Reports
Stop Communal Targetting of Muslims in Phulwarisharif

The BJP is attempting to defame Phulwarisharif by trying to brand it as a hub of terrorists. Attempts are once again being made to target Muslims by falsely linking retired Jharkhand Police Inspector Mohd Jalaluddin to terrorism and anti-national activities.

The truth of the matter is exposed through a statement by none other than Patna SSP Dr Manavjeet Singh Dhillon who said that the PFI is an organization that runs on the lines of the RSS. This is an organization which imparts training to its cadres in wielding lathis and firing bullets. RSS is actually many steps ahead in these matters. It worships arms and its hands are soaked in Mahatma Gandhi's blood.

A CPIML team led by Phulwarisharif MLA Gopal Ravidas and local leader Gurudev Das on 14 July visited Mohd Jalaluddin's home situated in Naya Tola, Ahmed Market.

Mohd Jalaluddin has been falsely accused of participating in terrorist activities along with Athar Parvez. Mohd Jalaluddin worked in the Bihar-Jharkhand police services for 40 years. After retirement in 2001 he started living in his own home.

On 11 July 2022 the police suddenly arrived at his house and accused him of renting his house to terrorists. Later they filed a case against 26 persons including Mohd Jalaluddin and Athar Parvez. This action was also propagated as being linked to the Prime Minister's visit to Patna on 12 July. It was put about that a conspiracy was on to spread religious frenzy and give young people training in the usage of arms in the name of 'martial arts'.

MLA Gopal Ravidas said that Mohd Jalaluddin has no history of any such activities. He has been in the police services. Certainly, he had given his house on rent to PFI. But PFI is not a banned organization.   

A CPIML-Insaf Manch joint team headed byCPI ML Bihar State Secretary Kunal visited Phulwarisharif on 19 July for an in-depth investigation into the arrest of 4 persons from the Muslim community in Phulwarisharif on charges of terrorist and anti-national activities.

Addressing a press conference after the completion of their enquiry, the team said that this entire episode is part of the BJP's Mission 2024 in which BJP is once again targeting the Muslim community and trying to create communal polarization in the country. It is unfortunate that the administrative machinery today is acting at the behest of the BJP.

The team strongly criticized Nitish Kumar's silence on this matter and said that he claims to be a leader for Muslims but he does not see fit to utter a single word when the entire Muslim community is targeted under the excuse of one or two cases of suspicion.

The enquiry team found no concrete evidence against any of the 4 arrested persons. The administration which arrested them also could not produce any concrete evidence but the matter is being presented with a lot of hype as if Phulwarisharif is a hub of terrorism. Such irresponsible action by the administration has forced the Muslim community to live in the shadow of fear.

The main findings and conclusions of the team:

After speaking with the family members and local people and visiting the space in Ahmed Palace which had been given for the PFI office, the team found no concrete evidence of the 4 arrested persons being involved in terrorist or anti-national activities. The team asked ASP Manish Kumar for concrete evidence but he also was unable to produce any.

The ASP had no answer to the question, if the police had information earlier about terrorist and anti-national activities being carried out in the space rented out by Jalaluddin Khan, why did not they act earlier? He also could not answer why the place was not sealed off after the arrests on 12 July.

Jalaluddin Khan had given Ahmed Palace on rent to Athar Parvez about 2 months ago, and there exists a rent-agreement. The place is still under construction. How can knives and swords be wielded in a room of 600 sq ft? The side of the room facing the road is fully open to view, so how is it possible that people were unaware if such activities had been going on? The ASP had no answers to these questions also. He just kept repeating that illegal activities were going on under cover of 'martial arts'.

Shahid Parvez, brother of Athar Parvez, said that the police got some SDPI flags and some property deal papers from their house. Their younger brother Manzar Parvez had been arrested a long time ago in a SIMI case but was honorably acquitted. This family has no connection with the Gandhi Maidan bomb blast, contrary to what is being widely propagated. This fact was acknowledged by the ASP.

Arman Malik's mother, wife and sister told the team that the police came at 2 AM on the night of 14 July and took him away saying that they had news from Delhi that Arman Malik was conducting anti-national activities. Arman Malik is a social activist and was one of the chief organizers of the anti-CAA protests. The enquiry team fears that people who were involved in such movements are being deliberately targeted.

The arrested Margubis reportedly suffering from acute mental issues. He has never been abroad, as is being widely hyped. He has been arrested on the charge of administering some ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ Whatsapp groups.

CPIML, Insaf Manch and AIPF organized a citizens' march in Phulwarisharif on 21 July 2022 against the defamation of Phulwarisharif by branding it as a hub of terrorism, persecution of the Muslim community, failure to produce any concrete evidence so far against the arrested suspects, and projection of the whole episode in an extremely hyped up way.

Hundreds of citizens including women, shopkeepers, Thelawallas and local youth participated in the march.

The Phulwarisharif MLA Comrade Gopal Ravidas did not mince words in saying that Phulwarisharif is being defamed at the behest of BJP and RSS. He sked, if the evidence cannot be made public why are the newspapers reporting every day that evidence connecting the accused with international terrorists has been found? Who is supplying such 'news' to the newspapers? The truth is that deliberate attempts are being made to defame Phulwari which has a composite culture and is the city of Sufi saints. We must expose this conspiracy by the BJP to defame Phulwari.

Paliganj MLA Sandeep Saurav said that RSS wants to vitiate the atmosphere of peace and harmony across Bihar. When the youth demand education and employment their voice is silenced with lathis and sticks. AIPF leader Ghalib remarked on the strange coincidence that terrorist links are 'found' in Bihar whenever Prime Minister Modi visits. The BJP wants to come to power in 2024 through Hindu-Muslim polarization but the people of Phulwari will never tolerate this.

CPIML Demands:

  1. The administration should present evidence in public against the arrested persons so that the current uncertain situation is ended. No innocent person should be arrested.
  2. Persons and ideologies that are targeting the entire Muslim community and Phulwarisharif should be identified and action taken against them. Strict action should be taken against persons disturbing social harmony through irresponsible actions.
  3. This entire action is also seen as linked to the Prime Minister's Bihar visit. The enquiry team considers this to be a calculated and well-planned move by the BJP. Therefore Nitish Kumar must break his silence and conduct an enquiry into the matter at his own level.
Stop Communal Targetting of Muslims in Phulwarisharif