India: Aligarh academics call to oppose religious and communal politics played in UP ; demand reinstatement of suspended IAS officer

From The Times of India

Aligarh academics call for reinstating Durga Nagpal
Ayaskant Das, TNN Aug 9, 2013, 05.33AM IST

NOIDA: The Aligarh-based Forum for Muslim Studies and Analysis and Milat Bidari Muhim Committee have passed a resolution demanding immediate reinstatement of suspended Gautam Budh Nagar sub-divisional magistrate Durga Nagpal during a meeting of non-profit organizations of researchers and academicians.

In yet another resolution passed in the meeting held in Aligarh on Wednesday, the organizations condemned the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party state government for deliberately trying to vitiate the inter-communal atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh for political gains.

Tearing apart the reasons advanced by the state government for issuing suspension orders to Nagpal (viz. her alleged role in the demolition of the wall of an under-construction religious structure in Gautam Budh Nagar), members of both organizations have accused the state government of flexing its muscles to protect the sand mafia.

"About 27 incidents of communal or sectarian violence have been reported in the short tenure of the Akhilesh government. Not a single officer was suspended for these incidents. Nagpal was promptly suspended just on basis of anticipated communal tension," Prof. Razaullah Khan, president of MBMC, said.

During the meeting, the academics said they would remain isolated from the "dirty politics played by SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav". "Mulayam's younger brother, Shivpal, had recently misbehaved with a delegation of Muslims from Firozabad. Minorities are being treated like the personal fiefdom of the Yadav clan," said Prof. Humayun Murad.

The SP is being accused by the intellectuals of playing the minority card and encouraging illegal mining to fatten its purses ahead of the 2014 general elections. Even a year after having been voted to power, the party has failed to rein in criminal elements or control the poor law and order situation in the state, said fora members.

"The political elite in the state is emotionally blackmailing minorities in the name of religion. It's happening at a time when poorer sections of minority communities stay deprived of basic amenities like health and education," MBMC member N Jamaal Ansari said.

Participants said they are strongly opposed to the religious and communal politics played in UP. "We have planned to hold a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 21," Jasim Mohammad, another MBMC member, said.