'Rehabilitation of Muzaffarnagar communal violence survivors is State's responsibility'
8 January 2014
Bobby Ramakant, Citizen News Service (CNS)
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Rehabilitating communal violence survivors is State's responsibility, was echoed by the members of Socialist Party
(India) in their procession and demonstration in UP state capital of Lucknow on 8th January 2014. Since permission was
not granted to Socialist Party (India) to hold the demonstration at Gandhi Pratima in Lucknow city-centre (Hazratganj),
the administration received the memorandum from them, after which this demonstration converted into a procession that
marched to Lakshman Mela grounds where it continued the protest till the evening.
Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee and Vice President of Socialist Party (India) told Citizen News Service (CNS):
"Muzaffarnagar communal violence was the most painful incidence since independence. What triggered communal riots is
disputed but there is no doubt in the fact that minority Muslims suffered the most. Jat community is relatively well-off
in this region and Muslim community usually forms the labour force. Many more Muslim people were forced to leave behind
their homes, died or their women folk raped in this violent pogrom. In many incidents cases are yet to be filed and
hardly any action has been taken where cases were filed. Police is also not challenging the might of the local powerful
Jat community. When government or local administration tries to help those in-need (many of whom come from Muslim
community) then they get blamed for favouring the minorities. Perhaps this is the reason why state government has not
come out openly to help those in need. Most relief camps were those of Muslim people which is an indicator that worst
affected were the Muslims in this communal riot. The longer the people are staying in relief camps, more is the
embarrassment to the state government. That is why the government is now intimidating victims of communal violence to
leave these relief camps. It is important to realize that most relief camps were not even being managed by the
government. These camps were being coordinated by organizations such as Jamayat-Ulema-Hind where government supplied
relief materials."
Girish Kumar Pandey, State President of Socialist Party (India) added: "Most Muslim families who were forced to abandon
their homes after extreme humiliation and violence, are reluctant to go back to their native villages. The challenge
that confronts us is where should they go now? It is government’s responsibility to rehabilitate them.
Jamayat-Ulema-Hind is building homes for some families at a place. This is government’s responsibility which it should
uphold. Government cannot backtrack from its primary responsibility towards its citizens. If government is not able to
give justice to these Muslim families then at least should try to fulfil their daily needs. This is indeed a matter of
huge shame that on one hand children are dying of cold in relief camps in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, and on another hand
those in power are busy in celebrating Saifai festival. Socialist Party (India) strongly condemns this irony. Socialist
Party (India) believes that one indicator of a strong democracy is how secure are its minority communities." (CNS)
Bobby Ramakant, Citizen News Service – CNS
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ENDS