NEW DELHI: Despite all the anger and hatred, some families were seen helping one another after the violence which happened in Jahangirpuri. People were seen moving around peacefully despite of the prevailing tension.
According to Surinder Kumar, a food stall owner in Jahangirpuri, his family has been living peacefully with his Muslim neighbours since 1992 and nothing of this sort has happened ever before. The 46-year-old has a wife and a daughter and stated that whatever happened is because the administration failed to do anything about it.
“Prashashan (administration) has failed us badly. Whatever happened yesterday made us think how it could have been solved peacefully. Who takes out a rally with knives and swords in their hands where the other community is fasting,” added Surinder. He said that no policemen were there to stop the violence due to which the riots flared up. According to his wife Rekha, her neighbours are like her family and the women in the area are like her sister.
“They are like my family. These women are like my sisters and have cooperated with us. They celebrate Diwali with us and we do the same on Eid,” she added. “People started with their hooliganism. It was the time for Muslims to break their fast but DJs in the procession were blaring loud music and raised slogans against Muslims,” she added.
According to Sapan, a resident of Gali number 1 in C block of Jahangirpuri, a situation like this never happened in the past. “I never imagined the situation would become like this. We never paid much attention to the religion angle but now things have become different,” he added.
According to Shefali, a domestic help, she had no idea about the incident but when she saw a 16-year-old young boy being picked up by the police, she felt bad. “I have never seen such an issue ever before. I have been living here for the last 20 years but no such problem ever came our way. We live peacefully with our Muslim neighbours,” she added.