Peace committees active once again
WITH TEMPERATURES high across the country, including in Hyderabad in terms of pro and antiCitizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests, police are relying heavily on peace committees in the city to continue maintaining peace.
THE PEACE committees have zonal heads and a general secretary. Additional commissioner of police (law and order) is chairman of the peace committee, while chief of city special branch is convener.
Be it a “good time” of festivals or “'bad time” during riots, peace committees comprising members of both Hindu and Muslim communities have always been around in the twin cities to ensure peace.
In the past, whenever there were communal clashes, especially in Old City, peace committee members could be seen pleading with stone-pelters and angry protesters to calm down and return home. For police, these committee members were “eyes and ears”.
With deadly riots in northeast Delhi, which have left over 40 dead and more than 300 injured, role of peace committees is back in focus.
With temperatures high across the country, including in Hyderabad in terms of pro and antiCitizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) protests, police are relying heavily on peace committees in the city to continue maintaining peace.
“Every Sunday, all peace committee members hold meeting and discuss various issues pertaining to different communities in our area. We have succeeded in doing our bit in ensuring peace during the anti-CAA protests. We have been emphasising on agitators the need for non-violent protests”, says Hyderabad peace committee general secretary Ghulam Sadiquddin.
Confirming this is joint commissioner of police holding charge of east zone, DCP M. Ramesh.
He said, “The peace committees are very active. Their members are from all walks of life and highly disciplined. They always come forward offering support to the police.”
The concept of peace committees started way back in 1980s. But their role was officially recognised only in early 2000s when the then Hyderabad police commissioner M. V. Krishna Rao officially appreciated their efforts. Since then, peace committees have been working shoulder to shoulder with police officials.
However, as the city has largely remained peaceful since the last couple of years, the role of peace committees has been limited to taking people into confidence during festivals of both communities.
Sadiquddin explains that their members have the ability to sort out any issue between the two communities through
dialogue and without police intervention.
“'We select people who have the power to negotiate and convince people to shun violence for their own future and that of the state. We do everything to maintain communal harmony,” he asserts.
A senior police official told Deccan Chronicle, “There have been many instances wherein, despite being injured, peace committee members would plead and beg troublemakers into giving up violence. They have done remarkable work earlier. We are relying on them more in the wake of anti-CAA protests and violence in different parts of the country,” he said, wishing not to be quoted.
The official pointed out that every Sunday, when peace committee members hold their meeting, the police department sends a representative, usually the area inspector, to address the issues raised.
The peace committees have zonal heads and a general secretary. Additional commissioner of police (law and order) is chairman of the peace committee, while chief of city special branch is convener.
Sri Kishan Sharma, south zone president of Hyderabad peace committee, said, “On Friday, we stood in front of Macca Masjid and created awareness about ensuring peace. We later went to Moghulpura and Malakpet, where protests were going on, for calming them down.”
If there is tension brewing in any locality, peace committee members come to know about it first and accordingly alert the police to maintain law and order.