OnIslam & Newspapers
Sunday, 14 September 2014 00:00
CAIRO – Trying to get back to normal life, dozens of Muslim families have been returning to their villages almost a year after deserting them to run for their lives during Muzaffarnagar riots in which scores of Muslims were killed by Hindu mobs.
“We left with 350 other Muslim families in September last year,” Abdul Wajid of Khera Mastan, who as he sat outside his brick and cement house with peeling paint in Budhana's Khera Mastan village, told The Times of India on Sunday, September 14.
“It was miserable there as we lived off donations. We kept thinking of home,” he added, describing his life over the past months.
“We finally decided four months ago that we need to return. Our mukhiya also said everything would be done to maintain communal harmony and we need fear no danger.
“Village elders from Hindu families would visit and urge us to come back. It seemed to be better than living on charity. Others will follow, I am sure.”
Abdul Wajid is one of dozens of Muslim who decided to get back to their homes after abandoning Jhola camp 5km away from the village.
Streets and markets of the Hindu-majority village were picked with vigilant Muslim who also flocked to the mosque to attend Friday prayer.
“Some Muslim families have come back for their land. We collectively own 2,200 bighas,” said Umaid Ali, a Muslim Jat from nearby Kharad, using a traditional unit of land measure in several parts of India that could extend up to 3 acres.
“Mine alone is 3 bigha. Yeh wahi khet hai jismein logon ne aag lagai thi (These are the same fields that were set on fire by some rioters.) We meet some of them while going for work and they are apologetic. We are trying to pick up from where we left.”
Yet, many Muslims are still afraid of returning back to the village where dozens of them were killed last year.
“My brother Mohammad is still at the camp,” Ali added.
“That day when we fled, Mohammad was very happy as he was getting ready for the wedding of his son. Everything was destroyed.”
New Ties!
The Muslims’ return followed several calls by Muslim and Hindu organizations to leave camps and return to their own lands.
“Our organization visited every possible camp to convince people to return,” said Sajid Attar from Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, an organization that has been working closely with refugees of the riots.
“If the Muslims of Muzaffarnagar don't show the courage to leave the camps, future riots will displace many more from many more districts.”
Highlighting bonds between the Hindu and Muslim community, some Hindu leaders said they will continue efforts to persuade Muslims to come back.
“We have ties, we work together, we celebrate festivals together. Let the bypolls get over, I will meet Muslim leaders and urge them to get the others back too,” said Pradhan Tham Singh of neighboring Fugana.
“My work has suffered 100%. We provided the milk for the Eid sewai. I was always present at the bidaai of their daughters. For those times, they must return. We must stand together now.”
Hopes of reviving peace and multi-faith ties in Muzzaffarnagar ware also voiced by the town's youth.
“We will reclaim that. It will take some time,” said Nivil Malik, a 28-year-old Jat.
Hindu-Muslim clashes in Muzaffarnagar, located in the western part of the UP province, left 60 dead in 2013.
They also forced some 70,000 people to flee their villages, according to the state government.
The crisis began in the village of Kawal, when a Muslim man was killed by the brother and cousin of a Hindu girl after allegedly harassing her.
The two killers, members of the Hindu Jat community, were reportedly lynched by the family of the slain Muslim and others in the locality.
Muzaffarnagar district remains tense, with many who fled last month's violence still living in camps.
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