While Muslims world over are gearing up for Eid al-Adha (Bakrid) celebrations, there is a group of 1200 Muslim families sheltered in an unofficial relief camp set up at a madarsa in the town of Loni in Ghaziabad district, less than 50 kms from Delhi, who have lost their festive cheer.
A thick pall of gloom lies over the area like a wet blanket, dampening whatever festive spirit the residents had despite the communal flare-up which has left the entire region scarred.
For victims of the riots, which left 48 dead and displaced over 50,000, the 'day of sacrifice' means quite literally, a sacrifice of cheer and joy.
"My Eid has become pitch black as I have neither money nor my loved ones to celebrate with," said Zareena, whose son was allegedly hacked to death while he was returning from Bijnore to his native Lak village in UP's Shamli district.
"Last Bakrid was a memorable one but this year I don't feel like celebrating it at all as my grief refuses to subside," another Shamli resident Sajid Saifi said. Saifi claims his 21-year-old brother was chopped into pieces on September 8 by the rioting mobs.
"My brother was married just three months back and the henna (mehandi) imprints on his wife's hands are still there", Sajid Saifi added as he burst into tears. Compensation and relief materials The UP government had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of the people killed in the riots, and Rs 50,000 to those injured in the violence in Muzaffarnagar and other parts of Western UP.
But the reality on the ground tells a different tale. Sajid is yet to get the compensation of his brother's death as the body has not yet been identified. According to Qari Shamshul Huda, caretaker of madrasa Zeenatul Islam, the state government is yet to provide any sort of help to the riot victims.
Whatever help has come has been from members of the Jat community living in the area. "There was absolutely no help from the Samajwadi Party-ruled UP government for any of the riot victims who stayed at madrasa. Hindus living in the area have offered us help giving us food and other materials,"
Huda said expressing happiness over communal harmony. Never want to go back There are tens of thousands of families who were displaced during the riots and they don't want to go back to their villages at any cost. "I don't want to lose the rest of my family members," said Zareena, whose brother-in-law was allegedly killed before her eyes at Lak village. "We won't go back to our villages even if PM of India would urge us to go back," said another.
Investigations and inquiries Sajid has named six men in his FIR, but there have been no arrests yet. He says he is getting threat calls on a daily basis. He said that the accused are both trying to threaten and bribe them to withdraw the cases especially against the Jat youths as they have applied in the Army and other government services. When questioned why no arrests have been made in the cases, Phugana SHO, KP Sharma said that the matter is under investigation.
Shamli SDM, RP Sharma, said that compensation will be given to victims only after the police file their report. Meanwhile, the one-man judicial commission headed by retired HC judge Vishnu Sahay has begun its probe into the riots on October 7. Also, Human Rights Watch, a US-based rights group, has demanded that Indian authorities investigate allegations of sexual assault and rapes during the communal clashes.
"So far, five criminal complaints of gangrape and two cases of sexual harassment have been registered by the local police," the rights group said in its press statement. The communal frenzy was triggered following an incident of alleged sexual harassment of a girl in Muzaffarnagar's Kawal village by some local youth.
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