Real Bhaichara: Muslims Families Find Shelter In Hindu Homes During Riots

Houses are burnt, their livelihoods destroyed but 40 Muslims residents of Ashok Nagar found brotherhood during the clashes between pro CAA and Anti CAA groups.?

AFP

During the riots, houses and shops were burnt on Tuesday February 25th 2020 but the Hindu neighbours gave them more than what they believed.?

Recalling the incident Khusheer Alam said, “I was at the mosque when a 1000 people mob entered the place while all of us were offering prayers. The mob entered the mosque and started shouting slogans, we all ran to save our lives.”?

AFP

The mob didn’t stop but also vandalised the Mosque and set it on fire. Mohammad Tayyab a local told the media that the mob reached the terrace of the building around 1.30 pm and hoisted the tricolour and saffron colour flag. But these were removed by locals on Wednesday mornings.?

AFP

Locals requested the rioters not damaging any property but they didn’t listen. As per my knowledge all of them were outsiders. “Most of them had covered their faces and were armed with iron rods” Soon after this they started burning the shops in the areas. “We were scared that we would be killed next” said Rajesh Khatri a resident of Ashok Nagar where the riots took place.?

After burning the shops the mob started to follow the houses and they got six and burned them as well. There were only 6 muslims families living there, these men knew all about it because they did not burn any other house, they didn’t leave anything looted everything. Now we are homeless, said Mohammad Rashid.?

AFP

When we thought that we would be on the living street as there is nothing left, our Hindu friends in the neighborhood helped us.They put us up in their homes and helped us throughout. We have been living here for 25 years and not even a single problem occurred with any Hindu family. We live here like a family, said Rashid.?

It is not just Muslims who suffered, Raj Kumar who held a shop which was directly underneath the Mosque has been looted and burnt. “They spared no one, While my shop was shut for a few days, I had no clue that this would happen in Ashok Nagar. I only came to check the shop on Wednesday morning and found my workplace is down in ashes, said Raj Kumar.?