By TCN News,
Muzaffarnagar/New Delhi: A Zakat Foundation of India team that visited the Muzaffarnagar on Sunday, has said that situation Muzaffarnagar is “alarmingly bad.”
On 15 Sept ZFI Team comprising VP(2) Mr Asrar Ahmad, Secretary(1) Mr Irfan Baig and Secretary(2) Mr Mumtaz Najmi visited many villages if Muzaffarnagar. Thousands of displaced Muslims including large number of women and children are living in temporary camps under tents, in madarsas, in personal houses without any support by the Government.
One of ZFI VPs, Mr Asrar Ahmad in consultation with local social workers in the transit camp.
In village Malakpur about 1,000 tents are pitched, with 5-10 persons in each tent. They are sleeping on soil. Women didn’t have privacy till today, hence ZFI bought and supplied 400 kilo tent material for vetically enclosing each tent. They need 500 durries / chataaees. Pregnant ladies need help, ZFI added.
In Isapur and Khurgaan villages 1350 persons are living in tents..There is no drinking water available. ZFI has organized handpump and borewell for Rs 17,000/-. There was no arrangement for Namaz-e-ba-jama’at. Chataaee, lota, musalla have been provided.
Old man Rais Ahmad, sitting on the cot, has got 40 persons from various villages affected by riots. All have come to his house to take shelter. The man has pledged his wife’s meager ornaments to support the guests. ZFI has provided cereals, oil etc for one week.
In a village near Kandla, the ZFI Team met a 13 year girl and her two younger brothers 7, 8 years. Their parents are missing. A local elderly philanthropist hypothecated his meager family gold and is taking care of these children plus 37 other refugees: all in his house. ZFI has offered to shelter these and similar other riot affected children in its Happy Homes in Delhi.
Lessar, Kutba, Kutbi, Fugna villages were scenes of mass killings. Gandaasaas (resembling large axe) and araas (saw) were provided in big boras (bags) to the majority community villagers a few hours before the brutal killings. Acid was thrown on the cattle owned by Muslims.
In a statement, ZFI said, “UP Government has clearly failed to protect the lives, liberty and properties of the citizens. The Supreme Court has ordered three days ago that both central and state governments must ensure peace, safety and fundamental right of the citizens in Muzaffarnagar. Surely, the central government’s writ is not running through the UP Government. Supreme Court orders have not been implemented.”
ZFI Secretary, Mr. Irfan Baig with three riot-affected siblings. Their parents are not traceable by Mr Rais Ahmad so he brought them home. ZFI has offered to take these children in its Happy Homes, New Delhi http://www.zakatindia.org/ProjectsOrphanage.html
ZFI reminded that the Article 355 of the Constitution says that it shall be the duty of the Union to protect every State against internal disturbance and to ensure that the Government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution
Further, Article 365 says that where any state has failed to comply with, or to give effect to, any directions given in the exercise of the executive power of the Union under any of the provisions of this Constitution, it shall be lawful for the President to hold that “a situation has arisen in which the Government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution,” it added, demanding that the President’s rule be imposed in the state.
Article 356 can be invoked with or without a report from the Governor. The President should be satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the Government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution, ZFI said.
A camp housing about 2100 persons including men, women and children under feeble plastic sheds. Food is being provided by ashaab-e-khair. There is acute need of water. They wanted one borewell with a hand pump, which ZFI arranged at a cost of 17,000 Rupees, to be installed tomorrow Insha Allah.
ZFI further added, “Muzaffarnagar’s erstwhile SP has been suspended by the UP Government on 15 September. It clearly shows that Muzaffarnagar Police also failed in its constitutional duty. Hence, Muslims demand army protection of the affected areas and transit camps.”
They demanded from the government to provide drinking water, shelter with sufficient toilet facilities, food, medical care, medicines, etc. One Officer should be in charge of every group of 1,000 refugees.
ZFI further urged the Muslim individuals and NGOs to come forward in the relief and rehabilitation work in every village.
(Photo taken by ZFI Team on 15 Sept 2013)