Stone pelting at night, ‘Bulldozer’ action in the morning; by morning Surat’s Ganesh pandal sees it all
Tensions flared in the Saiyadpura area of Surat on Sunday night when some unidentified people hurled stones at a Ganesh pandal during the festivities. It was enough to trigger off a chain reaction of police action, including arrest of over 30 persons and removal of illegal encroachments on the following morning. It only brought to the fore the need for communal harmony and administrative acumen in dealing with such a volatile situation. In this article, we examine the incident, the police and administrative response to it, and its broad implications for the rule of law in this region.
The Incident: Stone Throwing at Ganesh Pandal
The largely peaceful celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi in Saiyadpura locality of Surat turned violent on Sunday night after stones were allegedly thrown at a Ganesh pandal. Stones were hurled at a pandal erected for worshipping Lord Ganesha by some locals comprising some Muslim youths, according to the police.
Dramatization of the situation did not take much time to be staged in case of growing tension between the two communities. Angered residents, especially from the Hindu community, came out onto the streets to protest against this and demand immediate action by the authorities. Thus, the clash further increased with more people gathering and tempers flying high amongst both sides.
Police Response: Controlling the Situation
Anticipating large-scale communal rioting, the police at Surat got into action. According to Bhagirath Gadhvi, DCP, Surat, a police deployment was made at the site immediately after the incident of stone-throwing. The law-enforcing agencies took every effort to bring calm in the area, which had turned into a trouble spot.
The police also used lathi charge and tear gas to keep the mob under control. The means of controlling the situation brought mixed reactions among the locals, as some accused the police of using excessive force, while others appreciated the swift motion that forestalled further violence.
DCP Gadhvi further confirmed the situation was under control by saying that the area was peaceful. “We have completely sealed the area and people are now living peacefully,” he assured during a press briefing. The night passed without any disturbance, and the day went incident-free because of the strong deployment of police personnel.
Wholesale Arrests and Investigations: Disturbance Makers to Face Action
Over 30 people were arrested in connection with the incident. While six accused were from the group who threw stones, the rest were booked for provoking the violence. In Gujarat, Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi confirmed the arrest and said the police were conducting an investigation to identify the root cause of the incident to ensure that the miscreants were booked.
Expressed concern over the incident, Home Minister Sanghvi told a media briefing here that the government was keen to ensure peace and order. “Strict action will be taken against whosoever tries to disturb the peace,” he said while assuring that no effort would be left to unravel the truth in the matter.
Administrative Action: Bulldozer Clears Encroachments
To contain the situation, local administration on the morning of Monday, 11 September did further steps and removed all the encroachments along the stretch where the stonethrowing had taken place. It was part of an overall drive the administration undertook to ensure enforcement of the law as bulldozers removed the structures, which were deemed to be occupying public land illegally.
As the Deputy Municipal Commissioner of Surat explained, “this was to remove any threat to public safety and also to ensure the site did not remain a hub of tension.” The administration, acting in coordination with the local law and order machinery, lost little time in carrying out the demolitions. The move drew a mixed response: while some applauded the removal of encroachments, others termed the action high-handedness against whom the local Muslim community suffered disproportionately.
Heavy police deployment to avoid further escalation: More than 1,000 police personnel were deployed in the area on orders from the Surat Police in order to ensure things remain under control. Surat Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlot gave further details on the action taken to maintain peace. He said the initial stone-pelting was done by a group of children, which escalated into a bigger fight between various groups in the area.
We have arrested all the accused and there is no more threat to law and order in the area,” Commissioner Gahlot said. This heavy deployment of police was part of the larger strategy to make sure further incidents did not take place, and the festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi could continue uninterruptedly.
Political and Community Reactions
The incident got its adequate share of political attention as local leadership from both communities appealed to the people not to let violence spread. Several religious and community leaders came forward to intervene between the two sides to prevent further violence. The political leaders across party lines asked for retaining peace by citizens and not to fall prey to communal tensions.
This is how religious harmony has been maintained in the city of Surat, though such incidents during festival seasons bring out the fragility in inter-community relations. It has once again brought into focus debates on religious tolerance and community policing in sensitive areas.
Broader Implications: The Need for Religious Harmony
All the stone-throwing incident and its after-effects in Saiyadpura became a gruesome reminder in India of the need for communal amity in such a pluralistic society. The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with much fanfare by Hindus, coinciding with the period when already the communal sensitivity had reached high pitch, contributing to the volatility of the situation.
Since the clash, religious leaders, politicians and police have called for peace and harmony. The only way peace can be sustained in such a society is by cooperation and mutual respect of each other’s religious practice. The authorities now are engrossed in rebuilding confidence amongst the communities so that such incidents do not recur in the times to come.
Conclusion
The Ganesh pandal clash at Saiyadpura in Surat underlined the emergency requirement of administrative and police action following incidents of this nature. Some of the reconciliatory measures included immediate deployment of police contingents, arrests made, and removal of illegal encroachments. On the other hand, the incident showcases the challenges one has to face while maintaining harmony on religious issues in the multiculturally diverse society of India.
What long-term measures to ensure a recurrence of such incidents are taken remains to be seen as an investigation continues. But for now, residents of Surat are more focused on healing and ensuring the rest of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival goes ahead without further disruption.
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