NEW DELHI: The two-kilometre stretch connecting Jaffrabad and Maujpur in north-east Delhi was engulfed in lawlessness and ravaging on February 24 and 25, post a conflict between two groups against and for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The Capital reported the death of 53, with 400 injured and many more displaced. While the aftermath of the violence saw a heightened drama between the political parties, relief camps formed by the citizens were quick to emerge. And even weeks after the violence, the attempt to rehabilitate the displaced lot is still ongoing.
Isha Singh Sawhney’s house is one of the many collection points in South Delhi, from where relief material is directed to the violence-hit areas. “When the relief work started, individuals started setting up spots where things could be sent. Slowly a network was built as many wanted to help, but didn’t know how and where. This is how I ended up being a conduit,” says Sawhney, who feels that the government is yet to provide concrete help, like setting up an organisation. At present, various collectives have been formed between NGOs and individuals who want to help by donating their time, goods and even space to store the relief materials.
Sawhney calls it ‘an endeavour by the civil society’ after personally witnessing help streaming in from all across India. “We have had food rations coming in from every corner of the country and sent to areas as and when they need them. The items of need keep on changing. Now a lot of people need things to set up their homes – like utensils, gas cylinders and stoves since a lot of rehabilitation work is going on,” adds Sawhney. Asif Idrees is a JNU student and part of the JNU Coordination Committee that was set up since the first night of violence. “Immediately after the violence broke out, the campus called a meeting for the relief work. Over the weeks, we have helped more than 200 families with food rations along with biscuits and ready-to-cook items. Financial aid has also been distributed to the daily wagers and local vendors, who were badly affected by the violence, to help them start their businesses.”
Till now, the coordination committee has distributed over 500 medicinal kits, and has stocked enough raw food items, utensils, clothes, etc., at the Sabarmati Tea point inside the campus that acts as the camp.
“From the very first day, we’ve had around 30 people on the ground, daily assessing what the deliveries have to be made the very next day. We are also offering legal help to those who have lost their family members, and helping them with the paperwork required to apply for the compensations that the Delhi government is offering,” adds Idrees. According to Idrees, the relief work from Arvind Kejriwal’s government is mere tokenism. “They are first giving one lakh in cash to the families who lost a member to the violence, and the remaining `9 lakh will be given only on the completion of their investigation. They are not doing anything substantial on the ground, which solely NGOs and generous people are doing,” Idrees reveals.
Offering his time as a supplementary teacher for the students at Mustafabad is Isa Khan, an economics teacher. “I came to know about the requirements for teachers at the Mustafabad relief camp, and that is how I started teaching. Whenever there’s a need for anything, be it funds, medicines or teaching materials, I put a list on social media and that interested help us with it,” says Khan. But, an organised way of teaching here is the need of the hour. “There is a huge difference between teaching in school and at a temporary relief camp. We are trying to do our best in the given conditions, but the education of children is really suffering.” Khan also stresses that given the untimely rains and the Corona scare, health and hygiene need to be prioritised. “There is a medical camp, but the supplies are limited. Apart from the basic things, we also need counselling sessions as these people have witnessed horrifying conditions.”