The activists also put forth several demands to ensure justice and restore peace. These include the formation of an independent inquiry commission, led by a retired high court judge, to investigate the violence.
Published Sep 27, 2024 | 4:04 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 27, 2024 | 4:04 PM
An image after the violence in Jainoor.
An independent fact-finding team visited the Jainoor area in Telangana on 14 and 19 September and released a report on the violence that took place there on 4 September following the alleged rape and assault against a Adivasi woman.
Jainoor is a tribal village located between the Adilabad and Asifabad districts of Telangana which is a scheduled area under the 5th Schedule of the Constitution.
The team consisted of social activists and civil rights activists, including Sandhya, Khalida Parveen, Sarah Mathews, SQ Masood, Professor Padmaja Shaw, Advocate M Mandakini, Kaneez Fathima and Ansar Sondhe.
The report said violent clashes erupted in Jainoor, allegedly targeting the Muslim community and mobs attacked, looted, and set fire to Muslim-owned houses, shops, vehicles, and mosques.
It said the incident was part of a series of attacks against the Muslim community in the region, which had been occurring for the past five to six years.
“According to the media reports and local people, the attack by the Vaddara, Vanjara and Tribal people was in response to an alleged incident of rape and attempt to murder of a tribal woman by a Muslim auto driver that took place on 31 August 2024 during afternoon hours,” it said.
Apart from this incident the tribal communities also made allegations that the Muslim community in Jainoor is encroaching on their lands and marrying their women.
“Locals reported that a few incidents took place now and then where Muslims were targeted by the Hindu community by instigating the Adivasis. Before the 2024 elections, five minor incidents took place in Jainoor. One incident was, a Muslim auto driver was beaten up by some drunk men while he was passing through a small village Pochamloddi near Jainoor,” the report said.
It said despite reporting the incident, the police failed to take any action and claimed that these minor skirmishes were further fueled by political propaganda and the instigation of Adivasis by some members of the Hindu community.
The report said that prior to the September violence, tensions were exacerbated by right-wing propaganda.
It claimed that BJP and BRS, organised protests and campaigns targeting Muslims, accusing them of perceived ‘crimes’ like “love jihad” and instigating the Adivasi community.
“Media outlets and social media platforms played a role in spreading misinformation, which deepened divisions between communities,” the report said.
The report said after the case of the alleged attempt to rape and murder of a tribal by a Muslim auto driver was reported on 31 August, the BJP and BRS leaders along with other right-wing organisations started a campaign against the Muslim community by instigating Adivasi community and made allegations that raping and killing tribal girls is a common practice by Muslims.
They started a social media campaign “chalo Jainoor” against Muslims and provoked the Tribal and other backward communities by labelling this incident as “love jihad”, it said.
“Several protests, rallies and dharnas were organised by the BJP and BRS leaders along with local community people. This was projected as a Hindu and Muslim issue. This is also to be noted that many local news reporters played a significant role in spreading rumours and hate against the Muslim community by reporting wrong news and sharing misinformation in WhatsApp groups,” the report said.
Highlighting the instances of marriage between a few Muslim men and Adivasi women decades ago and the right-wing claim of “love jihad” the report said: “The propaganda that Muslim men are marrying Adivasi women, encroaching their properties is all false.”
“On 4 September 2024, a mob of around 5000 people was mobilised from the surrounding villages of Jainoor and this mob started attacking, looting and burning the shops, houses, vehicles and Masjids,” the report said.
The report alleged that the police were mere spectators of the violence and thereby supported the crimes.
It alleged that the mob set fire to only Muslim-owned shops and establishments except one Hindu house of which residents were rescued by a Muslim group.
“The local Muslims and Adivasis claim that there are no differences between Muslims and Adivasis. There is conflict between Tribals and Non-Tribals as well as Muslims and Hindus,” the report said.
“Hence, for five years, the Hindus who belong to Vaddara and, Vanjara communities have had close relations with RSS/BJP and these are the people who are instigating the Adivasis against Muslims by propagating that they are marrying their women and taking away their properties,” it added.
It also alleged that since the Lok Sabha election loss, the BRS along with the BJP has been targeting the Muslim community.
“BRS claims it lost as Muslims did not vote for them, hence they are taking revenge. A BRS leader Kanaka Yadav and Sivanoor Sarpanch (BJP) gave names of Muslims to the police and all these Muslims were sent to jail. Police are targeting all those Muslims whose names were given by these two men. Locals said police continues to target Muslim youths,” the report said.
It also listed the people who led the alleged violence against the Muslim community.
The activists also put forth several demands to ensure justice and restore peace. These include the formation of an independent inquiry commission, led by a retired high court judge, to investigate the violence.
Additionally, the investigation and prosecution of offences should be monitored by an impartial senior police officer, with the formation of special investigation teams (SIT) if necessary. Immediate compensation is sought for those who suffered property damage, and efforts must be made to reconcile the communities through the involvement of NGOs and local leaders.
(Compiled by Muhammed Fazil)
