Published:
By: Ravi Nitesh
Atali
is a village in Ballabhgarh Tehsil of Faridabad District of Haryana, where
communal violence erupted on 25 May 2015.
Background of Dispute and Timeline:
People
claim that this mosque is around 50 years old and situated on waqf land.
Earlier there was a tin shed mosque on this land. However, its construction was
pending. Later when construction was started in the year 2009 with a view of
expansion and completion of structure, people started to protest and claimed
that land belongs to Panchayat. Later the matter went to local court in the
year 2009 and though pillars were ready, a stay order was received to stop the
further construction till final order. Later session court in its order in April
2015 maintained that land belongs to waqf board (vide Gazette notification
dated Nov 21, 1970) and belongs to muslims as per revenue records from 1954-55
to till date.During court proceedings, former sarpanch Daya Ram stated that tin
shed exists in the said land and muslims offer prayers on the same. After this
order, Haryana Waqf Board also stated that construction work of mosque can be
carried out. Construction of mosque was started.
Mosque in Atali Village
that is main cause of dispute
21st May:
Construction started, local villagers interrupted and stopped and then a
panchayat in presence of local police administration that includes DSP and SHO
also, was convened. A mediation was done and it was decided to carry
construction.
22nd May:
Linter on some portion was completed, but workers were stopped to work. Even
few machines were stopped by force. Half linter was completed, half shuttering
was completed.
Police
was deployed and construction re started.
25th May:
Around at 5.45 PM, as mosque was under construction, people gathered at a house
that was in front of mosque, to offer Asar prayers. It was alleged by residents
that at that time, policemen who were deployed left quickly. In the same time, when
people were preparing for Namaaz, a mob consisting large number of people of
hindu community attacked upon them. It created a chao and noise every where.
This mob, not only attacked on people, but also on mosque and on other houses
of muslims in village. In total , around
100 families of muslims live in village. Attackers were lased with weapons like
knife, farsa/axe, lathis, gas cylinders and petrol bombs. When people get
trapped, they ran inside their houses and started calling police for help. Despite
the police deployment on mosque, police was not available and all these things
continued for around 45 minutes to 1 hour. After an hour, police reached in
village. Till then, many were got injured, stone pelting was continued, and
even houses were burnt. When police reached in village, it did not try to
control the village situation; instead it helped muslims to save their lives by
bringing them in police vehicles from out of village. All these muslims left
the village with police and got refuge at Ballabhgarh Police Station that is
some 12 km away from the village. Victims alleged that after bringing all of
them to police station, our houses were open to burn and the mob started
looting and burning houses again while police did not stop them.
Signs of stone pelting,
stampede and fear: House of a muslim family where people were gathered for Asar
Prayer
Present Status of Migrated People: Around
400 people are present at Ballabhgarh Police Station having separate canopies
for men and women. Mediation is continued since 26th May but did not
reach at any point yet. Everyday, there is meeting with victims, community
members, administration and local political representatives. These people are
living under tent shed where one canopy was arranged by local administration
while other by community well wishers and local social workers.
Approx 400 People have taken temporary refuge
at Ballabhgarh Police Station, 12 km. from Atali village
Present Status of Village: When
I entered in village, it was completely silent with heavy deployment of police
and RAF at entrance. There was heavy deployment of police and RAF. It was told
that three battalions of RAF deployed. All muslims have already fled from
village and took refuge at Ballabhgarh police station. We talked with few hindu
families but most of the person who are living in village denied to talk
anything. Others told that they do not belong to this village or tried to
justify that they were not in village on the day it all happened.
A burnt kitchen of a
muslim house in Atali village
Political Angle:Politicians
exploited issue of this mosque for political gains. Present hindu sarpanch is
believed to be pro-muslims as he advocated for construction of mosque. With
approx 400-600 muslim votes in a village where many other caste and subcaste
are divided is a benefit for polarization. Also, elections of sarpanch are also
due in coming months.
