New Delhi: Even as the North East Delhi has not recovered from the shocks of riots and their after effects, Hindus and Muslims of the area stand with each other at these testing times.
Akbar breaks into tears while saying that he has lost items worth Rs 2 lakh in the looting. But, the colony’s women come forward to console him. Pooja Dixit, a resident of Ashok Nagar says they will stand by him (Akbar) no matter what. She stresses that the men, who are responsible for this, must be identified in the videos and booked. She says she will support her Muslim neighbours even if the rioters threaten to kill her.
Two mosques, eight shops including Akbar’s meat shop, and homes of Muslims were vandalised, burned and looted, during the violence that began in northeast Delhi on 23 February and spread to Ashok Nagar on 25 February.
65-year-old Jeetender Verma says he rushed out to reason with the mob when they were vandalising Badi Masjid, situated between Gali No 5 and 6 of Ashok Nagar, but in vain. Later they planted a saffron flag on the mosque minaret. They started beating Verma and he had to run for his life. They kept pelting stones at his home.
Verma says the rioters were chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ slogans.
Both the Hindus and Muslims told that they lived happily and in harmony with one another in the area and the rioters were outsiders who tried to disrupt peace and create division among the two community people.