COMMUNAL RIOTS

Akhilesh Upadhyay on Hindu-Muslim Riots

Kathmandu's intelligentsia has been shaken by the Hindu-Muslim riots the third such incident since the '70s-that rocked the west Nepal town of Nepalganj in the last of October, 1995.

The town, bordering the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, came to a virtual standstill between October 26 and October 30. A minor quarrel between a grocer and his customer over vegetable prices flared up into violent Hindu-Muslim riots that left over 15 injured. The police resorted to lathi-charges and tear gas and had to finally fire several rounds in the air. Overnight curfew was clamped on the Terai town until sanity prevailed and members of both the communities took out peace rallies.

The first Hindu-Muslim riots in Nepal took place in the Terai district of Rautahat in 1971. Remembered as Gai Kanda (the Cow Incident), the unrest began when local Hindus were angered by reports of cow slaughter. A more serious but less violent protest erupted earlier this year, when Padma Ratna Tuladhar, a Buddhist and member of the ruling United Marxist-Leninist cabinet made some innocent remarks about cow slaughter at a human rights gathering in Parsa, yet another Terai district with a large Muslim population.

Is Nepali society beginning to lose it age-old character marked by communal harmony? "It's a natural backlash against the long Hindu dominance," says Ganeshman Gurung, a sociologist. "It is also the manifestation of a growing sense of unease in the ruling Hindu elite." High caste Hindus - the Brahmins, Chhetris and the Newaris - dominate almost all walks of life, including the legislature, the judiciary and the bureaucracy. While other classes feel they have been deprived of their fair share of privileges, Muslims. constituting about 3 per cent of the nation's population and not part of the traditional class structure, often feel like pariahs.

Nepal's Muslims, largely Sunni, constitute a heterogeneous group. The Kashmiri Muslims, who have been in the country since the late 15th century, engaged in different occupations as musicians, manufacturers and bangle suppliers. Other groups from different parts of northern India also settled in Nepal during the 16th and 17th century at the invitation of hill rulers to manufacture armaments. These Muslims remained in the hills and a majority of them are now farmers. The largest community however are the Terai Muslims - those living in the plains bordering India - who constitute 90 per cent of the total Muslim population. They are concentrated in the districts of Banke (Nepalganj is the district headquarters), Kapilavastu, Rupandehi, Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Saptari and Sunsari from cast to west Nepal.

In 1990, when Nepal was drafting its new democratic constitution, it could have set the ancient Hindu order right by giving all communities their due. Unfortunately, the nation let the historical moment slip by. But others claim that the constitution well embodies the pluralistic nature of Nepalese society and if the word 'Hindu' is mentioned it is because an overwhelming majority of the people in the country are Hindus, giving Nepal its distinct identity into the clashes hasn't made its findings public yet. The A high-level government commission set up to look influx of Bangladeshi Muslims, which is beginning to throw the traditional Hindu-Muslim equation off balance, could be one reason for the recent communal strife.

Muslim clashes in Nepal have never before gone out of Significantly, unlike in neighboring India, Hindu- control. As a minority, Muslims have preferred to keep a low profile... What is a matter of concern is that the Nepalese intelligentsia could well be overreacting. As S. Sharma, Sociologist points out: "The Hindu intelligentsia largely feeds on the writings of Indian politicians, scholars and journalists which are laden with as yet. unarticulated anti-Muslim biases". If these sentiments are allowed to permeate Nepal, the little nation could have a big problem on its hands.

(Source: The Outlook 22 November, 1995)

Shahabuddin's Letter to Home Minister 0n Winding up of Sri Krishna Commission, 27 January, 1996

Maharashtra to wind up the Sri Krishna Commission of With reference to the decision of the Government of Inquiry on Bombay Disturbances of December, 92- January, 93, it is obvious that the State Government has acted in a malefice and motivated manner because the involvement of the Shiv Sainiks in the Bombay holocaust inquiry was reaching a stage where the direct would stand exposed.

inability to meet the expenses in continuing the Since the excuse made by the government is its Commission, I would like to suggest that in view of the national importance of the inquiry the Central Government should offer to the State Government to meet the cost of the Commission w.e.f. 1.1.1996.

Government should set up a fresh Commission of Inquiry If this is not technically feasible, the Central which should take over the records of the Sri Krishna Commission. Perhaps the Central Government may appoint Justice Sri Krishna himself to constitute the new Commission.

In any case, the responsibility must be fixed and the crimes must be exposed.