Exposing tragic saga of communal unrest in Nuh

Rana Siddiqui Zaman | NT

Bengaluru/Nuh: The annihilation of Muslims following acts of anger originated from a seemingly innocuous incident: a small five-year-old child throwing a stone in Nuh, Haryana.

Yet, the Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and other Gau Rakshak Dal groups collectively transformed this minor incident into a huge drama, orchestrating an assault on the vulnerable section of the Muslim community in Nuh.

Maulana Haseeb (name changed), an Islamic scholar who has penned 32 books on theology, the Prophet's life, and how to live a pious life in Urdu, who lives close to Nuh, alleges, "Two men, namely Pachchu and Manu Manesar, who came to the area, under the guise of a 'Gau Rakshak Dal" (Cow Protection Group) looked drugged and drunk on an afternoon.

They shouted out to the villagers, 'Main tumhara jeeja hoon. Aao mujhe mala pehnao'. (I am your brother-in-law. Come and garland me)."

Till the time such banters were on, local Muslims kept quiet. But as soon as one of them started hurling abuses on people and women in the area, a child couldn't take it.

He picked up a stone and hurled it at them. Incidentally, one of them was hit by it, and soon some more children followed the stone pelting, some for fun, some out of fear."

Maulana says, "As the matter rose to greater heights, I just requested them that 'it was a matter of kids. Why did you take it to that level of hitting people, demolishing houses and shops, and creating a riot-like situation? I also apologised on behalf of the kids'. But they had made up their mind for violence."

Maulana Haseeb agrees that the constructions they demolished were on Aravali foothills and were unauthorised but a temple was also erected in the same area but that was not demolished.

Maulana and his son live seven kilometres away in Ghasera village and go to Nuh for work and to meet relatives. The scholar also shares with NT that the demolition was launched during curfew hours.

Also, the shops that were razed did not belong to residents of Nuh but to outsiders.

Eatables, eyewear and medicines were sold at these shops. Being close to a hospital as they were, there was a regular income from visitors to it. 

Beef and spy

Nuh is known for its beef dhabas too. Most of these are run by poor Muslims who also work as part-time truck drivers to run their families. Most of these have no other work.

During Covid, due to lack of regular work, some opened petty tea and aigrette shops too.

“Accusing of cow slaughtering, they also killed two young Muslim boys. One of them was in a coma for a few days. Was admitted to Nalhar Hospital but he died. He was doing his B.Ed and the other was studying in a college”, Maulana moans adding, why no one is talking about them?’ His son Fazal a freelance taxi driver and small shopkeeper of essential household items, says all the shops are closed in both Muslim and Hindu ‘baniya’ communities.

As soon as the curfew gets relaxed, people pick up their luggage and start leaving their homes out of fear.

This is continuing ever since demolition and antiMuslim shout-outs by the BJP-Bajrang “goons” as he calls them, happened. So, where are they going?

“We have no idea. They are not even telling their own neighbours.” And this is because of the ‘mukhbirs’ (spy) in their own community who, for some amount to keep their lives going, inform the saffron gang about their rush or new whereabouts.

“While they are on the run, it is easy to target them”, says Fazal. One BJP leader called Zakir, who lost the election from the Muslim area, is now supposedly off to avenge his own community.

He works as a spy for Muslims in the area, people allege.

However, a few villagers also say that there is an attempt to bring about peace by a few political leaders from parties other than BJP.