Religious composition of the population (as per the 2001 census): 61% Hindus, 36% Muslims
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Sripat Mishra, Congress Party, July 1982–August 1984
Following the incidents of 1961, tragic communal riots occurred, once again, in the city of Meerut (Uttar Pradesh).
The atmosphere had become tense since January 1982 when the RSS chief, Balasaheb Deoras , visited the city. In September, Meerut felt the repercussions of the Ekatmata Yagna Yatra. On September 19–21, the VHP organized a meeting in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh). A training camp was also held in Haridwar (Uttarakhand) in July. VHP volunteers subsequently came to the city of Meerut.
Communal troubles started because of a small dispute - over a piece of municipal land in the crowded neighborhood of Shahghasa - between a Muslim advocate, who was said to have usurped the land, and the municipality. Hindu organizations added a communal dimension to the incident by claiming that a temple used to stand on the disputed parcel. The Muslim lawyer added further fuel to the disagreement by saying that it was in reality the site of a mazar (tomb of a Muslim saint). Several isolated killings occurred up until September 11. The district administration decided to seal off the site on September 14. The Hindu - dominated Traders and Bar Associations declared a hartal (strike) on September 18 to protest against that decision, and the seal was eventually removed on September 22 when the district administration bowed to outside pressure. The following day, members of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian People’s Party) led a victory procession onto the disputed site. On September 28, the day of the Muslim festival Id, the Qazi (scholar of Islamic law) of the town incited Muslims to wear black badges in protest over the seal’s removal. Provocative speeches by the Shahi Imam Syed Abdullah Bukhari of Delhi’s Jama Masjid also inflamed passions. In this highly communalized atmosphere, the situation degenerated on September 30 into a communal riot that lasted until October 2. Scheduled Castes were particularly involved in the anti-Muslim violence. The special police force of the PAC also took an active part in the killing of Muslims. This was no longer a case of mere partiality toward Hindus but a police attack that directly targeted Muslims. In all, the PAC shot dead 42 persons on October 1 and 2. The worst event took place at the Feroze Building, in a poor Muslim area, where 13 persons (according to some sources and 29 according to others) were killed by PAC bullets. The district administration proved incompetent and partial to Hindu interests. At the state level, Congress Chief Minister Sripat Mishra, should have taken action by immediately removing the district police officers involved in the violence, but his administration proved ineffectual and slow to act.
***(Chishti, 1982); **(India Today, 31/10/1982: 24–29); **(Sunday, 03/04/1983: 21); ***(Engineer, 1984b: 275–279); ***(Engineer, 1987c); ***(Ghosh, 1987: 216–220); ***(Brass, 2004); ***(Brass, 2006: 66; 91–94)