The ongoing demolition drive against ‘encroachments’ in Jahangirpuri has seen legal shops of Hindus being destroyed despite the shop owners presenting papers that the authorities allegedly overlooked.

One of the shop owners, Dilip Saxena who ran Delhi Fruit Juice and Sugarcane Juice Shop said, “I had an MCD license and even pay house tax to MCD and I have a DDA allotment. I have all the relevant documents and proof to show that the shop is legally registered in my name”.

He added that the action was taken at around 10 and he wasn’t allowed to enter Kushal Chowk by the policemen stationed there. He further alleged that shops that were allotted have been targeted by the authorities. “I appeal to Yogiji and Modiji that only illegal structures be demolished and not shops of those who have all the necessary documents”, concluded Saxena.

Similarly, Ganesh Kumar Gupta whose shop had been allotted by the DDA in 1977 has been demolished in the drive. “I pay around 4800 rupees annually and have all the receipts to back my claim. I even informed the authorities who had come to conduct the demolitions. I had even highlighted the stay order passed by the apex court an hour earlier but they didn’t stop”, Gupta stated.

He also brought to light that they were simple shopkeepers who had been only earning their livelihood and that none of their family members had been arrested with respect to the violence and yet his shop had been demolished. Gupta also said that they would be approaching the courts against the act of MCD.

Among the Hindu shop owners was 52-year-old Raman Jha whose pan shop was demolished. “No notice no information. I came thrice in the morning to remove the rehdi and asked the police they said nothing will happen. Then they suddenly broke my shop”, The Indian Express quotes Jha as saying.

We also witnessed Hindus being arrested for simply participating in the Hanuman Janmotsav celebrations. A report by Sudarshan News highlighted the plight of a poor Hindu family whose five members were taken into custody by the Delhi police. The report clearly mentions that the Delhi police have arrested Hindus under pressure in other words, so that no questions are raised regarding members of a particular community being targeted.

Suken belongs to a poor Hindu family that makes its livelihood out of selling curd. His brother was involved in rag-picking. A neighbor informed the channel that all breadwinners of the family have been taken into custody. A teary-eyed female member of the family said “the police should arrest me as well because there is no one to look after me or release my family members who have been falsely framed”.

She added that her family members were innocent Ram Bhakts who always chanted the name of Prabhu Sri Ram. We visit the temple and do puja-path every year along with others. Their only fault was that they participated in the Shri Hanuman Shoba Yatra as they do each year.

Similarly, OpIndia reported that Sujeet was arrested by the Delhi police after he boldly admitted to having taken part in the Hanuman Puja. Speaking to the news portal’s reporter Rahul Pandey, Sujeet’s wife said that police personnel had come in civil dress to their residence at Dhobhi ghat at around 4.30 on the evening of April 17.

When the police questioned, “who all participated in the Hanuman Puja?”, initially most people kept quiet out of fear but Sujeet boldly stepped forward and said, “I took part in the Puja”. The police then asked where was he at that time to which Sujeet said that he was drawing the Palki. Hearing this, the police caught him by the collar and took him away saying he should tell his family that he was being taken away as a witness.

Another resident, who is also an activist, highlighted how Muslims harassed Hindus in general and women in particular in Jahangirpuri as well as the apathy of the police towards the latter. “The situation has deteriorated so much that even minor boys indulge molest Hindu women and several rapes have also taken place here. However, when we approach the police they instead attack us”.

He also said that about 8-9 months ago a Hindu lady was held in captivity by a Muslim man who raped her for around 15 days. The impunity of the Muslims is evident from the fact that she was assaulted outside the police station even as the police stood by as mute spectators.

He also highlighted another rape case while adding that they don’t trust the Jahangirpuri police. In the second case, the girl was raped for around 25 days and her parents left the area handing over their juggi (hutment) to the rapist. While an FIR was filed in the first case, none was registered in the second case.

A Muslim boy threatened a Hindu boy with a gun and forcibly took away 4000-5000 rupees from the latter. When we approached the police, they had told us not to get involved and that they would handle the matter. A few days after this incident, the same person fired on a police officer. These people always remain in a state of preparedness.

It is pertinent to note that never has a Muharram procession in Jahangirpuri been attacked and pelted with stones. While we allow their procession to pass peacefully, they never extend the same courtesy to us.

This is indicative of the deep rot that plagues the Indian state and demonstrates how apathetic the secular State has become, that even action against actual perpetrators like Islamist rioters, has to be monkey-balanced with similar actions against Hindus just to maintain the secular facade. At many levels, it also hints at the infiltration and corruption of our state machinery.

This compulsion to appear ‘neutral’ has led the secular state to harass Hindus and several have been arrested for no fault of theirs to satiate the state’s appetite for ‘must appear to be acting without favor’ as we have noted above. It isn’t the business of the state authorities to appear neutral. They should instead be striving to deliver justice by punishing those involved in the violence. If the majority of them happen to be Islamists then so be it. Why is the state doing a balancing act just to appease a section of society? Doesn’t that amount to injustice towards innocent Hindus?

The fact is that the state is fundamentally anti-Hindu and even the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) which is dubbed the ‘saffron Hindutva’ party is no different. What’s worse? Several BJP supporters too fail to comprehend the state’s fundamental anti-Hindu nature and actually go on to celebrate the state and justify its monkey-balancing actions in an apparent attempt to please the secularists.

This leaves the Hindu society without a voice who can articulate and put forward their legitimate demands as well as safeguard their interests which the system has failed to do.

(Featured Image Source: Zee News)