Lateef Mohammad Khan
On Friday, 18th May 2007, the RSS terrorists planted bombs at historic Makkah Masjid and immediately after the bomb blast, a group of communal minded policemen started firing on the people who were helping the injured people in the blast. A total of nine people were killed and hundreds got injured in the blast. The sharp shooter policemen were chosen for firing on the people who came for prayers and who came forward to help the injured and this communal group of policemen was monitored by the then Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime).
Civil Liberties in its fact finding report had then itself clearly stated that there is connection of Makkah Masjid blast and subsequent police firing and the Makkah Masjid bomb blast is unique from all the other blasts that took place at various places in the country because after the blast another terrorist attack took place in the form of police firing. The investigation was diverted on other track by registering the bomb last case and the Muslim youth were targeted on the name of investigation. Whereas the police firing case was handed over to the commission headed by former Judge Bhaskar Rao and a Hindutva minded lawyer was appointed to represent the policemen and it tried to prove by ridiculous argument that the firing was needed to protect the petrol pump and a wine shop. The commission was delayed to such an extent that the people should forget it.
When the commission submitted its report to the government, the Congress government as usual dumped it in cold storage. The government fears to put the facts before people. It was the responsibility of the government that the Bhaskar Rao commission report, on which lakhs of rupees were spent for three years, should have been presented before people. People want to know as to what are the findings of the Bhaskar Rao commission about the police firing in its report. People were expecting that the government would present this report in this Assembly budget session. It seems from the attitude of the government that it does not want to bring this report before the people. However, it is very sad that the Muslim public representatives present in the Assembly are also maintaining silence on this issue and this silence is very strange. In fact these public representatives themselves must have raised questions on Bhaskar Rao commission. But this did not happen. However, the Muslim people’s representatives failed in carrying their responsibilities regarding the Makkah Masjid bomb blast and the incidents that took place after it and their role is suspicious. On the other hand they gave such statements that the Muslim youth had to undergo severe torture.
This is moment in time for concerned citizens to come forward and appeals to all the political parties and the responsible persons of all the organizations to build pressure on the government to present the Bhaskar Rao Commission report before the people. this is the high time for the government of Andhra Pradesh to present the report in the Assembly so that the public representatives can debate on it. The facts can be known to the people and the victims can get justice. It is the need of justice that the Bhaskar Rao Commission report be presented before people immediately, so that the further course of legal action can take place, which is pending in the High Court of Andhra Pradesh.
(This article first appeared at Kafila. Lateef Mohammad Khan is general secretary of Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee. He can be contacted at clmci@hotmail.com)
