Delhi Police wants to know your religion

Delhi Police wants to know your religion
SUNETRA CHOUDHURY

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 13: Why does Delhi Police want to know about your religion? Since the attack on Red Fort, a survey has been on in some areas -- confirmed by police stationsand residents -- but senior officials say no one is being asked about his orher faith. Junior officials, however, confirmed they had been instructed toinvestigate the antecedents of Muslims as they were ``most likely to harbourmilitants''.

In the area under South District's Chittaranjan Park police station, thebeat constables have been going from door to door since they received theCommissioner of Police's order on December 22. However, since the constablesthemselves fill up the forms, the residents do not get to see the column forreligion.

The Indian Express came across two kinds of forms -- one a general formwhich lists details of family, guests, tenants, property dealers etc. andanother quite exhaustive. This covers everything -- from religion, vehicledetails and arms owned to even your cable operator, electrician, plumber andgas agency.

According to SHO Harcharan Singh Varma, this is being done all across thecity after the Red Fort incident. But why is religion important? ``It is forour record.'' He said people were letting out their premises on high rents.``This will ensure that they are careful about who they keep as tenants.''

However, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) P Kamraj said he was unawareof any such form. When he was told the information had come from his policestation, he expressed surprise. ``Delhi Police is not interested in thereligion of the tenant or owner,'' he said. ``That (religion column) couldhave crept in but it should not be there.''

According to advocate Prashant Bhushan, who is fighting a public interestlitigation in Delhi High Court on Bengali Muslims in the city, said said thepolice were doing something beyond their job. ``They are not empowered torandomly ask about religion,'' he said, adding ``it is valid only when it isrelated to some investigation.'' He said this could be a way of harassingthe minorities.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, of course, supports the move. It, in fact,complained that despite the police compiling details in 68 out of 123 policestation areas, nothing was being done against the Bangladeshi Muslims. ``Itis in the tense areas where Muslims or criminals live that they have gotfigures,'' explained VHP member Rajendra Yadav.

The residents of the south Delhi area are quite worried over the drive.According to the East Pakistan Displaced Persons Association memberJyotirindra Chakraborty: ``There are not many Muslims in this area. Thiskind of an exercise is justified only in places where there is a largeconcentration of Muslims.''

The Verghese family living in the area have been subjected to this before.``When Graham Staines was killed, they came to our house and asked us if wewere Christians. I raised my eyebrows,'' she said. They were then living inPaharganj. However, this time the policemen have been more discreet and notasked them about their religion. The Khans living next door haven't beenasked either. The forms were nevertheless filled and the religion was anywayevident.