Why Kairana is in news
A small city in Shamli district, Kairana is in news for all the wrong reasons. On June 8, BJP MP Hukum Singh released a list of 364 people claiming they have left the city in the last two-three years after they were allegedly targeted by members of one particular community (Muslims). His claim had repercussions and the Akhilesh Yadav-led government immediately ordered an enquiry. The local administration got several teams to crosscheck the claims. National Human Rights Commission has also ordered an enquiry into the exodus of Hindu families.
District Magistrate report
But the ground report seems to be entirely different from what Singh claims.
Singh's list has become the basis of investigation for many, including the media and the local administration. While the district administration has taken up Singh's list to cross-check his claims, media took the list to visit the families or their neighbours or to see the locked gates.
When we reached Kairana, the district administration had already released a preliminary status report which rejected the claims made by Singh. According to Shamli DM, Sujit Kumar, "So far our preliminary report is not confirming the claims made by the MP. We are doing door-to-door checks. So far our report is confined to people whose names have been listed by MP Hukum Singh. If required, we will extend it and verify all the families." He further explained that of the people in the list, some are dead, some left the city 10-15 years ago, while others have shifted from the locality.
What we found at Ground zero
With the list in hand, we went knocking door to door to check if the people have actually left the city. We first went to Teachers Colony and found at least four houses locked. We asked one of the neighbours, Anita Chouhan (22), about her neighbours. "They left the city three years ago after two-three murders took place. Everyone was afraid. Our neighbours, Vijay Garg, left the city because of the spurt in crime. He is not the only one to leave. Many others in the locality have left and shifted to nearby cities," said Anita.
She said the city was peaceful after the Muzaffarnagar riots. It was the law and order situation which made people change the locality. She emphasised that safety of women is one of the biggest concerns in the city.
As we moved ahead in the same colony, we met one more family - Nirmala Devi's. She stays here with her daughters and husband. Her son has shifted to Uttarakhand but according to Hukum Singh's list, her family is also one of the 364 Hindu families who had left Kairana.
"After the riots he (her son) shifted to Uttarakhand but we are still here. We can not leave the place because we have our property here. We have shifted from one locality to another," said Nirmala Devi.
She also said that she had to leave her previous colony (Kayasthavad) because the Muslim population in that locality increased. Her daughter, Bhavana, said, "People would taunt us of living in mini-Pakistan. But those people never misbehaved with us."
She also said criminal activities were on the rise which is worrying. When her daughters go to their school or college, she prays for their safe return.
We moved to Kayasthavad which is supposed to be a Muslim-dominated area.
Mohammad Mukaram Ansari, a property dealer, has many Hindu friends. He said, "Please don't give any communal angle to what is more a law and order issue. We live here peacefully."
As we moved inside Kayasthavad, we found many advertisements along the walls on houses for sale. People have put their property on sale and have moved to different locations - not necessarily a different city. All these properties belong to Muslims.
So, one thing was clear - it's not just people of one community that was shifting to a different locality. Another person from the same locality said, "Provide us better opportunities in this city and we will not shift. Everyone is moving in hope of a better lifestyle and opportunity." Clearly, the migrations were for economic reasons like better health and education.
What is the law and order issue that everyone is talking about
In 2013-2014, a gang led by one Mukeeb Kala was active in the area. The gang members, coincidentally, were Muslims. They would beat someone to death in the market, or kill people for not paying an extortion amount. Superintendent of Police (Shamli) Vijay Bhushan, said, "Four of the gang members were killed in an encounter. Around 24 people of the gang are behind bars. They are not taken out even for the trials in the court. They undergo trial through video conferencing."
But the fear among people is still there. They are under constant threat of extortion and kidnapping.
What is the basis of Hukum Singh's report?
According to Hukum Singh, the basis of his report is the information provided by his workers. Whatever data he has prepared is on the basis of what his workers have checked and verified. When asked about giving a communal angle to a law and order issue he said his report is not wrong.
What is the need for releasing this list now?
Is releasing the list a political stunt ahead of upcoming Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh? Is the BJP trying to communalise what looks more like a law and order issue?
When we asked Hukum Singh, he said he will bring up the matter again and again till it is resolved. He accused the media of highlighting wrong things and focussing on the "Hindu" families. But the list which we have accessed shows Hukum Singh did out emphasis on "Hindu" families.
In his second press conference which Singh conducted, he said it's not a communal issue, but a law and order problem.
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