Clips of Barkha Dutt’s interview with Madhya Pradesh State Home Minister Dr Narottam Mishra are making rounds on social media platforms. During the interview, Dr Mishra stated clearly to Barkha Dutt that the action taken by the state against the rioters would be repeated if riots happened again in the state.
Dutt was seen trying her best to make Dr Mishra give some placating remarks or express guilt over the bulldozing of illegal properties. During the 14-minute interview, Dr Mishra called out Congress and AIMIM for doing religion-based politics.
‘It was tit-for-tat’
Dutt asked Dr Mishra to explain why the houses of the rioters were bulldozed, allegedly without any legal formalities. She questioned if the state would declare the accused guilty and take such actions in the future. Dr Mishra bluntly told her that it was a tit-for-tat. “These are anti-social elements. They make the lives of others miserable. They burnt down the houses and injured several people who were now admitted to the hospital. An SP was shot by them and a PI was severely injured. You tell me what should be done with people like these.”
‘There should be an instant action’
When asked when justice is the responsibility of the Police and Court and why state authorities took such action, Dr Mishra said Police and Court would take steps to ensure justice. However, rioters should know the state government can take action too. Those states that did not take action, thinking the Police and Court would do justice, are facing riots. Not a single riot happened in Uttar Pradesh. There were 900 processions, but not even a single scuffle took place. Every action has a different effect. There should be confidence in the government.”
‘There will be “tu-tu main-main” in MP’
Dutt said if riots happened, it was the responsibility of the state as well, to which Dr Mishra said the Police personnel got injured during the riots, which means they were there to maintain law and order. She questioned if Chief Minister wanted to choose the path of becoming like ‘bulldozer wale baba’ while referring to CM Yogi Adityanath, who got famous by the name. Dr Mishra said CM Chouhan did not want to become like anyone, but there will be no ‘tu-tu main-main (arguments) in MP as well.
‘Legal process was followed’
Dr Mishra emphasized the fact that all legal documentation was completed before taking any action against the rioters. He said the properties bulldozed were encroachments, and the authorities filed documentation before taking any action. He further added that the action was against both rioters and encroachers.
‘My statement will be the same if riots happen again’
Dutt tried to counter Dr Mishra for the statement he made that the houses of the stone-pelters would be reduced to rubble. Dr Mishra made it clear that if riots happen in the future, his statement will remain the same. When asked if he regrets using Bulldozer, he said he was satisfied with the action.
‘We will follow Supreme Court guidelines
Dutt mentioned Supreme Court has recently passed a judgement against the UP government for making the rioters pay for the damages. She questioned what if Supreme Court ordered something similar against the MP government. Dr Mishra calmly said the state would follow the instructions of the Supreme Court.
Notably, in the judgment Dutt mentioned, the Supreme Court had allowed the state government to take action against the rioters as per the newly enacted law. Though the previous proceedings by the state were set aside as there was no said law for the same at that time, the UP government had already passed the law under which the state could recover damages to public and private properties from the rioters.
‘There was no Hindu-Muslim
Dr Mishra refuted the claims made by some leaders and media houses that only the houses of Muslims were torn down. He said the action was and will be taken against the rioters irrespective of their religion.
Stones were pelted from the mosque
Dr Mishra cleared the air over how the riots were started. He said the stones were pelted from the mosque that led to the riots in Khargone. Dr Mishra added he did not know the reason why they pelted the stones, and it would be revealed during the investigation. When asked if provocative songs were played in front of the mosque, he said nothing like that happened, and he was aware of the series of events in Khargone only and not in the other locations outside MP where similar riots happened.
‘I know what you are trying to do’
Dr Mishra said when the laws were made on dealing with the rioters, there were no CCTV cameras, and the media was not active like today. He added in today’s time, videos made it easier to identify those who fired the bullets and used swords in the riots. When Dutt twisted the question and asked the same thing, Dr Mishra said in a warning tone that he had been following her since she was with NDTV and knew what she was trying to do.
Action against Digvijay
Speaking about the fake tweet by Congress leader Digvijay Singh, Dr Mishra said the legal action is being taken against him. He countered the statement made by AIMIM’s Assasudin Owaisi, where he raised questions about the action taken by the state. He said when rioters burnt down the houses of the innocents when pelted stones, and fired shots at the Police, why people like Digvijay and Owaisi did not say a word against them.
He also mentioned that after the speech Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kapil Mishra made on the Khargone riots, he had called Mishra and both agreed such speeches should not be made.
Khargone Riots
On April 10, a Ram Navami procession that began in the Talab Chowk area of Khargone had to be abandoned midway after it came under a volley of stones. Riots escalated as several vehicles were set on fire. The cops resorted to firing tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. During the orgy of violence, a total of 24 people were injured, including six police personnel.
The day after the riots, the Khargone administration took strict action against the miscreants who had pelted stones at the Ram Navami procession. The illegally constructed buildings were bulldozed by the administration. Five JCB machines were deployed for the task. According to the reports, 77 people have been arrested, and the city of Khargone continues to be under curfew.
