The minority dominated villages have set up kangaroo courts.
New Delhi: At least three minority dominated villages in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal have initiated unprecedented social policing measures by issuing fatwa against watching television, listening to music, playing carrom board, using cell phones, playing games on computer or purchasing lottery tickets and even selling or consuming alcohol.
The minority dominated villages of Adwaita Nagar, Vasaipaikar and another neighbouring village in the same vicinity have set up kangaroo courts in their locality with the help of religious leaders under the banner of Samaj Sanskar (Social Reforms) Committee which will keep a watch on the locals in the villages and ensure that no one indulges in any of the prohibited activities.
The committee is headed by Azharul Sheikh who is the secretary of the committee. The committee has other members including the Maulvi, the Imam and other heads of the villages.
The committee has prescribed a list mentioning the quantum of punishment and fine that the kangaroo court will inflict on the violators of the fatwa in these villages.
According to the list, watching television, listening to music on mobile phone or on computer, would invite a fine of Rs 1,000 on the violators, while playing carrom would lead to a fine of Rs 500.
The list also mentions that drinking and selling of alcohol has been prohibited in their villages and anyone caught selling or drinking alcohol would have to shell out a fine of Rs 7,000 and Rs 2,000 respectively. The committee has also banned gambling in the village and has mentioned that anyone found indulging in this activity would be charged a fine of Rs 7,000.
Not only this, the fatwa also mentions that apart from the fine, all those who have been caught indulging themselves in such prohibited activities would also be punished. The punishment, as per the fatwa, includes holding their ears and doing sit-ups in front of the whole village for smaller “crimes” like listening to music or playing games like carrom, while for drinking and gambling, the punishment that has been prescribed includes holding their ears and roaming around the entire village, asking for pardon from the elders of the village.
The Sunday Guardian has spoken to some residents of these villages in Murshidabad district over telephone and all of them confirmed that such diktat has been issued in their village.
Villagers also said that posters and banners had been put up across these villages and announcements over loudspeakers were made in the villages. They have also said that the committee has also brought in a scheme where an informer who informs the committee about anyone indulging in these prohibited activities like watching TV or listening to music even in their homes, would be rewarded by the committee members.
These gram panchayats of these villages are controlled by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and The Sunday Guardian spoke to the Panchayat Pradhan Abdur Rauf from the TMC who finds nothing wrong in the fatwa issued by the “leaders” of the villages.
Abdur Rauf said, “There was a lot of nuisance that was going on in the villages, especially after the migrants had come from outside back to their villages. They were gambling and playing carrom all through the day since they had no work. They were also consuming alcohol openly around the village which was disturbing the sanctity of the village. The tea shops were loudly playing music and had become a place for gossip and adda for the people of the village. Kids were getting distracted and this has been done to issue warning and scare these miscreants. There is nothing wrong in it.”
Asked why music and television was not being allowed to be watched in the village, Abdur Rauf said, “It is because we do not want to disturb the peace of the village. Villagers and locals are happy with the decision.”
Rauf has also confirmed that at least 7 to 8 people have also been punished by the kangaroo court that was held earlier this week, where the non-abiders of the fatwa were made to do sit-ups and were told to hold their ears and plead sorry for their “wrongful” act.
However, Rauf said that they have stopped collecting money as fine from the people now and the money collected earlier as a form of fine has been used for buying office supplies.
The Sunday Guardian also contacted the SDO (Sub-Divisional Officer) Jangipur, Gandharava Rathore, who decided to evade and not answer the questions asked on the legal validity of such a court and fatwa in the area. Asked what the district administration has been doing to ensure that law is not taken in their own hands by anyone, the SDO decided to disconnect the call without responding to the questions.
The Bengal BJP has, however, lashed out at the TMC for supporting and allowing such fatwas to be givn under their leadership. The BJP district president of Murshidabad North, Sujit Das, told The Sunday Guardian, “The TMC has made Bengal into a Talibani state where the rule of law has been thrown out of the window. The villages where such fatwa have been given out are all controlled by the TMC and their panchayat pradhans are in full support of this. The TMC wants to turn Bengal into Pakistan. We are going to give a written complaint against this illegal fatwa to the district administration.”