By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: There is a general perception that only Dalits are the victims of social discrimination in the rural India, but the event unfolded in the Phul Mamadi village of Rangareddy district, 180km from Hyderabad, is enough to shatter that perception. The social boycott of the village Muslims has entered 7th day. They are being punished for not allowing the Wakf land of the mosque to be used for the construction of a Mandir.
It all started when the Muslims of the Phul Mamadi village made a decision to expand the existing mosque in the wakf land to facilitate the growing number of Muslims in the village. However, their decision annoyed the local mischievous goons who can’t tolerate Muslims in the village. They started claiming the wakf land and declared that the land belongs to the vintage mandir which was wiped out by the local Nawab during the Nizam regime. They even went a step ahead and installed the barricades and hoardings announcing the construction of the grand mandir. This led to the tension between the two communities and several clashes broke out between them. Further, the anti-social elements declared Muslims as the enemy of god and outsiders and declared a social embargo against them. No one in the village should do any trading or cannot take or give any services to the Muslims, they declared and now no one is being allowed to mingle with them. If some one found breaking the sanctions, he is being beaten up and fined. Muslims in the village are in minority but they are doing well in business and transportation services in the village. The boycott has immensely affected their economy.
When the wakf board officials reached the site of the mosque to do the survey of the land and to solve the dispute, they were threatened and not allowed to carry out measurement of the land. The next day wakf board officials went to the village with police protection and did the survey in spite of the threat from the local goons. The wakf board officials later declared the 216 yards of the land is the property of the wakf board, but local Hindus are in no mood to accept it.
The fears among the Muslims are increasing; some are even migrating to neighboring villages. The intimidation has increased so much that the Muslims are not even being allowed to perform prayer in the mosque, and many of them are voluntarily keeping away from the mosque because of the fear of getting attacked by the local mob.
This all is happening right under the nose of police and district administration. They are not gathering courage to act against the mischievous elements because of the apprehension that it could oil up the fire furthermore. But the fact remains that the inaction of the authorities has made the life of the local Muslims miserable.