Scars of the 2020 communal riots in northeast Delhi remain fresh. Nine Muslim youths, charged with rioting and violence, are still languishing in jail; their relatives and well-wishers doing the rounds of various courts to get justice.
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – It has been four years since the communal riots wreaked havoc on the national capital in 2020. Four years later, life has somewhat come back on track, but the bitter memories of the riots are still alive in the hearts. The riots separated people from their loved ones: a mother lost her young son, a sister lost a brother, a wife lost her husband and so on and so forth.
Mostly anti-Muslim riots started on February 23 and continued till February 29, with both Delhi administration and the central government allowing the unrest, sparked by hate speeches and a biased police action, to continue directly under their nose.
The unrest began as peaceful sit-in in the trans-Yamuna Jafrabad locality by protesters against Citizenship Amendment Act provisions was forcibly dispersed by the police with the active connivance of several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other Hindutva leaders. They were aided and abetted by a malicious media which stoked the divisive flames. As a result, violence escalated across northeast Delhi, resulting in 53 fatalities, most of them Muslims. Over 250 people also sustained injuries.
The wounds of those who have lost their loved ones are still fresh. Nine Muslim youths, charged with rioting and violence, are still languishing in jail; their relatives and well-wishers doing the rounds of various courts in the pursuit of justice. The accused have not yet been granted bail. Among them are Khalid Saifi, Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gul Afshan, and many students of Jamia Millia Islamia University.
On the fourth anniversary of the riots, Clarion India spoke to some riot victims and their families.
Parveen Begum, wife of riot victim Nizamuddin, has still not been able to forget the mayhem four years ago. “The violence has disrupted the entire life of our family,” she said. Nizamuddin is the brother of Jamaluddin, who was killed in the riots. On February 27, the rioters surrounded the two brothers and started beating them black and blue till Jamaluddin died. Nizamuddin also sustained injuries to his hands.
Parveen Begum said Nizamuddin was returning home from his native place on that fateful day. The rioters suddenly surrounded him, took the Aadhaar card from his brother, and on knowing that he is a Muslim they started beating him mercilessly.
Nizamuddin’s earnings have dropped because he cannot work as earlier because of his injuries. The family is making do with the meager money Nizamuddin and his children, who work as labourers, earn. Besides, Parveen Begum is contributing to the family budget by doing some embroidery and weaving work.
Jamaluddin’s widow, Nazish Begum, and her four minor children are also struggling to survive. They are staying with Nazish’s brother. Nazish received a compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the Delhi government, Parveen said.
Muhammad Shamim, son of Muhammad Wakil, who lost both his eyes in the riots, said the environment in the area is good at the moment, but “people are busy with their work.” He said his father is now doing fine after his eye surgery in Chennai arranged by Jamiat Ulema Hind.
