The Vadodara metropolis police has written to the town municipal commissioner recommending that one of many gates of Samarpan Housing Service Co-operative Society that opens to Tandalja space — a minority-dominated neighbourhood — be stored closed, to keep away from “law and order” points as “people from the minority community would use the gate for travel and transport, leading to possibilities of skirmishes with the society residents”.
The Samarpan Society positioned on the Vasna-Tandalja street, falls beneath the Gujarat Prohibition of Transfer of Immovable Property and Provision for Protection of Tenants from Eviction from premises in Disturbed Areas Act, the place all property sale and switch needs to be cleared by the designated authorities authority.
The society was on the centre of controversy after some residents lodged a prison grievance towards considered one of its members, Feroz Contractor, for “hiding his religion” when he bought a plot within the society to Firoz Patel.
A resident of the world had moved the Gujarat High Court after the society closed the gate opening to a public street, following which in November 2020, the courtroom directed the Vadodara Municipal Commissioner to answer the representations of the aggrieved events, implying the residents.
While the courtroom refused to subject instructions to the society to take away the obstruction, the order clearly instructed the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) to answer the representations.
On Tuesday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration), NA Muniya, in a letter to the Town Development Department of the VMC, really helpful to “not open the gates” as Vadodara is “an extremely sensitive city in the state from communal perspective”. This was in response to the VMC in search of an opinion of the police division within the matter in a letter dated December 17.
The Vadodara metropolis police acknowledged that after inspecting requests from residents, inspector of the jurisdictional JP Road police station, in addition to the Assistant Commissioner of Police of D Division and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 2, really helpful that the gate shouldn’t be opened.
The letter states, “The residents of Samarpan Society keep filing complaints of big and small fights now and then… There have been several cases of cross-complaints (between Hindus and Muslims). Considering that opening of the gates would mean that the minority community will begin to use the road for travel and transport, which could lead to petty and big confrontations… it could lead to a law and order crisis in the future. Earlier too, there have been communal incidents in the area…”
It added, “Since Vadodara city is extremely sensitive from the communal perspective in the state, even small skirmishes between communities are a matter of concern and affect law and order… Therefore, police is of the opinion that the gate should not be opened and status quo should be maintained as of now.”
The courtroom of Justice JB Pardiwala, in November 2020, had remarked, “Prima facie it appears, there is a road cleared under the town planning scheme… one section of society is creating obstruction so as to prevent another of society members to prevent the use of the road… has the municipal commissioner applied his mind on this issue and tried to resolve this controversy? Because it appears one set of members who are addressing the grievance, is of the minority community and the people who have created obstruction are of another community…this may lead to some different kind of problems.”
Speaking to The Indian Express, the lawyer representing the residents stated that the communication from the police to VMC is in violation of the courtroom’s orders and if want be, an utility will likely be moved earlier than the courtroom as aggrieved residents haven’t been given a possibility of listening to by the municipal commissioner.
DCP Muniya stated that the letter conveyed the opinion of native law enforcement officials. “The police administration department only forwards the replies of the officers concerned. The opinion expressed in the letter is of the local police station and the presiding officers of the division and the zone. It was in response to a letter from the VMC seeking an opinion from the point of view of the law and order,” Muniya stated.
A VMC official stated, “The VMC has followed the instructions of the High Court in every matter and this is no exception. Our officers are also tired of receiving complaints from residents of both sides. We are aware it is a public road but we all know how Vadodara has suffered due to law and order issues… We consulted with the police department in good faith and we are inclined to follow their recommendation.”
The managing committee of the society had approached the police to dam one of many two gates of the society, which, in flip, additionally blocked the general public street beneath the Town Planning of the VMC. A resident had additionally approached the Gujarat High Court in search of motion towards the office-bearers of the society, police inspector of JP Road police station and the VMC for “conniving” to shut the gate and depriving residents of the correct to make use of a public street.
