Author:
Publication: The New Indian Express
Date: February 16, 2003
URL: http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?ID=IEP20030216130306
In Jakhan village, a new fine has
been imposed on residents. Any Hindu who talks or helps a Muslim neighbour
will now have to cough up Rs 1,100. But the Panchayat hasn't earned any
revenue because for the past two months, the Hindus and Muslims of this
village are not even talking to each other.
In this dusty village _ about 100
km from Jodhpur _ the Hindu sarpanch and his Muslim deputy haven't sat
down and talked without a mediator for almost two months.
Behind this acrimony is a feud over
the construction of a madarsa by the Muslims on a small piece of land.
Things came to a head last November when the 3000-odd Hindus in the village
marched up to the site and pulled down the building blocks.
Since then a boycott of the Muslims
has been in force. The 250-odd Muslim residents say they have been denied
access to the village grocery store, tubewells and schools. "We have no
access to the water points in the village, our children are not allowed
to attend school anymore and we can't buy any of our necessities from the
village kirana shop," complains deputy sarpanch Lal Deen.
Says Aziz Khan, in-charge of the
Shiksha Mitra Kendra: "We wanted to build a madarsa because that is where
we want our children to learn. There is religious sentiment attached to
it. Of course, that does not mean we will not teach them other things.
Our demand was not unreasonable." Deen claimed the sarpanch had given his
approval eight years ago.
A couple of kilometres away, in
the Hindu neighbourhood, they disagree. "They were constructing the school
on common village land that surrounds Jagadambe Ma's temple. There was
no way they could be allowed to do that," said Kalyan Singh, wrinkling
up his nose. "We didn't start this whole thing, the Muslims did," adds
Mahipal Singh. "All we were saying was that they should not construct anything
on the land surrounding the temple. They were given the option of another
land but they were just very adamant."
The Hindus insist there is no boycott.
"Shopkeepers don't entertain them anymore because they haven't cleared
their dues. And, of course, their children can come to the government school.
In fact, I don't understand why they want to build a different school in
the first place," Singh says.
Muslims point to the little grocery
store they have set up in their cluster. "See, we had to make our own arrangements.
We are even getting our water from the neighbouring village," says Babu
Khan, warning that if their demands were not met, the situation would only
worsen.
The district administration is playing
mediator. A police post has been set up in the village and a series of
meetings held with both communities. A confident additional collector Ashfaq
Hussain says: "There is no problem. It will soon be sorted out. We will
make sure peace is maintained."
