India police arrest over 200 for religious violence in Gujarat
The clashes in the western city of Vadodara were sparked by a distorted image posted on social media that offended Muslims, prompting authorities to block mobile Internet and bulk text messaging, the officer said.
The violence coincides with Modi's visit to the United States where he is expected to meet President Barack Obama during a trip to push for foreign investment to promote economic growth.
Members of the two communities threw stones at each other and set vehicles alight in several days of clashes that started on Thursday, while one person was stabbed.
"We have now arrested over 200 people from both the communities in the last three days," said D J Patel, additional commissioner of Vadodara police. Police said Sunday 40 arrests were made.
"The man, a teacher, who posted the controversial message on WhatsApp has also been arrested," Patel told AFP.
Modi contested and won Vadodara when his Hindu nationalist party swept to power at the general election in May, although he gave up the seat after the polls for another that he also secured.
Gujarat was hit by religious riots in 2002 that left more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, dead. Modi, the state's chief minister at the time, has rejected criticism he failed to stop the bloodshed. He was cleared by a Supreme Court-ordered probe of wrongdoing.
The US had shunned Modi for years over the riots, a move that was dropped when it became clear he would win power nationally.
Patel said some of the 200 people were detained for taking part in the low-level violence, while others were arrested to prevent further unrest.
He said the city was back to normal on Monday with markets open. Another senior police officer said mobile Internet services would remain suspended as a precaution until Tuesday.
One person was stabbed in the unrest, the Press Trust of India news agency has reported, but all of the handful of injuries have been minor.
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Actually, Muslims must vacate all these lands that were never theirs originally, they established themselves here by force...they should go back to Arabia where Islam came from...then they would be happy as they would have their Pak land.....till then, please learn to respect the original and true nand owners of these lands.....else
@riya: Going by that, Muslims will be the ones getting thrashed the most...at least in India because they miss no chance to insult Hindus deities and symbols of religion and worship....
@Salim: Yes
@Syed Abbas:
"We, Pakistanis, are not very different from them. We also do the same with minorities and to other sub-sects of Islam. Seems the problems is across the sub-continent."
There is a big difference. While other religions' symbols and places of worship are defiled and attacked constantly in Pakistan, the minorities there don't resort to violence and terror.
@Syed Abbas the Hindu minority that you're talking about were the ones who's ancestors made that land while Muslims converted them including you..
BTW one man died in this communal incident..of course tribune won't disclose that since he was a Hindu
This is Modi's India
@Reddy: good one... they need thrashing .....a good tight one :)
We, Pakistanis, are not very different from them. We also do the same with minorities and to other sub-sects of Islam. Seems the problems is across the sub-continent.
So if someone posts a controversial post on Facebook this how you respond? Is there any place the Muslims are not the aggressor be it minority or majority?