The communal violence in Muzaffarnagar recently, brought to mind, memories of another similar period.I still shudder at the thought of those nerve-racking days in Meerut,when we witnessed and experienced the communal trouble, provoked by evil elements of two communities.
After a busy school day,I was returning home with my two children in a rickshaw, when the unusual silence on the otherwise traffic-choked noisy roads, drew my attention..The place seemed infinitely desolate except for small groups of men engaged in whispered discussion and a stray policeman here and there.The rickshawallah had no clue to what the matter was,and somehow I felt an intense feeling that the sooner we reached home,we would be safe.And I was right-my neighbor was waiting to inform me about the riot that had broken out in the afternoon and the situation had calmed down temporarily.Doordarshan and newspapers brought to light, the trouble that had been triggered in the late afternoon in the marketplace,after a pujari was murdered by members of the other community.Violence continued unabated and schools,colleges and many offices were closed down indefinitely.Ours was one of the twin houses in a compound and we had access to the landlord's house through the common backdoor.A muslim tenement nearby was a source of great tension for us and we spent nightmarish days and torturous, sleepless nights.
Gunshots were heard in quick succession amidst the din and noise of people shouting far away.Sounds of running feet outside our house kept us in utter suspense about the happenings in the street.We could seek solace only in our prayers and we felt safe in the claustrophic confinement inside our house.We would lie in the nights huddled together with the children clinging to us and weapons like the kitchen knife and a long rod, by our bedside within reach.Sometimes the men would keep watch on the roof while women and children slept.Curfew was imposed in certain areas and generally life came to a standstill.This continued for about two weeks and then normalcy was restored,thanks to the Government's serious intervention.
Diwali was due in a month's time and people rejoiced and heaved sigh of relief, as nothing seemed to mar the celebrations.Slowly the city came back to its original,noisy self and people went about their normal routine.At last Diwali arrived and the Hindus celebrated with the usual gusto, though the bursting of crackers were markedly diminished.People were mingling with each other as though nothing significant had taken place.
There was an uneasy calm after Diwali and somehow it triggered an awareness of some unseen horror which lay ahead.But nothing significant took place.Since the situation returned to normalcy, my husband left on urgent, personal work to Chennai. But things took an ugly turn after a few days and once again an unexpected, fresh wave of violence swept the city.This time the riots reached unprecedented extremes. Shops were gutted,houses ransacked and many hundreds killed.Once again schools and colleges closed down and even many offices and banks were shut.People stayed mostly indoors, as curfew was imposed.When the situation became uncontrollable by the state police, army was called in to quell the riots.Shoot at sight orders were issued by the govt and all sorts of rumors floated by.
Staying alone with two small children,I panicked and every day seemed like a lifetime.There was no communication from my husband .The resounding sounds of temple bell and cries of "Har har mahadev", intermingling with the sounds of Älla ho akbar" from the mosque would pierce the stillness of the night and send shivers through our body. Many dead bodies were found lying in our school campus where the homeless sought shelter.
I can vividly recall one particular night when the sounds of running feet outside the house was at its loudest and gunshots were heard much closer to our place.In a frenzy and deeply agitated,I picked up my little one,dragged the other sleepy child by the hand and frantically ran through the connecting door in the courtyard to the landlord's house.It was dark and still inside,and breathing heavily with tears flowing,I ran like a mad woman towards the staircase,all along muttering slokas.My guess was right.The family was all hiding in the rooftop with their limited weapons and large stones and bricks.The street was a scene of violence,people chasing with lathis and shooting any one in sight.we could witness this from the rooftop.Our elderly landlord, on spotting me,rushed towards me and said,"beti, ghabrao math,hum hain na!".I felt so safe like never before,
Came morning and the fears and miseries of the night before was dispelled.Still under the trauma of the previous night,we jumped up with nervousness when the bell rang,late in the evening.Has the calamity prevailing outside come upto my door? I was horrified and through the glazed glass window,I could make out the figure of someone standing outside.I gathered myself and with hesitation shouted,"kaun?".I could n't even hear myself.I could not believe it when I heard my husband's voice in reply!He had finally come back! Relief lifted a heavy weight from my shoulders.We thanked God that he had reached safely, in spite of all the violence.He had taken the next available train on reading about the situation here.
After a week or so, the violence weakened and soon the situation became normal.We could see hindus and muslims meeting each other.Ultimately, the communal riots are the result of some manipulation to achieve political objectives.
Came morning and the fears and miseries of the night before was dispelled.Still under the trauma of the previous night,we jumped up with nervousness when the bell rang,late in the evening.Has the calamity prevailing outside come upto my door? I was horrified and through the glazed glass window,I could make out the figure of someone standing outside.I gathered myself and with hesitation shouted,"kaun?".I could n't even hear myself.I could not believe it when I heard my husband's voice in reply!He had finally come back! Relief lifted a heavy weight from my shoulders.We thanked God that he had reached safely, in spite of all the violence.He had taken the next available train on reading about the situation here.
After a week or so, the violence weakened and soon the situation became normal.We could see hindus and muslims meeting each other.Ultimately, the communal riots are the result of some manipulation to achieve political objectives.
