Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Days after a Muslim man’s shop was attacked in Himachal Pradesh’s Nahan town over claims of cow slaughter, the police investigation has found that the shopkeeper had not slaughtered the cow but a buffalo, legally permitted for slaughtering and consuming.
On the other hand, Muslim leaders in Nahan said that Muslim traders are forced to flee the town following a mob attack on the shop of Javed, the Uttar Pradesh man whose shop was vandalised and looted in Himachal Pradesh in the presence of the police on Wednesday.
Javed was not present in Nahan when his shop was attacked and vandalised. He had reportedly come home in Uttar Pradesh for the Eid festivities.
On Saturday, the police in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district said that the probe found that Javed had not slaughtered a cow but a legally permitted animal, probably buffalo.
However, Shamli SP said that Javed was booked and arrested under the charges of inciting riots due to social media photos.
On the other hand, Muslim leaders in Nahan held a press conference on Saturday to address the issue of communal attack unleashed on the members of the community following hate rally held by Hindutva goons and trader association in the town.
Bobby Qureshi, head of Anjuman Islamiya, said that around 16 Muslim traders were forced to flee the town following attacks and hate campaign in the town.
While denouncing the photos of animal sacrifice, Qureshi said “No one is out there to stop small-time netas (who are disturbing peace). Some people are coming from outside. Items belonging to four and five shops were looted. Around 16 people were forced to flee the town in fear of attack.”
He also slammed those who are calling for economic boycott against Muslims or driving them out of the town.
“This is India. Any person can do business in any part of the country. Some people are calling on to throw out all traders from Uttar Pradesh. How can you throw all of them out? What about those people from Himachal Pradesh who are doing business in Noida and UP. People are thoughtlessly demanding to drive out people. This is a matter of pain,” said Qureshi.
The Muslim leader also fear that communal violence can erupt as a meeting was called by the Hindutva groups on 26 June. He said that anyone who come to Nahan from outside to cause communal violence will not be spared.
“We don’t take to streets. We don’t vandalise properties nor hold protests and demonstration. We are intimidated and defamed due to our gentleness. We don’t fear anyone but respect others,” said Qureshi.
Following the Bakrid celebrations, Hindutva groups and trader association had taken out rallies and created ruckus in the town over the allegation of cow slaughter by Javed. A large mob had attacked and vandalised his shop in the presence of the police, the video of which had gone viral on social media.
