It is no longer a secret that the private junior high school of Bikihakola Koley area is being turned into a Madrasa with all efforts. It is worthwhile to mention that Panchla is basically a census town and police station in Sadar subdivision of Howrah district in the Indian state of West Bengal. And Panchla block consists of 11 gram panchayats and one of these is Bikihakola Koley. Bikihakola is also a census town under the jurisdiction of Panchla police station in unison.
The situation was quite serene till a few months back and the number of students was no more than 26 or 27. But almost three months back, one day during the noon, a fuss was noticed and a good number of students and officers were also perceived in the school building. A little probe revealed that an inspection from the Madrasa Board was in full action and as per collected info, it is a reality that Madrasa is a settled fact.
All political parties have been approached, in this context, but all have evaded only. Mass petitions (containing more than 1,500 signatures) to stop such a detrimental activity were also submitted to various echelons of the administration including the honorable District Magistrate. But there was no outcome and the saga of Madrasa was getting more and more positive.
Seeing no other option, Hindus made a detailed enquiry of the land. It is to be noted that forceful construction of any Madrasa can be halted only if faults or defects exist with the very land. The enquiry brought to the fore some hidden facts – hitches regarding the land. Even if the junior school was claiming the entire land as its own, in reality it purchased 3 per cent of 17 per cent of the land at Rs. 15,000 and sold a few portion of the land at Rs. 15, 000 even. At the moment, the school is holding 8 per cent of the land while another 8 per cent is remaining vacant. Well, the Bikihakola Primary School (Koley Para) stands adjacent to it.
In such a situation, the original owner of the land along with villagers, during the last Puja holidays, encircled the vacant area with bamboos. Proper care was taken so that any such fence would not put an end to the normal functions of the junior school.
On last 9th October, 2010, Dil Bahar (a Muslim activist and Head Master of junior school), at 10.30 am, only to create a riot among Hindus and Muslims in the vicinity, called the Muslim teachers and female students only to the school. Police force from PS: Panchla was also brought in and the entire crowd started to break the aforementioned fencing all of a sudden. The Hindu women were seeing the entire development from their own houses. Seeing this one Muslim teacher began to take photos of Hindu women viewers. When it was protested, the teacher molested a few Hindu ladies. The molestation led to an altercation in front of the police. Teachers of the primary school and police sent the students to the classrooms.
The rumor spread fast and as a result, thousands of Muslims, in front of SP of Howrah district and Panchla BDO, made a barbaric attack on the Hindus of Koley Para. The first victims were the venerable Hanuman Temple, vegetable and tea shops. The attackers were joined by more Muslims within a few minutes and the savage crowd having sharp weapons and firearms took hold of Koley Para in a flash. The situation became worst and to curb it, RAF (Rapid Acton Force) was introduced.
Whenever the raging situation was brought under control, BDO Panchla, SP Howrah and Officer-in-Charge of PS: Panchla determined that the entire decision would be made involving both parties (landowner and the head master) and checking authentic documents of the land. It was also announced that on the next day both BLO and BDO of Panchla would examine documents of both sides and the land would be transferred to the actual owner in front of the police.
The announcement was enough to raise alarms for Dil Bahar; he realized that Hindus would own the battle without doubt. To distract the entire development, he (along with the support of entire Muslim community) brought a new demand to the fore. According to the new demand, since Muslim women were persecuted highly (?), the police must arrest the culprits before anything. Saying all these Muslim crooks locked the office of BDO of Panchla, blocked off the National Highway and started a new series of atrocities in the areas of the neighborhood, in particular Hakola and Kulat villages.
The atrocities didn’t stop here and Muslim criminals were even seen to oppress Hindu female students. Strikingly police acted reversely and arrested Hindus. Meanwhile, Dil Bahar lodged an FIR (First Information Report) terming Hindus accountable for breaking fence and commencing riots and other disturbances. At 4.30 pm in the evening police arrested 5 persons of each community relating to acts of violence and breaking of fence. But it was insufficient to please the Muslim community. At 10.30 pm in the night a false rape case was lodged against the Hindus. Police acted hastily at this time and put the Hindus (named in the FIR) behind the bar. However, thanks to the absence of any evidence (naturally) Hindus were bailed out.
The nefarious role of mainstream media must be expressed here. Almost all newspapers and news channels are terming Hindus as mischief-makers and due to this, the innocent community is being projected as the real villain.
What can we draw from here? Bikihakola (Koley Para), with a Hindu majority, is being termed as criminal for protesting against the illegal and forceful construction of a Madrasa legally (de jure). Whereas Muslims, led by Dil Bahar and his cohorts, who are completely responsible for the communal frenzy are being termed as social activists. This is reality of the existing society and the impotent judiciary stands helpless even if culprits are being named as innocents and vice-versa.
(FIR lodged by Dil Bahar – No. 379 dtd. 09.11.10; sections – 447/423/506/34/153)
(False Rape Case – No. 380 dtd. 09.11.10; sections – 354/376/349)