Tripura a northeastern Indian state has witnessed large scale violence in the past few weeks with shops, houses and mosques being vandalized and set on fire allegedly by Viswa Hindu Parisad (VHP) activists.
Since then clashes and mob violence have taken place in the state, bordered on 3 sides by Bangladesh and this is where the pot for this communal fire first stirred.
Bangladesh spillover:
On October 15th, many Durga Puja pandals and temples were vandalized in Bangladesh. This happened after asocial media post showing a copy of Quran placed at the feet of an idol went viral.
In the following weeks, communal violence spread in the country with the Hindu minority being targeted. Several shops belonging to Hindus were gutted. The riots also saw several Hindus being injured, with at least 3 reported dead. along with 4 Muslim protestors shot down by the police.
Tripura bears the burnt
To protest the incidents and vandalism in Bangladesh, VHP and another Hindu organization Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) took out rallies.
During these rallies, goons allegedly vandalized several houses, shops and mosques targeting the minority Muslims.
15 people including 3 policemen were injured as clashes errupted in the Gomati District on 21 October, after the the police had denied permission to enter localities with mixed populations, to avoid law and order issues.
According to the police on October 26, when a protest rally was carried out by VHP at Panisagar, a mosque, few houses and 10 shops belonging to Muslims were set on fire.
It is also alleged that a group of Muslims attacked HIndu houses , shops and vehicles in the Churaibari rail gate area. In retaliation, Hindus ransacked a few shops belonging to Muslims later that night.
Govt. Response
The state government has thus far maintained its stance that there is no communal tension anywhere in Tripura, saying people need to maintain peace and stay away from rumors.
On Friday, Minister for Information Sushanta Chowdhury categorically denied reports of any mosque being set ablaze and alleged that a few vested interest groups from outside were involved to try and tarnish the state government’s image.
State police chief Yadav says there was no pattern to the multiple incidents. The officer said he suspects it was the “handiwork of miscreants” who may have acted at the behest of a political party.
“Whichever party is against the present government may be involved,” he said.
“It’s local politics at play,” Abdul Basit Khan, a lawyer and president of North Tripura district’s TMC unit, told Al Jazeera.
Khan alleged that VHP members ransacked his house on October 21 when his family was away. “They want to consolidate Hindu votes and terrorise the Muslim voters.”
BJP spokesman Nabendu Bhattacharjee claimed the Left was behind the violence to destabilise the state. “It is their IT cell which is responsible for fake social media posts,” he said.
Police Action:
On Thursday, Tripura police said it has arrested six people in various “communal incident cases”. Four others were arrested for being “involved in spreading malicious propaganda with a view to creating hatred between two religious groups” in North Tripura district.
A police official in Panisagar, who spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, said they are investigating the incident.
“But there was no provocation from the other side,” he said, referring to the area’s Muslims.
The police officer said it was the VHP that flouted their regulations.
“We were hugely outnumbered,” he said, explaining the rally had far more people than the administration had permitted.
“The VHP violated the conditions that were placed while granting permission for the rally.”
Lawyers Booked:
two New Delhi-based lawyers who were part of a fact-finding mission to Tripura have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), a controversial anti-terror law.
They have been asked to appear before the police in Tripura and delete their “fabricated and false statements” posted on social media. Police said they will take action against 71 people who “posted provocative posts on social media”.
Both lawyers have also been charged under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 120 (B), 153 (A), 153 (B), 469, 471, 503, 504, among others, which include charges of criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between groups, forgery and provoking breach of peace.
The advocates were a part of a four-member fact finding team which had visited the state on October 29-30 in order to document the tensions in the region following reports of anti-Muslim violence in the state. The report, titled ‘Humanity under attack in Tripura; #Muslim lives matter’, documented the vandalisation of at least 12 mosques, nine shops and three houses belonging to Muslim families.
US shows concern
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said it was alarmed by reports of violence against Muslims in Tripura and urged the Indian government to prevent the attacks.
“USCIRF is particularly alarmed about reports from Tripura of mobs desecrating mosques and torching properties of Muslims. The Indian government must bring those responsible for instigating and engaging in religious violence to justice and must prevent further attacks,” USCIRF said in a tweet.
USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan federal government commission that makes religious freedom and foreign policy recommendations to the US president, the US Senate and the State Department.