Curfew in Jodhpur after groups clash

New Delhi, May 3

Communal tension gripped Jodhpur, the home town of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, hours before Eid on Tuesday, prompting the authorities to suspend mobile internet services and impose a curfew within 10 police stations in the city. The police have arrested over 50 persons for the violence so far.

It all began last night as members of a minority community were installing Eid flags on a roundabout alongside the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa near Jalori Gate area. A confrontation ensued as the members of another community alleged that a saffron flag they had put up there ahead of Parshuram Jayanti had gone missing. The police rushed to the spot to control the situation and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the mob. Five policemen were injured in the violence.

The situation was brought under control with heavy police deployment, but tension re-escalated in the morning after prayers at an Eidgah as the two groups pelted each other with stones near the Jalori Gate.

The ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP blamed each other for the violence. Accusing Gehlot of “minority appeasement”, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said while Jodhpur was burning, the CM was “collecting birthday wishes like ‘Nero played fiddle while Rome burned’.”

Alleging that the Congress-led Rajasthan Government did not take action against those who created ruckus in the city after offering namaz, Shekhawat accused the state police of “working under invisible pressure”. “While miscreants pelted stones at houses and shops, insulted women and attacked people with knives at several places after namaz, the police remained a mute spectator,” he said.

The law and order situation was in disarray, the senior BJP leader from Rajasthan alleged, threatening to sit on a dharna at Jalori Gate circle if rioters were not arrested.

Stating that no one accused of creating communal disharmony would be spared, Gehlot urged people to maintain peace. “A criminal, irrespective of his religion, caste or class, must not be spared,” he told officials at a high-level meeting.

Gehlot said anti-social elements must be identified at the police station level and strict action taken against them. Legal action should be taken against those spreading rumours on social media, he said, terming the incident unfortunate.

“While respecting the tradition of love and brotherhood of Jodhpur, Marwar, I make a touching appeal to all the parties to maintain peace and cooperate in restoring law and order,” he said.

BJP state president Satish Poonia said it was “highly condemnable” that Islamic flags were put up on the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa by anti-social elements while saffron flag put up to mark Parshuram Jayanti were removed”.