Muzaffarnagar Calling :

I have visited Muzaffarnagar/ Shamli Relief Camps on 20.12.2013 with Mr Junaid to get the real picture of the situation and to access what actually they want. Thursday night, it rained and situation became bad to worse. A brief report;

– There are two kinds of victims ; those who have vacated their villages where riots erupted and those who have vacated out of fear of rioting, Migration is in huge numbers and people are not willing to go back to their villages at any cost.

– Government is paying Rs. 500000 to riot affected people and the list does not include those who have left out of fear and their side of story tells – had they stayed there, they would have been killed too. They left the places only to ensure safety to their women and children. It utterly is a police failure and couldn’t ensure them of their safety, had it been, situation would have not been so bad due to huge migration.

– Another big issue is that government is paying five lakh each family, and it is not taking a note of, a family includes 5 married sons with separate families. A father aged 70 is getting five lakh which includes his wife along with his married sons, daughter-in-laws and grandchildren and his daughters as well. Whereas when they left their original places they had all separate places to live. Creepy situation it is.

– Some of the victims have got the relief amount and they’ve bought a piece of land there only and living in tents on the same land as they have no funds to construct a home. There are several riot-victim names are missing in government lists, they are fail to include their names despite of hard efforts.

– Government has helped the victims with compensation of five lakhs, supplied food for first ten days and later, only after media pressure, since last week officials are once again visiting the camps – In Loi, there was a medical camp and in Malakpur, they are supplying a quarter of milk each tent every morning.

– Paladi – There are 40 tents and approximately 220-250 people are taking refuge from Kutba. They are waiting for their compensation, pressure of land owner to leave the place as well. They have no means to cook, there are hand-made chulhaas and thats the biggest trouble they have as of now. Due to rain, they don’t get dry fuel to cook. They have excess of blankets and mattresses. They just want some of grocery and kid’s warmers along with some cooking solution. 5 policemen are guarding tents. Torches are required.

– Shahpur – There are 265 tents with around 1500 people taking refuge from Kutba, Lisaadh, those who have got the compensation bought the land through local colonizer but have no material to construct their houses. And rest is waiting for their relief money. Urgent requirements are same-like Paladi. They need bricks, cement, iron sheets etc. They have excess of blankets. Jamait e Islam e Hind and Jamait e Ulema e Hind work is commendable, nearby they’re constructing one bhk house for 70 families and going to extend the efforts soon. There is a regular police vigil. Torches or solar lights are required.

– Loi – There are 485 tents which has 2500 plus refugees from Phugana, Kutba & Lisaadh, its dharavi like slum, we found SDM there and a medical camp too, police vigil is there but people complained and said they are only terrorizing us and their main motto is to get the place vacated as soon as possible. Loads of complains for govt lists of riot-victims. They have same requirements as Paladi & Shahpur. They have blankets and winter material. Some of the tents are not in good shape as well. Hygiene is a big issue as there are man-made temporary toilets. Requirement of construction material along with cooking means. Torches are required

– Budhana – There are no camps as people have shifted on rent due to winters. Couldn’t meet the victims.

– Amarpur & Shamli- There are no camps as people have shifted on rent due to winters.

– Rautera Mansura (Jhinjhana) – This place is in worst condition, due to it’s remote location, no media access has neglected it badly, thanks to Syed Shamsuddin sb who took us there despite of dark and bad road. There are 400 plus tents with 2200 plus refugees. Rain has made the situation real miserable. They need whatever is possible, local administration has neglected it badly. No access to water as well, some hand-pumps are required with solar lights and hand torches. Chaarpai is another requirement as its directly in between standing crops and rain has increased reptile insurgency as well.

– Malakpur – This is another dharavi, has 785 tents with around 5000 refugees, they complained for the situation like Loi. They have blankets and other material, looking for some cooking solution along with solar lighting and hand torches as it was under complete dark and without police patrolling. Some of them got the relief fund but have no money left for construction.

It was 10 pm at Malakpur and couldn’t visit Kairana, Kandhala, Kavaal, Jaula. We are looking forward to do something long lasting for these victims and to visit the rest of the camps asap. It was quite uneasy to stand at10pm it was thundering and it will only increase each day passing.

They are in bad and sad shape, lost everything and shaken enough to stand up for another life. They need counseling and a warm hand which can lead them to forget the incidents and move on in life with a livelihood.

If you have in mind to contribute, please do it according to their needs and do it yourself and give it to victims directly else I heard, its encouraging hoarders to grab the material and that is defeating the purpose.

–          It is a huge task to resettle the riot victims, had police assured them of safety, situation would have not that bad. Central intervention is necessary at this time as state govt is completely failed to handle the situation.

–          They can deploy army and ensure security to residents, they must form Ekta Samitis with agenda of spreading peace and maintaining harmony, it’s a continuous process. It will take some time to get the results else it will only promote ghettoism and parting ways is not the solution in this country of diversity. This will be another partition within communities.

–          Central govt must announce an interest free loan of ten lakh each victim with repayment starting only after five years. It will support them with erecting another household with a livelihood.

–          There must be community based policing to curb communal riots. This is in practice in most of the developed nations. Police training has become obsolete, we must introduce police accountability bill. Equal representation in policing can curb agony, discrimination and false reporting. Muzaffarnagar riot could have saved if Police had registered the FIR against the first incident happened with a specific community.

–           There must be a law-enabled permanent central commission for riot-hit areas, once riots are reported, the judicial inquiry must be forwarded to commission automatically and it is commission’s responsibility to take a stock of the situation – Loss of life will be reported by the commission and property loss will be evaluated and 100% reimbursement should be guaranteed with an interest –free loan of 10 – 50 lakh as per the economic standard of the victim and repayment to be started only after five years. This economic boost to riot victim will be a deterrent.

–          Second option could be, introduction of a new law enabling central government to take action against riot hit state and seek Presidential rule if state failure is confirmed by the Riot Commission.

–          Police Training Tribunal must be overhauled; we must inculcate humane aspect and discourage biased policing.