TENSION mounted in the Muslim-majority Shri Ram Colony in North Delhi as RSS karyakartas stumped away with their clubs after a daily shakha. Fear filled the air as they raised communal slogans like “Ab Hamara Hindustan, Mulla Bhago Pakistan (Hindustan is now ours, Muslims flee to Pakistan)”. Provocations were there too as the RSS cadres issued opened threats and crowed about their invincibility under a BJP-led government at the Centre, and attempts were made to disrupt the annual Eid celebrations. But the peace-loving people of Shri Ram Colony, with the CPI(M) firmly by their side, defeated the evil design of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and ensured a peaceful and joyous Eid.

Adjacent to Loni area of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Ram Colony in Karawal Nagar Assembly constituency has a Muslim population of roughly 85-90 per cent, while Hindus and others constitute 10-15 per cent. Soon after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, RSS started a shakha in Rajiv Park of the Colony despite opposition from the residents. In addition to raising provocative and mischievous slogans during the shakha, RSS karyakartas were being trained to launch attacks on the minority community.

As RSS and other Hindutva organisations attempted to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere of this Muslim-majority area, CPI(M) took determined efforts to defeat such evil designs taking the local people along. CPI(M) activists met the Colony residents, heard their concerns, and raised awareness. With the CPI(M)’s efforts, their voices were heard far and beyond and were much appreciated on the social media. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat led a delegation of Party workers and local residents to Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and apprised them of the prevailing situation in the area.

The results of the Party’s efforts and the determination of the residents of the Colony were evident on the day of Eid, July 18. Eid prayers were held in a peaceful and cordial manner at the Rajiv Park, which had so far been captured by RSS activists for their shakha. The administration too made elaborate arrangements to ensure a peaceful Eid and Delhi Police Commissioner Bassi himself, along with other senior officers, was present at the venue. This is the first time the residents of the Colony saw such senior police officers and the people were very happy with the way the administration took charge of the situation.

The RSS, embolden by the open support of the central government, however, did not sit quiet. The shakha was held even on the day of Eid and instead of physical exercise, they indulged in provocative activities, which were largely overlooked by the peace-loving residents of Sri Ram Colony. It is important to highlight that due to the pressure created by the people and the alertness of the administration, the RSS shakha was forced to stop their activities and wrap up before the time of Namaz, which in itself was a huge victory for the peace-loving people. RSS had planned a huge gathering on the day of Eid wherein it would bring in a large number of karyakartas in a bid to disrupt the celebrations, but they were forced to abandon their devious plan. Police and RAF had a huge presence and drones were deployed for surveillance over the entire venue.

The local residents appreciated the Party’s efforts and the Imam of Qadri Masjid Gulam Muhammad Murtaza, addressing the thousands gathered for Namaz, said that the entire credit for today’s peace went to the CPIM, because it was the timely intervention of the Party workers and leaders that made this possible. He thanked the CPI(M) for its efforts. An elderly man, after offering Namaz, thanked the Party workers present at the venue and said it was because of the Party’s efforts that prayer could be offered in peace. He said that to keep the peace of the colony constant support and cooperation were required, to which CPI(M) workers promised to be by their side.

Yogesh, a 31-year-old resident of Sri Ram Colony, said Eid celebrations were very peaceful and no one raised any objections to the celebrations. People of all the communities wished each other ‘Eid Mubarak’ and together savour the festival delicacies. This locality has always displayed communal amity and people of different communities took part in each other’s festival, Yogesh said, but the situation changed a few months ago when some RSS karyakartas, majority of whom outsiders, tried to disturb the communal harmony. The RSS cadres are not concerned about the problems of this locality and their activities are primarily done to distract the people and keep their attention away from the failures of the Modi Government, Yogesh says.

