By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
Muzaffarnagar: One of the most important events in the History of early Islam was the Hijrat (migration) of Prophet Muhamamd (PBUH) from Mecca to Medina, where Ansars (helpers) came forward to welcome whole heartedly not only the Prophet of Islam, but also fellow Muslim ‘brothers’. As I travelled to riot hit Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts in Western Uttar Pradesh the story of hijrat that marked the Islamic Hijra calendar reverberated in my minds several times.
At a time when Muslim leadership, particularly those from the state, have by and large been mute spectators, it’s been members of the community who came forward to help the “brothers in need.” Muzaffarnagar and Shamli are replete with examples where those who had means came forward to extend help to those in need.
Take the example of village Jogia Kheda, where about 200 families had initially shifted, mainly from Fugana, one of the most riot hit villages. As the government was pressurising them to close camps and winter was setting in, with very little help from the government, the village Pradhan took the lead and convinced the villagers to “accommodate” the refugees in their respective houses. Jogia Kheda today looks normal to the outsider, except that it is now over populated.
Pradhan of Jogia Kheda Iqbal Khan sitting with Haji Maan Ali from Fugana who took refuge in the village.
Pradhan of Jogia Kheda Iqbal Khan tells TCN, “As the winter set in, we thought it important to help our brethren who had already suffered a lot in the hands of the rioters and later by government’s apathy.”
Although some help has gradually started to pour in the form of winter clothing and food grains by Muslim charities and non-government organizations, but as most of the villagers are themselves poor it’s affecting their overall budget.
55 year old Haji Maan Ali, who is from Fugana but had to take refuge in this village with his family as the riot broke out, is thankful to the benevolent villagers of Jogia Kheda and compares them with the Ansars of Medina.
Plot at Neem Khedi, where several victims from Fuagana bought land to build their houses.
Riot affected villagers, particularly from the nine recognized riot affected villages, who got compensation are slowly buying lands and building their own houses. In Neem-Khedi, affected villagers came up together and bought about 10 bighas of land to build houses. Several thousands who are still in camps, however, and are scared to go back, are planning to settle down to safer places. Government, however, claims that they are encroaching upon the forest department land, and are forcing them to evict.
Although most of the relief camps are still on government lands, some community charities helped them build better houses. For example, Kolkata Shariat Jamiaat Ahle Hadees helped build brick and mud houses for about 55 families in Bhura camp. Jamiat e Ulema Hind, Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC) and several other local and national level organization too extended their support to provide basic amenities.
In Rottam camp, several villagers have already started building homes, although its forest department land.
In Rottam camp near Mansura in Shamli district, as over 225 families feel threatened, since according to government, they have “encroached” upon the forest department land, few kilometers away, in Mansura village a new Islam Nagar colony is coming up. The land was donated by a local influential clergy, Maulana Md Islam. The colony that will house about 100 families has been named after him. As TCN visited the new colony, a place for mosque was clearly demarcated and a boar-well was being dug outside the designated mosque.
Designate mosque at new Islam Nagar colony in Mansura.
Similarly in Kandla a person gave away his one acre plot to settle about 100 odd families.
The important contribution of national and international civil rights groups and charity groups can of course not be ignored, but the contribution of local individuals and groups, who came forward to help each other are stories that reiterate our faith in humanity even in times of distress.