Tensions are simmering in Haryana’s Nuh district where communal clashes broke out recently. At least six people were killed, dozens injured, and property worth crores was destroyed in the violence that erupted during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) procession. The local residents here, however, say that both communities had been living peacefully and the violence was caused by outsiders.
Hours before the clashes, several video clips of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) members surfaced, where they were seen brandishing weapons and raising provocative slogans.
On July 31, ahead of the VHP yatra, Monu Manesar released a video on social media, saying he along with his team would participate in the religious procession. Manesar, a self-proclaimed cow vigilante is the key accused in the murder case of Nasir and Junaid, who were lynched and the bodies set afire in February this year. Manesar had been absconding, according to police.
The shobha yatra was led by another right-wing activist Bittu Bajrangi after being flagged off from Gurugram’s Civil Lines by BJP district president Gargi Kakkar.
Before proceeding to Mewat, Bajrangi made provocative remarks against the Muslim community while live-streaming the procession on Facebook. Addressing the Muslim community living there, Bittu was heard saying, “Be ready to welcome your damaad (son-in-law).”
Talking to Siasat.com, Javid Ahmad, a student leader and social activist from Mewat, said, despite all the provocation, the locals did not react. The procession then went ahead and reached its destination. It was supposed to culminate at the temple inside Mewat town.
“When the clip of Monu Manesar came out, a group of Mewati Muslims approached the police. They were asked to ensure Monu Manesar does not participate in this yatra. The police assured the locals of safety and beefed up security there to prevent any untoward situation,” Javid said.
“However, while returning from the temple, when the procession reached a Muslim-dominated area, they started playing offensive numbers on loudspeakers and set afire a vehicle parked near a mosque,” he added.
“Upon noticing the incident, the police rushed to the scene and tried to disperse the mob. There was a scuffle between police and the right-wing activists who were part of the procession,” he explained. “During the commotion, locals thought that the mob had attacked some of them.”
In retaliation, the locals started throwing stones at them, he said.
To take control of the situation, paramilitary forces swung into action. They detained some people from both sides. “When paramilitary resorted to lathi charges and detained people, the situation seemed somewhat under control. Soon, another Hindutva group arrived and started attacking people. They damaged vehicles and shops,” another local resident said.
A day after the clashes, on August 2, another provocative video surfaced on the internet. In the video Surendra Jain, general secretary of VHP could be heard targeting Mewati Muslims.
In yet another video that surfaced during the violence, Bajrang Dal member Rahul Dhillon alias Rahul Boxer called for the unification of Hindus against “only a thousand Muslims out there.” Soon after that, the violence spiralled out of control and spread to other parts of Haryana.
Several Muslim-owned shops and vendors were targeted. In Sohna town of Gurgaon district, an automobile shop belonging to Shatrughan Shukla was also damaged.
“Bajrang Dal men from the yatra came in and set my bike on fire. They also damaged one scooty and one car. I was seeing everything, but I couldn’t come out because what can one man do in front of a crowd of a hundred? I was helpless,” Shukla was quoted by The Quint.
Shukla further stated that his shop may have been targeted as he was the only Hindu running a shop in the Muslim-dominated area. “This is a Muslim-dominated lane so it has only Muslim houses and Muslim-run shops. Many of those were attacked too. Mine is the only Hindu-run shop. So they must have assumed this is also a Muslim shop,” he said.
He added that despite his shop being named Shiva Automobile, the mob didn’t spare it.
Another Hindu-owned shop was also attacked by the mob in Sohna town. A dhaba named Shankar Shambhu Hotel and Restaurant was looted and ransacked during the attack. The owner, Lokesh Singh, said he witnessed the incident while hiding along with his brothers upstairs. “They barged in, broke our windows, our fridge, stole our cylinder, set afire a part of the dhaba. We were seeing everything from upstairs,” Singh was quoted by The Quint.
