1980 Moradabad riots
| 1980 Moradabad riots | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Religious violence in India | |||
 Location of the Moradabad district in Uttar Pradesh | |||
| Date | August–November 1980 | ||
| Location | |||
| Methods | Killing, Arson and Looting | ||
| Parties | |||
| |||
The 1980 Moradabad riots, also known as the Moradabad Muslim Massacre, refers to violence that happened in the Indian city of
The violent incidents continued until November 1980. The total death tally is uncertain: the government recognized and paid compensation for 400 deaths, while the unofficial estimates run as high as 2500. [3] The riots greatly affected the city's noted brassware industry, which saw a sharp decline in the production and export figures.[5] Journalist and BJP MP MJ Akbar wrote in his book Riot after Riot that the incident "was not a Hindu-Muslim riot but a calculated cold-blooded massacre of Muslims by a rabidly communal police force which tried to cover up its genocide by making it out to be a Hindu-Muslim riot.”[6] EPW correspondent Krishna Gandhi claimed that the "group of criminals supported by ML leaders" were responsible for the massacres. According to him, the firing occurred after Muslims beat up policemen, and the excesses committed by the police were, according to him, a reaction to Muslim attacks.
Background
Moradabad has a history of Hindu-Muslim riots; the first such riot occurred in 1848, followed by another one in 1872.[3] In the 1880s, there were more Hindu voters in the city. However, the Muslim secretary of the Municipality always drew the electoral ward boundaries in such a way that Hindus were concentrated in one ward, while the Muslims had the majority in the remaining five wards.[7] As a result, the Muslims always had the majority in the municipal body. Following protests by the Hindus, the ward boundaries were re-drawn and the Hindus gained majority in the municipality. Both the communities used their administrative power to assert their religious interests, leading to communal animosity.[3]
In the 1930s, the
The trigger
The tensions between Hindus and Muslims had been running high since the kidnap of a Dalit girl by some Muslims in March 1980. The Dalits and Muslims used to live in separate bastis (colonies) near an Idgah. The girl was later rescued, and her kidnapper was arrested. In July, on the day of her marriage to a Dalit boy, some Muslims obstructed the marriage procession complaining about loud music near the mosque. The argument soon escalated into a violent clash between the two communities, followed by looting of several houses.[2]
On 13 August 1980, a domesticated pig from the Dalit colony strayed into the Idgah during the
The riots
The surviving Muslim crowd at the Idgah soon turned into a mob, and indulged in mass looting and arson of the Dalit slums. The Muslim mobs beat up the policemen in different localities of the city. They burnt a PAC constable to death.[2] In the evening, a Muslim mob attacked the Galshaheed police chowki (outpost), setting it on fire, killing two policemen and looting the arms. This was followed by violent reprisals by the police.[3]
On the next day, 14 August, the Jamaat-e-Islami organized a gathering of the Muslim leaders from the various political parties, and issued a statement condemning the riots.[8] Subsequently, the violence acquired a religious nature and spread to the rural areas of the Moradabad district. The violence also spread to the neighbouring city of Aligarh.[9] The army troops were posted in the region to control the violence. By 2 September, the situation in Moradabad was brought under control, and the army started withdrawing.
The violence continued on a smaller scale until November 1980. A major incidence of violence occurred in September, on the day of the Hindu festival Raksha Bandhan. At the end of October, a series of stabbings and killings resulted in at least 14 deaths.[2]
Aftermath
The riots happened when
Judicial Commission Report
A judicial commission was constituted led by retired Allahabad High Court Judge Justice Mathura Prasad Saxena to investigate the clashes. The commission submitted its report in November 1983. However the Report was not made public by the successive governments. The 496- page report was tabled in Uttar Pradesh Assembly after 40 years of the riots. The Report held IUML leader Dr. Shamim Ahmed Khan and his supporters responsible for the riots. The report justified Police firing in self defense, Shamin Khan deliberately spread rumors that pigs have been let loose at Eidgah on Eid Day, it enraged the Muslim community and they launched attacks on Police stations and other communities.
The Commission also denied any role of RSS, BJP or Dalit Organizations in the riots. [11] [12]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-521-53605-9.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-212-0532-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-7370-102-3.
- ^ JSTOR 4369047.
- ISBN 978-81-7099-115-1.
- ISBN 978-0-14-011026-5.
- ISBN 978-0-521-04826-2.
- ISBN 978-81-7024-070-9.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-295-80060-8.
- ^ Subash Mishra (16 June 1997). "Moradabad riots: No action taken even after 17 years". India Today. Thomson Living Media India Limited: 46. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ PTI. "1980 Moradabad riots: Judicial commission report presented in UP Assembly, gives clean chit to BJP, RSS". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 8 March 2024.