Hindus are helping their neighbours in making preparations for the wedding of two Muslim girls
Shocked, shaken and deeply divided following the lynching of a man over beef eating rumours a fortnight ago, Bishada village near Dadri is turning a new leaf with Hindus joining their Muslim brethren in making preparations for the wedding of two girls belonging to the minority community.
In eagerly awaited signs of normalcy gradually returning to the village, about 60 km from Delhi, Hakeem, who until a few days ago was thinking of shifting the wedding venue of his daughters, is a relaxed man as he goes about making the arrangements.
He is all smiles as the majority Hindus have not only assured him of security of his family and guests but are also actively participating in preparing for the feast, shamiana and other logistics.
Bishada had no history of communal disharmony until September 28 when it earned notoriety after Mohammed Iqlakh, a 50-year-old blacksmith and handyman, was bludgeoned to death by a frenzied mob following rumours that he and his family had eaten and stored beef. His son Danish, 22, was critically wounded and was out of ICU only a couple of days ago.
Sub-divisional magistrate R K Singh said normalcy was gradually returning to Bishada.
Meanwhile, around 400 students from various universities of Delhi were on Sunday detained when they were trying to take out a protest march to the PM’s residence in Delhi against the Dadri incident.
The students from Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia, who were taking out a march from the Mandi House area, were detained by the police at Feroz Shah Road, a senior police officer said. The agitators, affiliated to various outfits including the Leftist All India Students Association and Students Federation of India, had planned a protest march and demonstration at Modi's residence.
"We were stopped by police near Mandi House while we were taking out our protest march against politics of hate and Dadri lynching," AISA state executive member Shehla said. "What has followed after the Dadri incident is irresponsible and inflammatory statements by the ministers of the government which must be stopped," she said.
"Our protest is aimed at seeking justice for the victim of Dadri and unmasking the mastermind behind the lynching and punishment for the perpetrators of the inhuman act," she said.
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has, in a veiled attack on ally BJP, said the Dadri incident was being used as a "political tool" for Bihar elections. "There are some who are trying to use the killing of a man in Dadri to gain an upper hand in Bihar elections," Sena MP Sanjay Raut said in his weekly column in party mouthpiece Saamana.
"There are people, who in the name of politics, areexploiting the religious feelings of people. These people believe in spreading communal disharmony among people and creating riots to win elections," said Raut, who is the editor of Saamana.
Significantly, known for his hardline pro-Hindutva views, Raut said attempts to weaken the secular structure of the country or hurt the sentiments of people will not betolerated. "While the Centre has ordered action in connection with the Dadri lynching episode, who is really stoking the religious passions," he asked.
"During the 'Paryushan' festival of Jains in Mumbai, there was no need to call for meat ban. But such demands were made to promote disharmony keeping the municipal elections in mind," he said.
Notably, some BJP leaders had demanded a meat ban during 'Paryushan', while the Sena opposed it. "People are digging their own grave by using communal tensions for political gains," he said.