Chief minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar said 30 companies of the Haryana police and 20 companies of Central paramilitary forces were deployed, adding that 14 of them were in Nuh where no new incident was reported.
Locals flee
A troubling reality unfolds amid the Haryana clashes, villagers fearing mass arrests, have taken shelter in the rugged terrains of Aravalli hills. “Muslims of Mewat have started leaving their homes and taking refugees on hills, they are in shock after what they have witnessed,” said Javid Ahmad.
Mahapanchayat ultimatum call
A ‘mahapanchayat’ held in Tigri village on Sunday, August 6, demanded the release of youths arrested in connection with the killing of a Muslim cleric, giving a seven-day ultimatum to police.
Naib Imam Mohammed Saad, 26, was killed on August 1 during an attack on the Anjuman mosque by a mob.
The panchayat formed a 101 people-committee to track the matter. It was adjourned with the ultimatum that if the youths were not released, a “big decision” will be taken.
Despite the implementation of Section 144, about 700 people from more than 100 nearby villages participated in it and they also appealed Hindu community to boycott the Muslim community socially and economically.
In a video, a group of Hindus carrying the banner of Nuh’s Brij Mandal Jalaabhishek Yatra were seen urging shopkeepers in Haryana not to employ Muslims and to boycott the community vendors.
The Hindu group gave out this warning during a rally in a marketplace in Haryana. Shockingly this announcement was made in the presence of police personnel who were seen walking along with the group members in the video.
The members of the Hindu outfit raised “Jai Shri Ram” slogans during the rally. However, the authenticity the video is yet to be verified by the police.
Bulldozer action
After the clashes, the Haryana government, bulldozed hundreds of homes and commercial shops, belonging to alleged rioters, most of whom are Muslims. The law enforcement agencies demolished more than 200 shanties of ‘illegal’ immigrants.
Officials said, in the last four years, the shanties had been built ‘illegally’ on land belonging to the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) in Nuh’s Tauru area and where ‘illegal immigrants’ from Bangladesh lived.
The demolition drive, with a heavy police contingent, continued for days. The Nuh administration also razed several medical shops. Local MLA and Congress leader, Aftab Ahmed, protested against the bulldozer action, saying it was targeting Muslims.
Pre-planned violence against Muslims
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker from Haryana’s Faridabad district, Pappu Qureshi, has claimed that communal clashes in Nuh were pre-planned. Pappu also claims to be a friend of Bajrang Dal member Bittu Banjrangi, who was recently booked for his alleged involvement in the communal riots.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, August 9, Qureshi alleged that the communal riots were being planned for three months. “I have been friends with Bittu Bajrangi for over 15 years. Bittu, a vegetable seller, would often talk about communal clashes. He always wanted to create communal tension.”
Qureshi said that Bittu often posted anti-minority and provocative content on social media in an attempt to turn the youth against Muslims.
‘Nuh is not communal’
Speaking to siasat.com, several Nuh residents, both Hindus and Muslims, expressed disappointment over the clashes. “Mewat is a Muslim-dominated area where both communities live in peace and earn their bread and butter without bothering each other. The clashes occurred here due to some communal elements who arrived from parts of Rajasthan, Panipat, and Delhi. They instigated communal violence with their provocative speech,” Javid Ahmad said.
Another local, who is a retired government employee, said, “I have not seen such kind of hate before in my life. What we witnessed was thoroughly pre-planned as state elections are upcoming,” said Ashwani Gaui.
“I have often heard my elders say when communal tension erupted across the country in 1947 during partition, Haryana was the only part of India where no communal clashes took place. There might have been a few incidents, but not the fatal ones. Haryana was used as an example of communal brotherhood but it is now totally different,” Gaui added.
Gaui further claimed that the rioters come from other parts of the state and provoke locals with hateful slogans, “There are fringe elements who are being deliberately planted to disturb peace and harmony in Haryana as Assembly polls are upcoming,” he added.
| 
