Dead pig found in Okhla mosque: Muslims, Hindus work together to prevent tension

In a clear attempt to spark unrest, a slaughtered pig was found inside a mosque in Delhi’s Okhla area. This incident took place even as areas like Trilokpuri and Bawana remain tense over communal clashes. While there was outrage about the incident in the mosque located in the JJ cluster, the Muslim community acted with restraint, choosing to file a police complaint along with the Hindus in the area. [caption id=“attachment_1790849” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] The Times of India quoted Okhla resident Amanatullah as saying, “What happened in Trilokpuri was very unfortunate and then there was the mahapanchayat at Bawana. It seems the riots were engineered and it is easy to spark a riot in a sensitive area like Okhla.” This incident should be taken as a good example as it shows that a little restraint on the part of all communities helps in the long run. A huge clash was avoided. Muslims of the area also earned praise from the Hindus at a time when the police are also having a hard time maintaining peace and law and order in the city. The Times of India quoted Karan Bidhuri of Madanpur Khadar as saying, “Both Hindus and Muslims are living in peace, and to maintain harmony it is important to constitute an aman committee for the Okhla area. The way communal passions are being stirred in Delhi, such committees will be needed in every part of the city.” However the police have been asked to keep a strict vigil on religious places in the area. This comes close on the heels of a mahapanchayat in Bawana that was led by local BJP MLA Gugan Singh and Congress councillor Devender Kumar alias Poni. Around 700 villagers on Sunday convened and attended a Mahapanchayat, to protest against the traditional route of the taziya procession in the area. Communally charged sloganeering, hate-filled speeches and religious symbolism marked the day-long event. Speakers repeatedly and aggressively cautioned the ‘other community’ of dire consequences in case of ‘unruly behaviour’. Even though their taziya procession was over without any major incident on Tuesday frightened residents of the Muslim-majority JJ Colony in Bawana area of north-west Delhi spent sleepless nights, reported Firstpost’s Tarique Anwar. Meanwhile, the Aman Committee in Trilokpuri - a group of 40 Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian members - have been working round the clock to maintain peace and harmony. Over 30 Hindu volunteers along with the members of Aman Committee headed a peaceful Muharram procession in the presence of over 1,200 policemen, including paramilitary forces on Tuesday.