Bhadrak, Odisha was simmering with anger after a few Facebook post led to communal skirmishes.
But as per BJD’s (Biju Janata Dal) MP from Bhadrak, Arjun Charan Sethi, the last week’s communal flare up worsened after a group of people started chanting Pakistan Zindabad slogans.
If this indeed happened, then it is eerily similar to Dhulagarh (West Bengal) riots, where similar situation erupted after Pakistan Zindabad slogans were raised. The BJP MP was unhappy with the way administration worked during the time.
Speaking to the Times of India, the BJD MP elaborated:
“When tension gripped Bhadrak on April 6 following offensive Facebook posts on some Hindu deities, the district officials and police should have effectively controlled the situation. But their incapability escalated the violence on April 7, forcing the imposition of curfew.”
Further, the MP said that he was not present in Bhadrak during this communal tension but that his sources made him aware about the chants of Pakistan Zindabad. He told Times of India that:
“My sources informed me that the tension escalated after some people shouted Pakistan zindabad slogans outside the peace meeting venue. The provocative slogans enraged another group, which triggered the violence.”
For now, to everyone’s relief, Bhadrak has returned to near normalcy. So far 80 people have been arrested while curfew has been eased. A clampdown on social media (2-days/48 hour ban) also helped in bringing the situation under control. But a detailed report on the riots needs to be labeled to ensure that communal harmony and peace does not get disturbed in the state.
What led to the violence in Bhadrak? Know the details here!
