Instigating communal trouble to unsettle rivals in the party has been used by Congress-I leaders in the past with success. Maharashtra in1992 -1994 bewtween then and after Chief minister Sudhakar rao naik and Sharad Pawar."It is a conspiracy similar to the one against Chenna Reddy's government to remove him from power," said Yashki referring to the 1990 communal riots of Hyderabad . “A political game is being played in the Old City . Definitely, there’s conspiracy in how the trouble was fomented. It is clear to everybody,” said Zahed Ali Khan, veteran editor of Siasat Urdu daily newspaper published from Hyderabad .He maintain that the huge funds have flooded the Old City , to both Hindus and Muslims and he cite two instances to prove their point. Prophet Mohammed’s birthday, Milad-un-Nabi, was celebrated in an unprecedented manner on February 26 last. “Does this community which is poor and backward have the funds for such grand celebrations,” commented a community leader on condition of anonymity. Similarly, Hanuman Jayanti which used to be a small affair limited to temples has been turned into a gala public affair this time.
A city of rich cultural heritage, a melting pot of different religions, nationalities and civilizations, Hyderabad has been a seat of harmony and brotherhood. But today it stands reduced to a battle ground for vested interests and fanatical politics. On February 24th, the Milad-Un-Nabi celebrations were being carried out in full swing. Green Flags were fluttering in the entire Old City . One month later, these flags were removed to put up saffron flags marking the Sri Ram Navami celebrations on March 24 in Madannapet (near Saidabad Colony), marking the first of the tensions. On March 27, organizers of Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in Moosa Bowli in the Old City tried to hoist their flags, removing the ones that had been put up for Milad-un-Nabi. After heated arguments there were clashes and then it was a free for all.Hyderabad riots: Blame game begins in Congress 2010-03-30 15:40:00
Last Updated: 2010-03-30 16:29:10 Hyderabad: In a major embarrassment for the Congress-I government in Andhra Pradesh, a section of its leaders from Telangana have openly charged their own party colleagues from two other regions of being involved in the communal riots in Hyderabad.
Congress-I MP from Nizamabad Madhu Yashki Goud has said that the riots were a conspiracy by leaders from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions as those opposing the demand for statehood to Telangana had been warning Muslims that communal tensions would rise in the separate state.
Rivals of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, both within the Congress-I and in the opposition, had alleged that he was behind the riots to dislodge Reddy from power. Senior Congress-I legislator Shankar Rao has also alleged that those opposing Chief Minister Rosaiah were behind the riots to defame him and his government. Their allegations evoked sharp reaction from Congress legislators belonging to Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, who demanded disciplinary action against them.
In the state assembly on Tuesday, Rosaiah had to face embarrassing moments when Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu referred to the statements made by these Congress-I leaders and demanded a thorough probe and stern action against those involved.
"We are not saying anything but your own party leaders have made certain statements. A thorough probe should be ordered to find out if your own party people are involved or there are other unidentified elements behind the riots," the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president said amid protests by treasury benches.
Earlier, Rosaiah, in his statement, appealed to people to maintain peace and urged all political parties to rise above political differences to cooperate in restoring normalcy in the state.
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) legislator Ahmed Pasha Khadri on Tuesday said his party has already given to the government the names of individuals and the party involved in the violence and demanded action against the guilty. Politicians playing a dangerous game:- R Akhileshwari, March 30, Is the communal violence in Hyderabad being used by unscrupulous political forces to settle scores with their rivals? Or is it being used to scuttle the demand for Telangana state? Several people in the know believe it is so. Leaders in the Old City admitted that they were expecting such “pre-planned” trouble for the past four to five months. A few efforts made to trigger violence failed but the one on Saturday succeeded. Evidently both sides are being funded, he observed. Madhu Yashki Goud, Congress-I MP stirred up a hornet’s nest by charging coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema political vested interests with formenting communal trouble in Hyderabad.
He told Deccan Herald that it was a shame that political parties and groups within them were creating animosity between people for their political ends. “They are exploiting poverty and unemployment of a section of the people, their vulnerability and their helplessness,” he said.
Another senior Congress-I legislator Shankar Rao also alleged that those opposing Chief Minister K Rosaiah were behind the riots to destabilise his government. Their allegations evoked sharp reaction from Congress leaders belonging to the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, Another agenda that is sought to be achieved is to scuttle Telangana statehood demand. Observers believe that the communal violence was being used to kill two birds: that is destabilise Rosaiah government and dilute the struggle for Telangana. They insist that the developments point to a “nexus” of Andhra-Rayalaseema leaders across the political spectrum that is dominated by one caste that is keen on regaining the power it lost last September with the death of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash.
The effort of this group to install YSR’s son Jaganmohan Reddy as chief minister came to a naught and hence the ploy now being employed to destabilise the Rosaiah government to foment communal violence.
