Masihuzzama Ansari makes an on-the-spot study of the violence in Nuh and Gurugram in Haryana and reports on how it all happened and what the people of Mewat want now. He also mentions reactions of individuals and organisations on the violence as well as opinions of the people of Mewat.
The Mewat region of Haryana,following the communal violence in Gurugram and Nuh,is limping back to normalcy. In the night of July 31, a mosque in Nuh was attacked and its Naib Imam was brutally murdered. The rioters also set many shops on fire.
The conflict caused by primary prevention of a religious yatra in Nuh suddenly turned into violence. In this violence six persons, including two home guards and the Naib Imam of a mosque, have been killed so far. During this violence, many shops and mosques were attacked, properties damaged, cars set ablaze and dozens of shops looted. On August 2 also, the news of looting shops and sloganeering came from the adjoining areas of Gurugram.
Arrests are going on in Nuh. At the time of writing this report, a lockdown-like situation is prevailing in Nuh, people are in a state of fear. So far 190 persons have been arrested and 80 persons remanded.
In Palwal, a mosque and a shop in front of it have been damaged. During this violence two mosques at two places have been damaged. However, at present the situation seemspeaceful.
Incidents of loot and arson have come to light from some places near Nuh like Badshahpur, Khud, Sohna, Ballabgarh, Palwal and Gurugram. Though the situation now appears normal yet in some places Muslims are fleeing from their homes.
Although the Commissioner of Gurugram said on August 2 that no one needed to flee from home, and assured the locals that the police was there for their safety and protection yet it is but natural for the Muslims living in mixed localities, who witnessed their shops being looted and set ablaze, to breathe in fear.
HOW IT ALL HAPPENED?
Right-wing groups Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) organised Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh district of Haryana on July 31.
Prior to this yatra, Monu Manesar, the accused of murder of Junaid and Nasir, released a video inviting people to participate in the rally. The people of Nuh were frowning that the police is not taking action against the accused of murder under Section 302 and now he is moving freely, releasing a video and making controversial statements.
According to the claim made by the residents of Nuh, when, on July 31, the yatrawas returning from the temple, the returning crowd raised inflammatory slogans and relayed provocative songs targeting a particular religion. It is also claimed that meanwhile Bittu Bajrangi, an associate of Monu Manesar, said on a live video, “Monu Manesar, your brother-in-law, is coming”, witnessing which the crowd gathered and conflict started and it was thus the violence ensued.
The residents of Nuh claimed that the extremist team of Monu Manesar raised slogans in front of the mosque, which proved cause for the violence.
It is said that Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad had planned to stage the yatra at four temples in Mewat, and the returning crowd from the first temple that is about one kilometre and a half far from Nuh raised provocative slogans and confronted the Muslims who were objecting to their provocation.
The residents of Nuh and adjoining areas said the people participating in the yatra were carrying weapons and they had planned to disturb the social ambience by staging rallies in the various temples of Mewat but the rallyists coming out of the first temple raised provocative and inflammatory slogans which proved enough to cause the violence.
According to eyewitnesses, the people equipped with weapons in the Bajrang Dal yatra opened fire which claimed some innocent lives.
About 80-100 rioters set ablaze Anjuman Jama Masjid in Sector 57 of Gurugram and killed Maulana Saad, Naib Imam of the Masjid, at about midnight on July 31. They also brutally beat two other persons who were rendered severely injured and are getting medical treatment in a private hospital in Gurugram.
Gurugram DCP (East) Nitish Agrawal said, “When the attack was made on the mosque, the police force was there on duty but the number of rioters was very large and they suddenly opened fire.”
The incidents like arson, firing and killing of the Naib Imam even in the presence of police security forces in Gurugram prove that the vandals are in high spirits and upbeat and they have no fear of law. The administration taking no action against Monu Manesar, the accused of Junaid-Nasir murder, and his associate Bittu Bajrangi for disturbing the situation prior to and during the yatra is also a matter of concern.
Much before the yatra staged by Bajrang Dal and VHP, the situation was disturbed with the release of the video by Monu Manesar urging people to participate in the yatra but it is a matter of surprise that no action has been taken as yet against the accused.
After the violence erupted in Nuh on July 31, the rioters ransacked many shops belonging to Muslims in Gurugram and adjoining areas, looted and set them afire. Among the victims is Kallu Mian who ran a shop of quilt and mattress which the rioters burnt to ashes.
Kallu Mian used to maintain nine members of his family with that shop. He was the only bread-earner of the family. The images of the things lying in the shop worth `3 lakh turned into heaps of ashes have made the onlookers emotional and shown the horror of the violence. The victim told the scribe that the policemen had come to him but they did not talk about any compensation.
REACTIONS ON THE VIOLENCE
Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik has declared the Nuh violence as ‘well-coordinated’. At a programme in New Delhi, he said, “The whole country will burn like Manipur if these people are not contained.”
Satyapal Malik further said, “Jats by culture or tradition believe in the Arya Samaj way of life and are not very religious in the traditional sense of the term. Neither are the Muslims of this area very traditional in their outlook. Therefore, one has never heard of the two communities clashing in this manner ever since Independence. And these attacks will only increase in the run-up to 2024.”
