Year after Ikhlaq’s death, communal faultlines get deeper in Bisada

BISADA: A group of youngsters stops the car at the entrance of Bisada village in Uttar Pradesh’s Dadri, about 50km from New Delhi. They demand to know who you wish to see, and why.

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After the interrogation and a few phone calls, they let you pass, but with a warning.

“Do not roam around for too long, especially in the area where the Muslims live.”

Communal faultlines continue to fester at Bisada, a year since 55-year-old Mohammad Ikhlaq was lynched on the suspicion of slaughtering a cow for a family feast.

Hindu families have stopped visiting Muslim friends; the Azaan during Namaz is no more played on the loudspeaker. Kids do not mix or play; and no festivals are celebrated together.

“It is not the same anymore,” says Rahul, one of the “interrogators” at the village entrance.

“Earlier people used to come out in the evening and sit together to discuss politics, games and films. Kids used to play cricket matches together. But after the incident, everyone prefers staying indoors. The Muslims do not come to this side where we live and we do not go near the Masjid,” he says.

Hindu families are vexed over the arrest of 18 youngsters for allegedly killing Ikhlaq, while Muslims have sent their kids out of the village over fears of being cornered.

“If they can kill Ikhlaq, they can even target us too. We have asked our children to stay in Dadri and not come back,” says Mohammed Azhar, a villager.

“In most Muslim households, the men were employed by Hindus as carpenters or ironsmiths, but since the incident, they have stopped engaging us, so there is no work left here. It is better that our children stay out and work in Dadri, which is safer,” he says.

Fellow villager Mohammed Iqbal asks his children to stay indoors, he fears for his family’s safety. “Earlier, we all used to visit each other on festivals, but not anymore. Since the incident, the Azaanis not followed on the mike. It is all done quietly. We are in a minority and cannot raise our voice.”

Hindu families blame Muslims for the arrest of their children.

Kiran Rana, mother of a young accused named Vishal, calls his arrest a “political gimmick” for votes.

“The government is pro-Muslim because they need a vote bank. To prove their sympathy, they have put my son behind bars and given crores of rupee s to Ikhlaq’ s family as compensation,” she says.

The schism became more apparent after a Mathura lab concluded that the meat found in Ikhlaq’s refrigerator was that of “a cow or its progeny”.

“Now it is proven that he slaughtered a cow, then why is his brother not being arrested?” Rana says. “My children were not armed. The killing was not planned.”

Dheeraj Singh, father of Saurabh and Gaurav, who were also arrested, shares similar views.

“Police randomly picked up children from Hindu households without investigation, just because they were under pressure to make arrests. Both my sons were sleeping when the incident happened,” he says.