A CPI(M) delegation, led by Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, met Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi on July 3 and submitted a memorandum seeking his immediate intervention to prevent any untoward incident in Sriram Colony of North-east Delhi, where RSS has been trying to foment communal tension. The delegation included CPI(M) Delhi State Committee members Anurag Saxena, P I Raveendranathan, Maimoona Mollah and local residents Rabia Begum, Nargis Begum, Anisa Begum, Meena Begum, Aijaz and Yaqoob.

The delegation requested the police chief to prevent any communal flare-up in the Muslim-dominated locality where RSS has been conducting shakhas regularly for the past one year vitiating the atmosphere communally. During the shakha, a curfew-like situation prevails in the area with police barricading the local park and putting up a blanket of security cover to “protect” the RSS functionaries. The locals cannot enter the park and fear sending their wards to school.

On Jun 29, RSS conducted an ‘ekatrikaran’ shakha where the organisation mobilised its cadres from neighbouring areas in large numbers. They raised provocative slogans intimidating the locals and declared that they would hold a Mahasammelan from July 17 to July 19. This is a planned and deliberate attempt to create a situation of communal conflagration. It is not an accident that Eid this year would be on July 18 or July 19. This has led to a sense of fear among the minority community that Eid namaz might be disrupted again this year as it was last year on Bakrid. This might disrupt Eid celebration leading to more tension in the area. The delegation requested the Police Commissioner to ensure that the shakha is not held at least during Ramzan and definitely not on Eid.

Last year, RSS with the help of local Ramlila committee built a platform in the DDA park during Ramlila, which the police had promised would be removed after Ramlila. But to this day, the platform has not been removed. Bassi heard the delegation and promised to look into the matter. It is the endeavour of the CPI(M) Delhi unit to ensure that peace and harmony is maintained not only in Sriram Colony but all over Delhi.