As RSS increased its activities in the area weeks before Eid, a fact-finding team of CPI(M) did a survey in the area in early July. The team found that the shakha was not intended for any cultural event or any physical exercise but for raising slogans targeting and harassing the minority community and their only agenda was to terrorise the Muslims in the area. The Party activists talked to some women whose houses were near the park. Forty-five-year-old Meena Begum said this park had always been a space for pedestrians and walkers and people used to come here for strolling. Every morning and evening, women and children would gather to play, chat and stroll. The gathering would be of people belonging to all communities. Meena said that once a year the park would also see a gathering of Muslims offering Namaz on Eid. She said, besides Eid, this park would also host Dusshera celebrations where Muslims would also join enthusiastically. But the Sangh had opened the shakha last year just before Dusshera under the pretext of celebrating Ram Leela and since then communal tension and fear have gripped the neighbourhood.

Meena said that the shakha's activities and anti-Muslim slogans have sometimes caused so much fear and panic “we feel that if it is not checked, the situation will escalate and get out of hand.” She expressed worry that in this tense atmosphere if a mischief maker did even a small provocation, then the whole colony would be engulfed in communal riots and a Trilokpuri-like situation would arise here as well. She said that if those people (RSS cadres) had a problem with Namaz, then we were willing to not offer Namaz but then this park would have to be secured for only playing and walking/strolling so that there was no possibility of an outbreak of communal insanity. She informed the Party team about the illegal construction of a platform by the Sangh.

Another resident, 29-year-old Tarannum, had gone into depression due to the tense situation looming around her. Neighbours and AIDWA workers provided her counselling and managed to restore her courage. Tarannum said that the situation was very bad. “Shakha people turn towards our homes to urinate, shout loud slogans and when the shakha disperses, they leave the colony, beating their clubs on the ground. Around the time the shakha disperses, the children have to leave for their schools but due to this intimidation, families have stopped sending their children, especially girls to school,” Tarannum said, “All, we want is to stay in peace and harmony but these outsiders of the Sangh put up their shakha, creating fear in the atmosphere.”

Nargis, an AIDWA worker, said despite repeated requests to the authorities, no action had been taken to shut down the shakha. Even the police know that these people are trying to incite communal feelings by shouting slogans, but the police are not taking any action because we have a BJP government at the Centre and the police works on the central government’s instructions. Nargis said the local AAP MLA, Kapil Mishra, who is also Delhi's Law Minister, is a BJP leader's son and is not supportive in this matter.

Yakub Ali, a 44-year-old resident, said that very few locals, four or five, are part of this shakha and these are innocent children who know nothing about RSS. Most of the RSS karyakartas are outsiders who come here and raise communal slogans. According to Yakub, the Sanghis raise provocative slogans. When they pass by our homes beating clubs, they threaten us openly saying “Do what you will, we will continue doing this”. Further he said, the RSS karyakartas openly say: “Whoever dares to stare at the Sangh, will have his eyes gouged out.”

In the past few months, the Sangh with its activities have tried to create a tense atmosphere here.  The Sangh leaders openly gloat that the government at the Centre is theirs and that they didn't fear anyone and if anyone dared to take action against them then the consequences would be severe. Shri Ram Colony is like any other illegal colony of Delhi which is home to poor labourers, who live a life of struggle. There is lack of basic amenities, the gullies are unpaved and parks are not maintained and muddy and get flooded during monsoons. There is an extreme scarcity of good schools, but in spite of all these hardships people live as a close knit community in harmony here.

As the Eid celebrations passed off peacefully, the question that remained is this: Today the situation was in control, but in the coming days how do we keep up the pressure on the administration to help maintain peace and harmony in this colony? How do we counter the devious plans of the people who want to fuel communal disharmony in this colony?

The need of the hour is to organise a committee consisting of people from all religious communities, who will work tirelessly towards keeping peace and communal harmony in the colony. Along with this, in order to improve the lives of the common people and address the problems of the colony, a constant pressure should be put on the local administrative body and the Delhi government. If people stay focused on achieving the solutions to the problems of the area -- be it education or employment -- and organise themselves into movements, then forces that seek to spread communal venom will stand no chance. The need of the hour is for the progressive people of society to come forward and understand the situation and spread awareness so that the administration is forced to take action and prevent Shri Ram Colony from becoming another Trilokpuri or Atali. (END)