Hindu–Muslim sectarian violence occurred in the town of Karauli on 2 April 2022, when a Hindu New Year bike-rally organised by Sangh Parivar organisations passed through a Muslim locality with inflammatory slogans and music.[1][2] Stone-pelting from surrounding houses, local people attacking with sticks, and arson, resulted in injuries to 20 people, including policemen, and damage to properties of 80 people of both communities.[1][3]

Background

Shobha Yatra

On 2 April 2022, a bike rally was organized by Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bajrang Dal, called the "Shobha Yatra" to celebrate the Chaitra Pratipada Nav Samvatsar or the Hindu New Year. The rally was planned to go through the muslim dominated area of Karauli and approval was taken from the Karauli District Administration.[4]

Popular Front of India (PFI) had written a letter to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot two days before the procession about the violence targeting Hindu Shoba Yatra which prompted many in alleging that the violence was planned.[5][6] The letter from PFI warned the Gehlot led government about the possibility of violence due to the Hindu Shoba yatra which was to pass from the muslim dominated area.[5][6]

Violence

The motorcycle procession of around 400 people celebrating Hindu New Year was moving ahead and was planned to move through the muslim dominated Karauli district of Rajasthan. Approvals were already taken from the Karauli district administration.

The violence erupted when the religious motorcade procession crossed a mosque in the market area.[7] As they reached the mosque, some miscreants started pelting stones on them and as they group retaliated, violence broke out.[8]

"Hindu outfits were taking out a religious bike rally on the occasion of Hindu new year today evening. While the procession reached near a mosque, some miscreants pelted stones on them. This resulted in stone pelting and arson by the other side too in which a few two-wheelers and shops were torched. The situation is under control now and a large number of police personnel have been deployed," said ADG Administration and Law and Order, Hawa Singh Ghumaria [8]

The violence resulted in several bikes being burnt and over a dozen shops and houses arsoned.[9]

Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, Rajendra Rathore alleged that attack on Hindu procession was pre-planned as hundred of stones were already being collected a day before.[10] The FIR further stated that the incident was planned and the Karauli Kotwali SHO Rameshwar Dayal Meena further stated that the rally was passing by peacefully. "Police tried to intervene, but stones and sticks rained on them from Muslim houses and a mosque," [11]

Immediate Response

Imposition of Curfew

With violence erupting in Karauli which is around 170 km from Rajasthan's capital Jaipur, curfew was imposed under Section 144 in the violence hit area till the morning of 4 April 2022.[12][13][14][15] The curfew was later extended to 7 April 2022 [16] which was further extended to 10 April 2022.[17] The curfew was further extended till 17 April 2022 but few relaxation were made.[18]

Suspension of Internet Services

Internet services were suspended in Karauli after the broke out of violence.[12][14][15] The internet services remain suspended for the next few days.[19]

Investigation

Special Investigation Team (SIT)

A Special Investigation Team was formed on 3 April 2022 to probe the violence. The SIT was led by Additional Superintended of Police.[20]

Independent Committees

Congress Committee

The ruling Rajasthan Congress formed a 3 member fact-finding committee in the Karauli violence on 4 April 2022.[21] The committee included Members of Legislative Assembly Jitendra Singh and Rafiq Khan along with Karauli district in-charge Lalit Yadav.[21] The panel is planned to visit Karauli and submit its report to Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee.[21]

BJP Committee

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also launched a probe and formed a 10 member committee to investigate the violence. Headed by the Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly, Rajendra Singh Rathore, the final report was presented to BJP Rajasthan unit President Satish Poonia.[22]

Administrative Probe

The Rajasthan Government ordered an administrative probe on 8 April 2022, roughly a week later. The probe, headed by Rajasthan Home Secretary, will have to submit its report to the state government in 15 days.[22] IAS Kailash Chand Meena, Divisional Commissioner of Kota under the Government of Rajasthan's Home Department, was later appointed as the new investigating officer.[23]

Judicial Probe

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Rajasthan unit President, Satish Poonia demanded a judicial probe in the communal violence indicating that the Congress government in Rajasthan was pursuing "appeasement politics" and aiding "Communalism".[24]

Aftermath

Major Reshuffle of Top Officials

On the night of 13 April 2022, 69 Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officials were transferred in a major reshuffle. Among them was the collector of the violence hit Karauli district, Rajendra Singh Shekhawat. Ajit Kumar Singh replaced Shekhawat as the collector of Karauli. Other than Karauli, collectors of four other districts were also transferred. Prakash Chand Sharma has been transferred to Banswara, Nakate Shiv Prasad to Alwar, Sourabh Swami to Pratapgarh, and Nishant Jain to Jalore.[25]

