Mute DC Saleem rewarded with promotion for ‘conniving’ with arsonists to polarize Kishtwar

VIVEK SHARMA
JAMMU: The sensational findings of the Justice Gandhi Commission about 2013-Kishtwar riots and subsequent connivance of the BJP in allowing it to remain in the dustbin speaks of sheer political opportunism of a party that gained maximum from the sufferings committed upon the people, mostly members of the minority community.
The Report indicts politicians, bureaucrats and senior police officers who allowed the Eid day on 9th August 2013 to be free for all. It defines Deputy Commissioner Saleem Mohammed’s role as mute spectator following his connivance with the arsonists, who had brought kerosene oil in bottles to set ablaze shops after looting on 9th August.
According to the Report, there is a complete set of evidences which is against the Deputy Commissioner Saleem Mohammed. Substantiating his involvement, it says, “Had he wanted to control the burning of the Bazaar by Naqabposh boys, the DC would have saved it but he did not show any interest or issued any instructions to the Police for maintenance of law and order.
“His performance speaks well of him. He took no interest to control the holocaust and was responsible for total failure of the Administration. He did not even come out from the Dak Bunglow which shows his involvement in the conspiracy,” says the Report, adding “While Minister (Sajjad Kitchloo) and the Deputy Commissioner were sitting in the Dak Bunglow, they behaved as mute spectators though fully aware of the situation, but they did not interfere, what does it indicate? It clearly indicates that the MOS and the Deputy Commissioner had the joint structure of mind”.
The witnesses against Deputy Commissioner included Firdosh Ahmed, son of Ghulam Ahmed, Rayees Ahmed, son of Abdul Kabir, Ghulam Mustaffa Ganai, son of Aziz Mohd. Ganai, Haq Nawaz, son of Mohd Iqbal Bhat, Salim Nabi, son of Ghulam Nabi Ganai, Koushal Wazir, son of Mohan Lal Wazir, Narinder Shan, son of Roshan Lal Shan, Anil Parihar, son of Laxman Dass Parihar, Swami Raj, son of Tej Ram, Rajinder Singh, son of Prem Nath and others.
The Report states, “Arun Sharma Naib Tehsildar, Duty Magistrate of area from Dak Bunglow to Bus Stand has stated that he, at about 10.30 AM, saw the people coming from Dak Bunglow side driving their vehicles in high speed. He went to the Dak Bunglow and reached at about 11.45 AM. He wanted to meet with the Deputy Commissioner and found that the room of the Deputy Commissioner was locked. He approached Tehsildar Inderjit Parihar who was standing outside the said room. He told him to arrange his meeting with the Deputy Commissioner. He managed his entry to the said room through the door of the bath room to reach up to the Deputy Commissioner who was sitting with the Minister and four other persons”.
“He narrated the whole situation to the Deputy Commissioner Saleem Mohd. He (DC) told to Arun Sharma, Magistrate that curfew has been imposed. Arun Sharma replied to the DC that he has not heard any such announcement on mike or otherwise for imposition of curfew”.
“Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo, the then Minister of State for Home stated that he left the Dak Bunglow along with his PSOs and took shelter in the house of Abdul Kabir Gilkar and the persons accompanying him were Saleem Mohd, Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, Asif Journalist, Qazi Jalal Din and Zargar”.
“Sub-Inspector Naem-ul-Haq stated that at noon he went to Deputy Commissioner Saleem Mohd who was sitting in the Dak Bunglow with the Minister and 3 more civilians. He asked the Deputy Commissioner in presence of the Minister that if he wants to go out, Police protection can be provided but the Deputy Commissioner refused to go out.”
Justice Gandhi Report further states that one Asif, a local journalist stated that at about 1.15 PM, the Minister Kitchloo, Deputy Commissioner and others who were sitting in the room climbed the rear wall of the Dak Bunglow and went to the house of Abdul Kabir Gilkar for their safety.
He further stated that he had taken some photographs of the stone pelters stoning the Dak Bunglow. Naqabposh boys who were among the stone pelters came towards Asif. Asif entered the room where Deputy Commissioner and Minister were sitting. They wanted to snatch the camera from Asif. He resisted, they slapped him in their presence. Under such circumstances, at the instance of the Minister, he handed over the camera to them which was broken by them there and then. Deputy Commissioner and the Minister did not intervene or called the police or the security of the Minister to intervene, says Justice Gandhi report.
The SSB personnel on duty at the gate of the Dak Bunglow stated that the Military came to Dak Bunglow and went inside to search the Deputy Commissioner who was not found there. The Army went out from the Dak Bunglow. Army again came and entered the Dak Bunglow after some time and the Deputy Commissioner was seen coming out from the Dak Bunglow along with them.
The Justice Gandhi report says that the Military officer stated in the affidavit that they came to Dak Bunglow twice and on finding the Deputy Commissioner asked him to go to 9 RR but he refused. Military officer got formal letter written from the Deputy Commissioner for imposition of curfew. They evacuated the Deputy Commissioner from the Dak Bunglow and thereafter arranged more columns of military and imposed curfew at about 4.50 P.M by holding flag march in the city, reports Justice Gandhi commission.
Sunil Sharma, son of Bansi Lal Sharma stated to the Commission that he was fired upon by some persons when he was going to the temple at about 10.40 AM after visiting the Kuleed Chowk from a distance of about 10 ft. from inside the Chowgan. He informed Deputy Commissioner on phone that situation was abnormal and hand over Kishtwar to the Army. The Deputy Commissioner in reply said ‘yes we will see, we will see’. Burning of the shops and smoke coming there from was visible to the Minister and the Deputy Commissioner who were in the Chowgan for offering Namaz prayer. After Eid Namaz the Deputy Commissioner along with the Minister went to the Dak Bunglow and remained sitting with Minister for whole of the day. The Deputy Commissioner along with the Minister crawled the rear wall of the Dak Bunglow and went for hiding in the house of Abdul Kabir
Justice Gandhi report further says that on appreciation of the evidence and the role played by all concerned officers/officials the Commission has every reason to believe that arsoning and looting of the property and taking away the life in communal clash has not been a spontaneous eruption. Had it been so, every agency of the Government, public servants of the Government, particularly the Police deployed at specific points, Deputy Commissioner, Minister, Fire Brigade and Para medical staff would have swiftly acted in their own spheres to face it as a challenge. From the attending circumstances to this tragedy, Commission has been able to gather the evidence to make out that it was a conspiracy hatched by a few to achieve the desired and designed object by using anti-India, pro-Azadi, processionists and other interested elements to create violence with ulterior motive for taking away the life and burning of the property selectively of a particular community so that their object may be of garnering the political support of a particular community and creating hatred among the communities for consolidation of votes.