Jahangirpuri: Tiranga Yatra to symbolise return to normalcy

New Delhi: A week after the communal violence in Jahangirpuri, people from Hindu and Muslim communities took out a Tiranga yatra on Sunday evening in the C, D, and B Blocks and appealed for communal harmony and to maintain peace in the area.

Heavy police were deployed in the area to maintain law and order. The Tiranga Yatra was held amid tight security and the police also gave strict instructions to people of both the communities to march peacefully. The police also kept asking people to not chant any slogans that might provoke any community.

A week ago, the communal clash between two communities erupted in the area during a Hanuman Jayanti Procession, and because of this, heavy deployment of police was present to maintain peace in the area. Nine people were injured in the violence, which included eight policemen. The Delhi Police launched a probe and have arrested 25 people and apprehended two juveniles in the case so far.

Following this, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta wrote to the East MCD asking for the razing of homes of "rioters"

who he referred to "Bangladeshis and Rohingyas". Within a day, the North MCD carried out an "anti-encroachment" drive, razing dozens of shops and homes without notice despite an SC stay.

Since then, tensions have prevailed but after a peaceful Friday prayer last week, residents had declared they were moving ahead towards communal harmony.

On Sunday, people in the Tiranga Yatra also held photos of the architect of the Constitution, Dr. B.R Amedkar and waved the national flag. They also chanted slogans of Bharat Mata ki Jai and Hindu Muslim Sikh Isai aapas me hai bhai.

Representative from the Hindu Community Inder Mani Tiwari who is also the president of the resident welfare associations and Tabrez Khan from the Muslim community who have taken out this yatra hugged each other and told Millennium Post that the incident that happened on the April 16 will not be repeated. "Hindu and Muslim communities have been living for years in this area peacefully but some fringe elements of society attacked our relationship and try to destroy the idea of a nation that is unity in diversity," Tabrez said.

Residents of the Jahangirpuri area were showering flowers on the people who were present in the Tiranga Yatra and sending a peaceful message to all communities. The national flag was hoisted in every house and people were on the roof of their houses watching the yatra.

Musharraf Sheikh, 31, who has a mobile shop has said, "Humanity is above every religion. People are in fear in this area and we want to maintain peace in this area and that is why we are here in this Tiranga Yatra. Communal clashes have happened here for the first time and we will make sure the incident of violence will not be repeated. I am holding a photo of Babasaheb who preaches equality and talks about the Constitution and we all abide by our Constitution. We want to send the message of unity to all people. We celebrate Diwali and Eid together in this area."

Rajesh Mishra, 40, runs an animal pet shop and has been living in the Jahangirpuri area all his life. The incident was a black spot in the history of this area, he said, adding, "This will not be repeated for sure. We want to forget the violence and want to move ahead. We want to maintain communal harmony and all my Muslim friends are brothers. We have been living in this area peacefully and clash never happened but some fringe elements created havoc in this area. We also want to condemn violence and a probe into this matter should be done by the police."