Voices from hindu community members
of village:
During the village visit, it was found that only Hindu families were
present there. We talked with people. Most of the people denied to talk
anything, however few women talked with us. With extreme hatred and anger in
their words, most of them were determined on the fact that Muslims should not
be allowed to build mosque at any cost. They also alleged that few stone
pelting were done by Muslims too. It was also told by an elderly woman who did
not disclose her name that one boy Naushad was eloped with a hindu girl and few
months back he sent a card of function where they were about to celebrate the
birth of child. If such things will happen, how we all can bear this insult.
All these things are result of such types of activities. Another woman claimed
that while he was doing prayers in the temple that is situated just adjacent to
mosque, he got hurt by a stone thrown by Muslims. However, most of the youths
who were in village were extremely motivated by hatred and anger. In contrast
of this, we also met with few Hindu shopkeepers who were unhappy over what was
happened and they put the fingers towards youths who do not have sense and
tolerance.
Role of Police Suspected: It
was also told that local SHO named Babulal left the venue just before attack on
25 May. One victim told that he was also saying to someone that you have two
hours time to do whatever you can.
It
was told by many that attackers were in large numbers. Though numbers cannot be
confirmed, but by people’s statements, it seems to be around 1000-2000 people
and may include people of other villages.
People
locked themselves in their houses, police when came, helped only migration,
nothing else.
Even
after the violence erupted on 25th May and police were deployed and
all muslims were fled from village; another day, when a 60 year old person went
to village to look for his animals, he got killed by mob again.
Though
dispute already existed but such a huge scale violence was never seen in the
village earlier. Around 15-20 families destroyed everything as their houses
fully burnt, damaged, looted. Almost all victims claimed that they were unable
to receive police help in the time it was needed. Response time of police was
so delayed and even in its presence, stone pelting was done, but no action was
taken by police.
Approximation of Loss:
Around 18-20 houses were burnt. Vehicles, domestic appliances, electric meters
damaged. Around a dozen injured. People have taken temporary refuge at police
station. Most of the looted houses are still open and odor of burning still
coming from them.
Torched vehicles in a
muslim house, A board named Ali’s Residency can be seen
Demands of Victims:
Construction
of mosque
Arrest
of accused persons
Compensation
for loss
Suspension
of guilty policemen
Establishing
a permanent police booth in village
Negotiation:
Rounds
of meetings are in process since the day it happened. Victims and community
leaders and political representatives along with administration are trying to
mediate to make the situation normal, under control and to ensure safe return of
Muslims. On Sunday, Local MP and MLAs along with administration tried to
mediate again, however they did not reach on any solution. Though few claims
that mediation is held on the point of arrest of accused persons.
People in meeting at
Ballabhgarh Police Station , Haryana
Overall analysis:
It
is observed that there is a deep hatred among people of both communities for
each other. Muslims, being in less numbers have been exploited and forced to
migrate from village through creating a sense of fear. Construction of mosque
is the main dispute that is continued since many years but such kind of
violence was not expected by anyone. With the numbers of attackers and weapons
available with them, it is clear that the attack was well planned and other
Hindu communities of other villages were also involved. Withdraw of police
force only for some duration, just before the attack gives a strong reason to
probe involvement of police at some extent.
From 25th May to 1st June, no arrest was made and
therefore a sense of insecurity was only increased.
Hope Survives
Children playing in
temporary shelter at Ballabhgarh PS. Smiles find its own way even in extreme
sufferings.
___________________________________________________________
This report is prepared by Ravi Nitesh and based on his
visit at Ballabhgarh PS and Atali village and his talk with people there.
Ravi Nitesh, (Founder-Mission Bhartiyam, Freelance
writer, Other Associations- Gandhi Global Family, All India Peace Mission,
People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism, South Asian Fraternity)
Contact: ravinitesh@gmail.com
Twitter: #ravinitesh
