Agartala, (Samajweekly) All India Imams Council (AIIC) on Thursday condemned the alleged attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, claiming that there were attacks on more than five mosques and other Muslim religious places in Tripura during the past few days.
AIIC Tripura unit President, Billal Ahmed and AICC Tripura unit Secretary, Sahid Ahmed said in connection with the Bangladesh violence, there were several violent incidents and attacks on the mosques which took place in Agartala, Kakraban (southern Tripura), Kailashahar, Dharmanagar, Panisagar (in northern Tripura) and other places.
Appreciating the Tripura government for providing security in Muslim religious places, the AIIC leaders urged the state government to take adequate steps to prevent recurrence of such violent incidents.
While talking to the media, the AIIC leaders demanded compensation for the damage of the mosques, madrassas and houses as well as properties belonging to the Muslim community. Billal Ahmed urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to put international pressure on the Bangladesh government so that in future no minorities were attacked there.
The AIIC has demanded capital punishment for 35-year-old Iqbal Hossain, who according to the organisation is the main conspirator in the Bangladesh violence against minorities.
The Tripura government’s Minority Affairs and Education Minister, Ratan Lal Nath claimed that there was just one incident that took place in northern Tripura’s Panisagar and it was “not an attack”.
“Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC promulgated in Panisagar and Dharmanagar sub-divisions of the north Tripura district on Tuesday as a precautionary measure. Other steps, including providing security, to the religious places were also taken immediately,” Nath told the media on Thursday.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Saurabh Tripathi said anti-national and mischievous elements on Twitter and Facebook are spreading fake news and rumours. The videos and photos that are being spread have no connection with the Panisagar incident. No fire incident took place at any mosque, said the IGP, adding that cases were registered against rumour mongers.
The opposition CPI-M, Congress and the Trinamool Congress blamed the ruling BJP government of supporting the right-wing organisations to gain political mileage in the civic polls to be held on November 25 and the Assembly elections in 2023. The ruling BJP government, however, rubbished the allegations levelled by the opposition parties.
