COMMUNALISM-Bombay-Bhiwandi Riots in National Political Perspective

COMMUNALISM Bombay-Bhiwandi Riots in National Political Perspective Asghar Ali Engineer THE Bombay-Bhiwandi riots which shook the country for nearly ten days should not be treate'd merely as a local phenomenon, although Iocal factors were not without significance. Many journalists and some others have propounded various theories, many of them quite shaky or based on doubtful evidence. The most talked about theory was the one about smugglers and builders having financed the riots. While it is undoubtedly true that anti-social elements-have played a definite role in these riots it would be erroneous to ascribe the principal organising role to them. A probe by this writer' does not indicate any systematic involvement of builders or smugglers-turned-builders.