Stories of unity reveal how Hindus, Muslims saved each other in Delhi riots

GR News Desk | New Delhi

For over 48 hours violence razed through parts of Delhi killing 48 and injuring over 100 before the government stepped in. As the cloud of smoke settles and people try to return to normalcy, stories of unity show how humanity conquers the religious divide.

In areas of Vijay Park, Shiv Vihar, and Yamuna Vihar both Hindus and Muslims together prevented the rioters from entering the colony safeguarding women, children.

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A couple of Hindu households in Shiv Vihar area offered shelter to Muslim families when mobs went on the rampage targeting people in which almost 35 people lost their lives and hundreds injured during the 4 days long violence.

Mohammad Rizwan, who works at a salon, said “I do not know what happened... a mob entered my shop and vandalised it. I somehow managed to save my life while my family members were rescued by my neighbour Pankaj Gupta. As we share a terrace, he jumped to our side and helped my family get to his terrace... he safely took them to his house,” he said.

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Rakesh Jain, who lives in street number 17 of Vijay Park, said that “we have always been here together. Mohalla is our family. People of the Muslim community are our brothers. If we need them even at midnight, they are present and in the same way, if they ever need us, we are always available for them.”

He said that they live here in love and love and will continue to do so. “The rioters were not residents of the area, they were coming from outside and we all together were not allowing them to enter the colony,” he said.

Suhail Mansoori, who lives in the same area, said that he had been living here for 20 years. “There was no communal violence till date. This is the first time when violence is happening in this way and we together are chasing the rioters. He said that neither a mosque nor a temple has been damaged in our region. Religious sites of both religions are absolutely safe,” Suhail added.

Mansuri said, “I have more Hindu friends than Muslims. We all live together. Politicians are committing violence due to politics and creating a gap between communities.”

Rahul, who lives in Yamuna Vihar C-12, said that communal violence has taken place here for the first time in 35 years. Even now rioters have come from outside and the people of the colony are driving them away. When the rioters entered the C-12 market, we chased them together.

Rukshar, a housewife, said she was in the kitchen when she heard a commotion in the lane outside her house. Before she could understand what was going on, her brother-in-law burst in shouting about a mob heading towards their home.

“We rushed to our neighbour for help and they gave us shelter. Our two-wheeler parked outside was torched,” said Ms. Rukshar.

Muslim families from Mustafabad have started leaving the area after the violence that lasted three days. The families said that armed men wearing masks came and set fire to slum dwellings and vehicles in different parts of the area.

The Delhi government on Wednesday announced rehabilitation schemes for those affected in one of the deadly riots in the national capital since the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

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