattled both Ketakar and Singh when he asked if people were killed in the protest as Akhlaq was in Dadri. Singh retorted by:

Prafulla Ketkar added to this stance saying that while Tiwari is in jail, Azam Khan who placed a bounty on Tiwari’s head is not, and that this certainly bears resemblances of a communal bias. He said:

<p>Do people have to be shot in their heart? May I ask you what Mamata is doing? Please go to Hindu houses there where even a young girl has been terrorized and beaten up. Because you are a pseudo secularist. You are the real communal guys who have shamed India. What basis do you have to call BJP communal?</p>

Goswami concluded the debate by pointing out that the Jamaat is active in Bangladesh, where right wing muslim organizations don’t receive any political patronage. He said that Mamata Bannerjee’s silence is a compromise on natural security and precautions should be taken lest such organizations find their way in to West Bengal and Assam.