Atali back in trouble

If minorities, particularly Muslims, are attacked in any BJP-ruled state, it is not just a local law and order problem to be dismissed lightly. What has happened at Atali village in Faridabad district has yet to move the Manohar Lal Khattar government into any meaningful action. The government perhaps thinks it has done its duty and managed the communal situation after the May 25 attacks on Muslim houses over the construction of a mosque on a disputed land. It needs to rethink. Despite the heavy deployment of Haryana police personnel in the village communal trouble resurfaced on Tuesday, this time involving Dalits and Jats, over a minor dispute. But it recreated a sense of fear in Muslim families which, according to media reports, fled the village. Muslim families have been forced to leave the village after a crowd, mostly of outsiders, targeted their houses, shops and mosque. This may suit local politicians who hire ruffians to scare their opponents and consolidate their own votes. Mewat too had witnessed such communal trouble last year.  

For any responsive government this should have been a worrisome prospect but the Khattar government does not seem to be losing its sleep over such incidents. Atali caught the national attention because Hindu-Muslim violence is rare in Haryana. Excesses by orthodox khap panchayats are common but these are not caste or religion based. Dalits suffer discrimination and humiliation in day-to-day life because of upper caste bias and intolerance. The simmering Jat-Dalit tension erupted at Mirchpur but the conviction of 15 assailants gave the Dalits some sense of relief and justice, even if delayed.

Atali has furthered the trend that started at Mewat. The police deployment was delayed. Though cases have been registered, no arrests made. This is strange. So many houses were attacked and people forced to desert their village and spend many days at a Ballabhgarh police station, yet for the police and the government all is well. If strict action had been taken after the May 25 violence, fresh trouble would not have perhaps occurred. If the Atali hooligans go unpunished, communal violence could spread.