JAIPUR: Communal clashes broke out just before Eid in Jodhpur, the hometown of CM Ashok Gehlot. As a result, curfew was ordered in areas under 10 police stations of the city on Tuesday following clashes between two communities on the previous night over a dispute involving flags in the Jalori Gate area. The internet has been shut down and heavy security forces have been deployed in the old city area.
This is the third major communal conflict in Rajasthan in the past month after Karauli saw clashes in Navratri Sthapana and Alwar district saw tensions flaring up over the demolition of a temple in a drive against encroachments in mid-April. With the BJP's announcement of a statewide agitation on May 5, mobilisation for a Hindutva agenda is gathering pace ahead of the assembly elections in Rajasthan next year.
In Jodhpur, a late-night dispute erupted over the setting up of a flag at the Jalori Gate area. A three-day Parshuram Jayanti festival is also underway in Jodhpur and religious flags put up by both communities led to a major argument that soon led to clashes. Some people were raising flags at the Jalori Gate intersection at around 11.30 pm on Monday. During this time, a person making a video was beaten up by some youths. When some people came to his rescue, they beat them too. After this, the other faction started throwing stones and besides others, even the DCP East and Uday Mandir SHO were injured.
On Tuesday morning, a crowd gathered, pelted stones and arson started. The police had to lathi-charge the miscreants and fire tear gas shells to disperse the mob. According to the information, miscreants broke the glass of over 20 vehicles and vandalized many ATMs in the Shanichar Thana area. On Tuesday morning, miscreants even created a ruckus outside the house of Suryakanta Vyas, the BJP MLA from Sursagar located near Jalori Gate. Seeing the deteriorating atmosphere outside the MLA's house, DCP West Bhuvan Bhushan Yadav reached there and dispersed the mob. The entire area has since been converted into a cantonment by the police. Another policeman was injured in stone-pelting on Tuesday morning after three jawans were injured on Monday night.
After the tension and violence in his home town of Jodhpur, CM Gehlot called an emergency meeting in the CMO. The Chief Minister left all programmes to celebrate his birthday and held a high-level meeting of DGP, Police and senior officers of the Home Department. CM Gehlot reviewed the law and order in Jodhpur and asked officials to deal strictly with anti-social elements. Curfew has been imposed in Udai Mandir, Sadar Kotwali, Sadar Bazar, Nagori Gate and Khandaphalsa in the district East of Jodhpur Police Commissionerate and Pratapnagar, Pratapnagar Sadar, Dev Nagar, Sursagar and Sardarpura police station areas of West district. It has been said in the curfew orders that during this time no person will come out of the home border without a permission letter.
Besides constantly monitoring the situation, CM Gehlot has given instructions to the district administration and appealed to the people to maintain peace. “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 remarked in a tweet.
Gehlot has instructed a high-level team to immediately go to Jodhpur by helicopter. The members of the team are Minister of State for Home Rajendra Yadav, Jodhpur in-charge Minister Dr Subhash Garg, ACS Home Department Abhay Kumar, ADG Law and Order Hawa Singh Ghumaria. On the Jodhpur incident, Minister of State for Home Rajendra Yadav said politics should not be done over such incidents. "At present, the situation is under control, it is unfortunate to have such an incident at a religious festival."
Meanwhile, the BJP has attacked Gehlot over the incident of lathi charge after stone-pelting, arson and violence after the dispute over setting the flag at Jalori Gate. BJP state president Satish Poonia said, "Such incidents one after the other hurt the human rights of the majority. Congress is on the verge of the end but it seems that such acts and appeasement will become a big reason for the sinking of the Congress. Therefore, I want to directly tell the Chief Minister that for the sake of peace, harmony and safety of the common people, at least leave your vote bank politics. Think of the state and instead of your chair, think of the safety of the people."
The BJP plans to target the Gehlot government and will hold a big demonstration in all districts of Rajasthan. This campaign will start from Alwar on 5th May with Halla Bol against the government. Recently, there was anger among the BJP and locals over incidents of vandalism and bulldozers against a 300-year-old temple and houses in Rajgarh, Alwar. During the agitation, the BJP will raise issues like deteriorating law and order in Rajasthan and the spate of communal incidents that have rocked the state in recent times. Statements of many party leaders reflect that the BJP will enter the fray with the Hindutva agenda like in UP where it was successful.