Stopping Leaders from Visiting Karauli

On 13 April 2022, BJP MP and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) chief Tejasvi Surya was stopped from entering violence hit Karauli. Along with supporters and BJP Rajasthan unit Chief, Satish Poonia wanted to meet the victims of the Karauli violence but they were denied the permission by the Rajasthan Police. After being stopped, the leaders and the supporters staged a peaceful protest at the Karauli border but the police dispersed them with force.[26][27][28]

Later Tejasvi Surya, Satish Poonia and other BJP workers were detained by the Rajasthan Police.[26][27][28]

Permission to PFI to take out march

Though the leader were dispersed or detained and not allowed to enter the violence hit area with the reasoning of area under curfew, the Islamic Organization Popular Front of India (PFI) was allowed and given permission to take out march in the area.[29]

References

  1. 1 2 "Rajasthan: All You Need to Know About the Karauli Violence". NewsClick. 9 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  2. ↑ Iyer, Aishwarya (11 April 2022). "'The day my blood boils': How songs incited hate at a Navratri rally in Rajasthan's Karauli". Scroll.in. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  3. ↑ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah; Hassan, Aakash (18 April 2022). "'Hatred, bigotry and untruth': communal violence grips India". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 April 2023. Clashes also broke out at the beginning of April in Karauli, Rajasthan, when a Hindu procession was passing through a Muslim area and about 70 shops, mostly belonging to Muslims were set alight.
  4. ↑ Sakunia, Samriddhi (14 April 2022). "In riot-hit Karauli, April 2 violence has charred both business and communal harmony". NEWS9LIVE. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Karauli communal clashes: PFI had warned Gehlot govt about violence during Hindu new year rally". TimesNow. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  6. 1 2 "How did PFI know about Karauli communal clashes in advance". Firstpost. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  7. ↑ "Curfew imposed in Rajasthan's Karauli after fight breaks out during religious procession". ThePrint. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Curfew imposed in Rajasthan's Karauli after clash during bike rally". The Indian Express. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  9. ↑ Khan, Hamza [@Hamzwa] (2 April 2022). "Curfew imposed in Rajasthan's Karauli after a bike rally to mark #NavSamvatsar was pelted with stones, leading to arson. Several bikes and over a dozen shops have been set on fire and 650 additional police personnel are being deployed to maintain law and order. @IndianExpress https://t.co/4IFmf5FMXk" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022 – via Twitter.
  10. ↑ "Karauli violence: Sting operation reveals police 'did nothing' to curb communal violence". TimesNow. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  11. ↑ Sharat Kumar (6 April 2022). "Karauli violence in Rajasthan sparked by planned attack, says FIR". India Today. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  12. 1 2 "Curfew clamped, internet shut down in Rajasthan's Karauli after communal clashes | What happened so far". India Today. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  13. ↑ "Section 144 imposed in Rajasthan's Karauli after communal violence". DNA India. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Sec 144 imposed, internet suspended after stone-pelting during religious procession in Rajasthan". ThePrint. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  15. 1 2 "Curfew imposed, net suspended in Rajasthan's Karauli after communal clash". Hindustan Times. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  16. ↑ "Curfew in Rajasthan's Karauli extended till April 7". ThePrint. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  17. ↑ Kumar, Sharat (7 April 2022). "Rajasthan: Curfew in violence-hit Karauli extended till April 10". India Today. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  18. ↑ "Karauli: Curfew extended till April 17 in violence-hit district". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  19. ↑ "Rajasthan: Curfew in violence-hit Karauli extended till April 7". India Today. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  20. ↑ "Karauli violence: 13 arrested so far, SIT formed, say police". The Indian Express. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  21. 1 2 3 "Karauli violence: Rajasthan Congress forms 3-member fact-finding committee". ThePrint. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  22. 1 2 "Rajasthan govt orders administrative probe in Karauli incident, report to be submitted in 15 days". TimesNow. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  23. ↑ "IAS Kailash Chand Meena appointed as new investigating officer in Karauli incident case". ANI.
  24. ↑ Hebbar, Nistula (8 April 2022). "BJP demands judicial probe into Karauli violence". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  25. ↑ Saini, Sachin (14 April 2022). "Collector of violence-hit Karauli among top officials transferred in Rajasthan". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  26. 1 2 "Rajasthan: BJP leaders prevented from entering violence-hit Karauli". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  27. 1 2 "Tejasvi, Poonia, Supporters stopped On Way To Karauli". The Times of India. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  28. 1 2 "Rajasthan: Tejasvi Surya, Others Stopped From Visiting Karauli". The Wire. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  29. ↑ TIMES NOW [@TimesNow] (13 April 2022). "If Ashok Gehlot & his Govt can give permission to a proven extremist organization like PFI to take out marches across Rajasthan, why BJYM was denied permission to enter Karauli?: @Tejasvi_Surya, BJP MP #KhargoneUntoldTruth #RamNavamiRiotExpose @RShivshankar | #IndiaUpfront https://t.co/I421x6rk24" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 17 April 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022 – via Twitter.
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