Months before Madhya Pradesh goes to polls to elect a new government, the state finds itself gripped in a spate of incidents of communal violence. For the past four days or so, there have been reports of a number of incidents of communal violence with at least four districts of the state – Shajahapur, Damoh, Tikamgarh and Rajgarh – witnessing clashes and tensions between communities. The state, which will see a direct contest between ruling BJP and principal Opposition Congress, will go to polls this later this year. Here’s a look at the incidents that have occurred since Sunday.
Shajapur
Violence took place in Shajapur on Sunday, apparently after stones were pelted on a procession being carried out on Maharana Pratap Jayanti. Trouble started after some people started hurling stones on the procession which was passing through the Nai Sadak area, some eye-witnesses told news agency PTI. These people also torched several vehicles and vandalised an electronic goods store, the police said. “Police resorted to lathicharge and lobbed tear gas shells to control the situation,” the Sub Divisional Officer of Police, Kotwali, Padam Singh Baghel, was quoted as saying by the news agency.
Damoh
An alleged telephonic conversation between a boy and a girl of two different communities led to communal clashes on Sunday. People of one community entered the house of the youth and took to vandalism. A group of youths from the other community retaliated and vandalised some houses and public property, The Tribune reported.
Tikamgarh
Another incident was reported from Tikamgarh’s Prithvipur area on Sunday, where a man committed an ‘honour suicide’. The daughter of the deceased had eloped and married her partner from the other community, India TV reported. Hurt by her daughter’s act, the father committed suicide by hanging himself. The angered family and community members set the youth’s house on fire, leading to communal tensions in the area.
Rajgarh
In Rajgarh, a sacred object belonging to one community was set on fire on Sunday, leading to communal tensions. The angered mob from one community took to stone pelting and vandalising of some shops, ABP news reported.
As per an India TV report, the situation is under control in all the four districts. The Police have made a number of people for rioting from different districts. Reacting on the issue, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh accused Congress of creating communal tensions in the area. “Congress is trying to create communal tensions in the state. They even tried to orchestrate a farmer protest but failed. Congress leaders have gone mad for power,” Singh said. On the other hand, Congress leader Digvijay Singh said termed the incident as ‘unfortunate’ “BJP only has one tool, they will organise violence to win elections,” he said.