People's Democracy

THE CPI(M)’s Hissar and Bhiwani district committees and mass organisations have played admirable role in the rehabilitation of the riot-victims in Loharu and Kaithal. In the aftermath of Godhra incident, the BJP and the Sangh Parivar had made monstrous attempts to flare up communal violence in Haryana along the Gujarat pattern. Though they failed in their evil designs in other parts of the state, they did succeed in targeting the minority community in Loharu and Kaithal.

Loharu is a town in Bhiwani district which has a common border with Rajasthan. The Hindutva organisations first terrorised the Muslims of this town and forced them to run for life and then in their absence looted and burnt their shops and houses. This naturally meant complete ruination of these families. These victims of communal atrocities may not be able to reestablish their business in near future. Those who lost jobs in this period may find it difficult to get them again. Moreover, sense of insecurity will remain among the minority community population for a pretty long period.

However in this critical period several mass organisations have played an extremely positive role in organising relief work. The CPI(M)’s Bhiwani and Hissar district committees became active immediately after the March 17 incidents of communal atrocities. They demanded arrests of all those who are guilty of communal violence, contacted the victims and began mobilising resources needed for their rehabilitation.

The National Unity and Goodwill Committee organised in Hissar district effectively countered the mischevious rumours spread by the organisations of the Sangh Parivar. This helped in isolating the communal elements. Besides this resources needed to provide relief to the victims in Loharu town were mobilised. Since the party and its mass organisations are weak in Loharu, the party workers and the members of the mass organisations in Bhiwani took the initiative and did admirable job in organising relief work.

CPI(M) leaders and workers from both Bhiwani and Hissar kept on going to Loharu everyday to organise relief work. They provided to the victims among other things, utensils and clothings. Even some of the neighbours of the minority community victims provided them all kinds of help. An example of communal harmony was set when the activists of the Goodwill Committee went to Loharu from Bhiwani to make the necessary arrangements for the marriages of Iqbal’s two daughters which were to be solemnised on March 13. Earlier Iqbal had lost everything when his house was set on fire by the Hindutva rioters. The generous assistance provided by the Goodwill Committee activists surprised everyone including the bridegroom’s party.

Though the Haryana government has distributed Rs 10 lakh among the victims, it is not enough for rehabilitation of riot victims. Therefore, the party has made a demand that the government arranges bank loans to the victims on easy terms to enable them to reestablish their business activity.

Moreover the state committee has advised all the party branches not to consider the communal danger lightly in the aftermath of the Gujarat happenings. It is the time to be vigilant and educate the various communities in communal harmony.