Ahmedabad, December 02: Breaking ALL boundaries of vandalism, the act of violence that was executed by the police today at Sant Shri Asaramji Ashram, was terrifying.
The rally in protest against the Sandesh newspaper saw their own miscreants getting into the crowd and instigating the people to pelt stones at the police. In the resulting violence that ensued, some senior police officials and other policemen were injured.
One or two senior officials also suffered some major head injuries in the clash with the crowd. The revenge for this act was inflicted by the police on the same day when they brutally assaulted about 300 to 400 participants in the rally. About 236 people were arrested, including people who were admitted to hospital after being injured in the police lathi charge. The people admitted in hospital were also not spared and were picked up by the police after preliminary first aid. Legal Section 307 relating to murder was also imposed on them.
But the senior police officers were still not satisfied even after inflicting such brutalities on the people who believed in Hindu religion and culture and were devoted to their spiritual Master. In their rage they stormed the Ashram of Pujya Bapuji late in the afternoon. A large contingent of nearly 150 policemen was deployed. Whoever was found in the Ashram, was beaten up with lathis, sticks, shoes and rifle butts. People were chased and they were bundled off in half a dozen large police vans. All glass windows were smashed unnecessarily.
Some sadhaks had closed the doors of their rooms out of fear. Their rooms were broken into and the sadhaks were taken away while being mercilessly beaten with sticks. Even elderly sadhaks who had come to Ashram from outside for anushthhaan were not spared. The room of one of the sadhaks, who was doing saadhna in the Maun Mandir for a week, was also broken into, and he was dragged away by the police by the hair.
Such was the nature of police brutality that they even opened fire to terrorize the sadhaks, who were running towards the river to save themselves. The entire operation of the police on the peaceful Ashram of a saint lasted for about one and-a-half to two hours. Every nook and corner of the Ashram was searched people were pushed into large police vans kept prepared.
The incident did not end here. About 10 to 12 children and elderly sadhaks were released from the place where all these people were taken (possibly due to legal implications).
Out of those released, was a retired South Indian professor who had suffered 10-12 blows from sticks. He said the police had planned for them to sit in an open field about 50 yards from the place where they got down from the police van.
All along the way, the policemen positioned themselves on both the sides and armed with sticks, assaulted the arrested people saying that their senior officer had to have 10 stitches in the head (during the rally).
The vengeance of the ten stitches on their senior police officer’s head was taken on numerous innocent sadhaks by the inhuman policemen. It appeared as though these police officers were keen to please and display their loyalty to the senior officers through such malevolent acts.
The architect of these entire heart rending scenes was “Sandesh” newspaper. Sandesh newspaper has been exposed to the public recently in a sting operation CD named “Sajish ka Pardafash” for directly conspiring for many years in nefarious activities and acts of defamation against Pujya Bapuji.
Through its unscrupulous and scheming ways, Sandesh created unrest in the rally and pitched the police against the Ashram. Using its financial and political influence to save its existence, Sandesh thus planned and executed the entire incident.
The atrocious behaviour of the police in today’s civilized society is a stigma on the name of humanity. No condemnation can be too high for this brutal act.
Stern action should be taken without delay against the guilty. The clandestine role of the owners of “Sandesh” newspaper involved in secretly conspiring against the Ashram should also be investigated.
Hordes of enthusiastic photographers and reporters from the electronic and print media were on the spot to cover the entire event of police terror, which was broadcast live not only in India, but internationally as well. Else, this heinous act would have remained unknown and overlooked by all.
The honoured saints of the country wide religions and communities should join hands against this extremely well planned attack on the Indian culture and humanity.
–Agencies