Rahim Uchil: a victim of Muslim backlash?

When the two assailants, with the help of two accomplices, walked out of the Karnataka Beary Academy office at Attavar after inflicting multiple stab injuries on its new president Rahim Uchil in broad daylight, everybody thought it was just a matter of time before the assailants were brought to justice. But even a month into the gruesome incident, the police appear to be still groping in the dark with no clear headway in the investigation. The two angles that have been pursued by the police, who have formed three teams to catch the culprits, are the retaliation by Muslim groups for his allegedly provocative statements in defence of Kalladka Prabahakar Bhat, the fire-brand RSS leader, and his allegedly 'dubious' personal dealings ranging from arbitration to 'links'.

The police have arrested a person named Umar Farooq, a resident of Ullal, but he is believed to be just an 'informer' who had passed on the information to the attackers or their masters about the movements of Uchil. “He is just an informer who had passed on the vital information about my presence at the office. According to the data recorded on his mobile, only during the half-hour time when the incident took place he was present in Attavar area,” Rahim told the CM correspondent in an informal chat from his hospital bed.

Whatever be the line of inquiry adopted by the police, Mr. Uchil hardly has any doubt in his mind that the attack was carried out by ‘an organisation’, who allegedly felt offended by his 'provocative' remarks. "This is a democracy. My country has given me the right to exercise freedom of speech. If someone feels hurt by my statements, he has all the right to attack me verbally. He can also heap abuses on me and make me zaleel. Attacking someone physically or trying to kill someone cannot be the right way," he says.

Rahim had raised hackles among the Muslim community with his unabashed defence of Mr Bhat, who in a public speech had hurled abuses against Muslims in Uppinangady earlier in January. With Mr. Bhat drawing flak for his virulent speech both from Muslim community and the secular organisations, Mr Uchil along with the chairman of Karnataka Minorities Commission Anwar Manippady had played devil’s advocate. Earlier, in an attempt to appease the RSS leader, Mr Uchil and his wife had participated in Vajapeya Yaga conducted near Kalladka and took part in the Vaidic rituals. He also spearheaded a dharna in front of the DC office demanding withdrawal of cases booked against Bhat in connection with the Uppinangady speech.

But, many who followed his career closely rule out the possibility of the attack being a backlash. “This cannot be the handiwork of any organisation. This is something to do with his personal dealings. It looks like there is a rich woman who is at the centre of the present episode," says an eminent public figure, who chose to remain anonymous. Just a couple of weeks before the attack, rumours had spread thick and fast that Mr. Uchil had been attacked by a group of women in Padubidri. However, Mr. Uchil himself rubbished the rumour the same night and insisted that he had not stepped out of Mangalore that day. His proximity to the former Minorities Commission chairman Khusro Khuraishi had also raised eyebrows, with rumours suggesting that Mr. Khusro was made to "feel at home" in Mangalore. It is also said that the do fell out after a public spat.

However, Mr. Uchil rubbishes such allegations and firmly believes that the attack was masterminded by one particular organisation. "I don't know if the person the police caught knows anything about me. He has reportedly told the police that he does not know my antecedents. That can be true also. But, the person he has passed the message to could be an important conduit. Either he could be the actual person involved in the crime, or the person who had in turn passed the message on to the real masters. I am confident that the police will get to the bottom of the issue," he says.

According to Mr. Uchil, the person to whom the message was relayed had switched off his mobile ever since Farooq was nabbed. "The police have alerted the airport authorities about any possible attempt by the perpetrators to flee the country," he says. When asked about the tardy pace of inquiry, Mr. Uchil says, “everything is on the right track so far. They (police) are doing their best. The perpetrators cannot run away from the long arm of law”. When asked about his own party leader not coming in open to decry the attack and demand a speedy action against the culprits, he says: “People came to me saying they will hold protest. But I asked them not to resort to such steps. I have faith in the system.”

Mr. Uchil can vividly chronicle the happenings of the March 15 afternoon and is confident that he can identify the attackers. His belief in destiny (taqdeer) has been strengthened after the attack and he says, no force in the world can harm you if you have protection from Allah. "I had read Shahadath kalima (Word of testimony). The two assailants must have thought that I was dead. But by the grace of God I escaped from the jaws of death. Now I am convinced that no-one can take the life of a person if God wishes otherwise," says Uchil, who has been shifted to the ward of the private hospital after spending about 10 days in the intensive care unit, battling for life.

He has received multiple injuries and fractures on his both hands, besides a hit on the backside of his neck. The impact of the attack on the neck has affected the mobility of his right leg. "I knew what they (assailants) were up to. They had not even hid their face. I held the sharp weapon with my right hand when one of them flashed it in front of me. I held it for a while and tried to take an evasive action, but the other person attacked the same hand. Within moments I was down on the floor. One of them attacked me on the neck. They were sure that I had died," says Mr. Uchil, recalling the gruesome incident.

“I was worried that his blood sugar would come in the way of speedy recovery. He had high blood-sugar level. But God has been kind to us,” added his wife Shahina, who is by the husband’s side ever since he came under attack.

Mr. Uchil says he had received threat calls 10 days back and had even given a written complaint to the police commissioner. The mobile number was traced and the man had also been picked up. But, during inquiry he had said that he did not have any intention of harming him and was just playing a prank. "I was also very careful and moved around taking all precautions," he says.

Rahim, who has seen it all in his controversy-ridden public life of nearly two decades, had risen from a peon at the Unity ILM centre, to one of the coveted posts of a literary body. He literally climbed the ladder with his communication skills and maneuvering abilities. From being a blue-eyed boy of M.B. Abdul Rehman during his days of blood camps under the aegis of Blood, Brain Biome, Banking Trust to becoming the anchor of local TV channel and editoring a tabloid, Mr. Rahim donned several roles. His penchant for drama and theatre saw him work in several dramas. He also played a cameo in the national-award winning movie Beary. After flirting for a while with the Kannada Nadu of Vijaya Sankeshwar, Rahim found his footing in BJP, the party which desperately needed some Muslim faces. Interestingly, Mr. Uchil always played with fire and nearly paid a price for his adventurism. Whatever be the provocation, the attack on one of the talented and versatile public personality, needs to be condemned unequivocally.

Photos by Ahmed Anwar

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