BJP MP from Gurugram and Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh has questioned carrying weapons in the yatra. He said, “Kisnehathiyardiyeunko is procession mein le jaanekeliye? (Who gave weapons to them for the procession?)” In an interview to media, he said it is the first time that we have witnessed violence in Mewat since Independence. He averred that riots are very unfortunate.
In a statement he has appealed to all people to maintain peace. He tweeted, “The people of Mewat have always maintained brotherhood; we have to see to it that it doesn’t break in any way. Those who have disturbed the atmosphere of brotherhood by igniting the fire of hate will not be spared. I appeal to people of all sections to maintain peace.”
Following the violence in Mewat region of Haryana, a video of Hansi in Hisar district of the state is circulating, in which mischief mongers are raising objectionable and offensive slogans against Muslims and thus spreading hatred. They are also threatening Muslim shopkeepers to flee from the area. However, in Hansi, where the extremist organisations staged a rally and raised inflammatory slogans, farmers, labourers and students took to the roads against the atmosphere of hatred and raised slogans of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood.
Speaking on the violence, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Vice-President Professor Salim Engineer said this violence was caused by antisocial elements. He further said that brandishing weapons in religious rallies is a matter of grave concern.
Demanding fair investigation into the entire chain of incidents of violence in Nuh and Gurugram, Professor Salim also demanded action against the police officers who are responsible for intelligence failure and who have proved complete failure in protecting the life and properties of the citizens. He also condemned the baseless arrests of Muslim youth instead of making concerted efforts to arrest real mischief mongers who had reached Nuh from outside.
FORMER MP MOHAMMAD ADEEB CALLED IT PRE-PLANNED
Former Member of Rajya Sabha Mohammad Adeeb, who lives in Gurugram, said that the attack on the Jama Masjid (under construction) of Sector 57 was not sudden rather it was part of well-coordinated politics. He maintained that the conspiracy of violence has been hatched for the last three years and Muslims are being harassed and terrorised on the various pretexts; they are being prevented from performing Friday prayers for the last two years. He added that they are not being allowed to say prayers even at the places identified by the administration for Friday prayers in the beginning. He also averred that the Hindutvawadi groups have been very much active and organised in Gurugram for the last four years, and targeting Muslims on various pretexts.
THE INJURED IN GURUGRAM MOSQUE ATTACK BEING TREATED
Khursheed Alam, who was rendered badly injured in the attack on the Jama Masjid of Gurugram Sector 57, is getting medical treatment in a private hospital in Gurugram.
Shaukat Ali, brother of Khursheed Alam, said that a brother of Naib Imam who isa labourer and doing whitewashing job also lived along with the Naib Imam in the mosque. However, on the day the violence broke out Khurshed and the Naib Imam Maulana Saad were sleeping in the mosque room and they were suddenly attacked. Shaukat said that the Naib Imam was shot at and then attacked with knives and killed brutally.
Mohammad Naseem, maternal uncle of Khursheed, said, “More than 100 persons mounted the sudden attack and started firing, broke open the door, set the mosque on fire, and shot at the Naib Imam and Khursheed.”
He said that when the rioters entered the mosque room and opened firing and caught hold of and beat the Naib Imam, Khursheed tried to flee from the room but the rioters shot at his leg from behind and then beat him with sticks and rods. There were two more persons in the mosque who succeeded in fleeing from the rioters.
Naseem said that some bones of his nephew have been broken. He said that now Khursheed has started speaking a few words and he narrated the details of the incident.
JIH DELEGATION VISITED GURUGRAM, MET VICTIMS &ADMINISTRATION
A high-level delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind visited Gurugram on August 2 to meet the victims of violence as well as the administration. The delegation included JIH Secretary Mohammad Shafi Madani, Asst. Secretaries Laeeq Ahmed Khan and Inamur Rehman Khan, JIH Zonal President of Haryana Mohammad Ishtiyaque, APCR’s National Secretary Nadeem Khan, an advocate and Sr. Journalists.
Talking to the delegation, Gurugram Police Commissioner Kala Ramachandran said, “The police force was there in Mewat. Three DCPs were deputed in Mewat; they were trying their best to maintain peace but a sudden attack was made on the mosque which we had not apprehended.”
However, it clearly brings into light intelligence failure of the administration that a frenzied crowd attacked the mosque in Gurugram in the very presence of police force and brutally killed the Naib Imam.
PC Ramachandran told the Muslim group that some Muslims were fleeing from their homes out of fear.“We want to tell them that they should not flee, and to the police administration to ensure their protection.”
The JIH delegation also met those injured in the attack on Gurugram Masjid. It has demanded stringent action against the accused, those who disturbed the atmosphere and made it communal by releasing fake news. It also demanded proper compensation to the near ones of the Naib Imam of Masjid and others who were murdered and injured.
PEOPLE SAID IT’S FIRST SUCH INCIDENT SINCE INDEPENDENCE
Many senior citizens of Mewat said Hindus and Muslims have been always living cordially and no such incident had happened earlier since Independence.
The people of Mewat, including Hindus and Muslims, hope for maintenance of peace in the region so that such unhappy incidents do not take place in future. They have demanded from the administration to take strict action against the accused. They have also opposed the arrest of innocent persons. In fact, the peaceful people of Mewat want peace to be restored soon.