Red X marks in few Muslim societies trigger panic in Gujarat

Agencies
November 16, 2017

Ahmedabad, Nov 16: Panic gripped Muslim families in some pockets of a Hindu-dominated area here after they found red "cross marks" on the main gates of their societies last Sunday.

An investigation, however, revealed that the marks were painted by the civic body's sanitation staff.

The residents wrote in the letter that they feared it (putting the marks) was done with a "clear purpose to identify Muslims living in that area" ahead of the assembly polls in Gujarat next month.

However, the police said the marks were put up to identify the societies which would be covered under the civic body's Global Positioning System-based waste collection system.

"The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation staff visited the area with us yesterday and informed the residents that it is part of their garbage collection project," Paldi's police inspector B S Rabari said.

"The cross marks would help the sanitation supervisors to identify those societies which would be covered under their GPS-based waste collection system. There is no reason for residents to panic," he said.

After the probe, the police said, it learnt that such cross marks in red colour were painted not only in Muslim societies but also on the gates of Hindu societies in Paldi area for the implementation of the waste collection project by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) staff.

However, the residents who wrote the letter to EC, alleged that such markings might be an attempt to disturb the peace in the area ahead of the polls.

"Such activities of marking buildings of a particular community and highlighting their religious identity before the election is causing insecurity among the dwellers and increases chances of communal clash which might destroy peace of Paldi...take immediate action and investigate the reasons," reads the letter penned by members of the society. 

According to Uvesh Sareshwala, who lives in the building, there was fear and panic among Muslims when they found red marks on the main gates. 

"For now, the issue is resolved, as some policemen are also deployed in our area after the incident. Our only contention was that the AMC should have informed us in advance that they are doing it," he said.

"Due to such misunderstandings, miscreants get a chance to disturb the peace. Our only concern was our security, nothing else," Sareshwala added.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 16,2024

election.jpg

New Delhi: The 2024 general election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases from April 19, Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar said today, announcing the largest democratic exercise in the world. Results will be announced on June 4.

The seven phases: 
April 19
April 26
May 7
May 13
May 20
May 25
June 1

Simultaneous election for Lok Sabha and assembly will be held in four states -- Sikkim, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra.  

By-elections will also be held for 26 assembly seats across multiple states, including Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.

Mr Kumar, announcing the dates, sent out a strong message on fake news on social media, saying political parties should ensure responsible social media behaviour -- "verify before you amplify".

"Fake news will be dealt with severely as per existent laws.. Section 79 (3)(B) of the IT Act empowers nodal officers in each state to remove unlawful content," he said.

The other strong message was on violation of model code in terms of hate speeches. "There should be issue-based campaign, no hate speeches, no speeches along caste or religious lines, no criticism of anyone's personal lives," he said.

The media must clarify when they carry political adverts, those cannot masquerade as news, he said. Individual messages regarding this would be sent to the candidates, he added.

The commission has employed 2,100 advisors to keep an eye on these issues and strong action will be taken regarding this, he said.

Voters above the age of 85 years and persons with disabilities, with 40 per cent disability can vote from home, Mr Kumar said. Around 82 lakh voter are above the age of 85, he said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 13,2024

siddudupi.jpg

Udupi, Mar 13: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah today said that Congress in coastal region will further strengthen thanks to the entry of former chairman of Commission for Backward Classes Jayaprakash Hegde, and former MLA Sukumar Shetty. 

He was responding to the queries of media persons after his arrival at the helipad in Udupi to take part in district-level convention of scheme beneficiaries.

“Hegde was in Congress and had served as MP. With Hegde returning back, the Congress will get more strength in the coastal districts,” he said.

On Hegde’s candidature for Udupi-Chikmagaluru Lok Sabha constituency, the CM said that the Congress high command will decide on the candidate.

On CAA

Siddaramaiah questioned why it took the Centre more than four years to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and termed the announcement as a political gimmick ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

 “Why were they silent all these years on implementing the CAA. With the fear of losing the upcoming Lok Sabha election, the BJP is engaged in all types of gimmick,” he said.

The Centre on Monday announced the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, a move that comes four years after the contentious law was passed. This paves the way for citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Siddaramaiah also said his government has not yet discussed the issue of implementation of the CAA in the State, and the Cabinet will take a call on it. “We are yet to read it. We will take a decision after going through it and discuss it in the cabinet tomorrow," CM said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 14,2024

bengaluru.jpg

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) says at least five people, including a staff member, were killed and 22 others wounded after Israeli forces targeted a food distribution centre in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini in a statement on Wednesday said that the strike hit one of the very few remaining UNRWA distribution centers in the eastern part of Rafah.

“Today’s attack on one of the very few remaining UNRWA distribution centers in the Gaza Strip comes as food supplies are running out, hunger is widespread and, in some areas, turning into famine,” Lazzarini said.

“Every day, we share the coordinates of all our facilities across the Gaza Strip with parties to the conflict," he continued.

He said the attack was carried out even though "the Israeli Army received the coordinates including of this facility yesterday."

Lazzarini further urged the protection of the UN, its staff, and its premises and called for an independent investigation.

Israel acknowledged an airstrike on a food aid distribution center in southern Gaza, which it claimed targeted and killed a high-ranking member of Hamas. 

Meanwhile, the statement by the UNRWA head added that since October 7, at least 165 team members have been killed while in the line of duty and more than 400 people sheltering in UN buildings also lost their lives due to Israel's attacks.

More than 150 of the agency’s facilities, including schools and shelters, have been hit in the war, with some destroyed, and UNRWA staff have reportedly been mistreated and humiliated while in Israeli detention centers, according to the UNRWA.

Six aid seekers killed in Israeli attack

Separately, the health ministry in the Gaza Strip said six people were killed in the latest attack on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid at the Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City.

The Wafa news agency said some 83 people who were wounded in the attack have been transferred to the al-Shifa Medical Complex in the city.

Over the past weeks, Israeli forces have increased their offensives on the Kuwait Roundabout, an area where large groups gather to wait for aid deliveries.

Israeli forces killed 11 people waiting for food aid at the roundabout on Monday night.

The Israeli military has restricted the delivery of humanitarian supplies to northern Gaza for weeks, and thousands of children are going without sufficient food and medication.

The prevention of aid convoys comes as humanitarian officials have already issued a dire warning, stating that unless a ceasefire is implemented and aid is significantly increased, the toll of malnutrition and disease is expected to rise, leading to an alarming loss of lives.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 31,272 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 73,024 others.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.