Prayers Resume In New Delhi Mosques Gutted By Hindu Rioters

Meena Masjid in northeast New Delhi advertises help for victims of the February riots that killed 53, injured many more and saw many dozens their homes and businesses in fires. Photo by Zaffar Iqbal.

NEW DELHI— Seven months after communal riots rocked New Delhi, damaging mosques and other properties, a sense of calm has returned to India’s capital.

A number of mosques that were targeted by Hindu rioters have been repaired and reconstructed, allowing Muslims to resume prayers this week.

At least 53 people died in the February riots. Two-thirds were Muslims, and more than a dozen were Hindus.

READ: India Sees Worst Violence In Decades As Mob Attacks Muslim Protesters

The riots started in North East Delhi near Shaheen Bagh, a place where women, mostly Muslims, were staging a peaceful protest against India's Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that grants “persecuted” Hindus, Sikhs and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan citizenship in India. The act does not extend the benefit to Muslims and is regarded as anti-Muslim in intent.

Violence erupted after a threat by the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra that his Hindu nationalist activists would evict the protesters if the police failed to do so.

Haji Mohammad, chief cleric of Meena mosque in North Delhi, said the mosque has been repaired and worshippers have returned. Rioters vandalized the mosque on February 25.

“The situation was peaceful during the day but turned ugly after 5 pm,” Mohammad said. “The rioters swooped on Chand Bagh and set ablaze properties of Muslims.”

Mohammad said the Hindu mob first targeted the main gate of the mosque and “they then threw burning tires inside the mosque.” He added that many valuable items of the mosque were looted. “It was a dark moment. The house of God was desecrated!” he said. “Copies of the Quran were thrown away.” 

Though happy with the reopening of the mosque, Mohammad said the “government didn’t help in the reconstruction of the mosque. We petitioned the courts as well but nothing happened.”

Auliya Masjid Masjid Shiv Vihar in Delhi was damaged by rioters in February 2020.

He said Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind (JUH), an influential Islamic organization in India founded by Islamic scholars 100 years ago, helped in the reconstruction of the mosque. “The mosque’s charred doors and windows have been replaced with new ones and the floor has got new tiles,” he said.

In neighboring Mustafabad, Farooqia mosque and a madrassa, a school for Islamic studies that was badly damaged in the riots, were also repaired with the help of  JUH. 

“The government’s indifference has hurt our feelings,” said Fakraduin, president of the Farooqia mosque committee. “Not even a First Information Report (FIR) was filed even after we approached all the senior police officials and the Lt. Governor of New Delhi.” He alleged that the rioting happened as the police stood by. “The police watched as the rioters went berserk,” he said. “One won’t feel so sad for losing one’s life when seeing the house of God being set on fire.”

Fakraduin said despite provocations, prayers at the mosque never stopped. “The security forces tried to stop us from praying in the mosque after the mosque was damaged by fire, but we asked them how they would stop us,’’ he said. “We insisted the mosque belongs to all and our prayers won’t stop.” The worshipers said their prayers on the roof of the mosque.

“Government didn’t help in filing an FIR against the rioters, let alone help in the reconstruction of the mosque,” Fakraduin said. He said the rioters first beat people in the mosque and then set it on fire.

The JUH has identified 12 mosques needing reconstruction in Delhi, including Farooqia and Meena mosques. So far 10 mosques have been reconstructed. The JUH is also helping victims of the riots by repairing their damaged homes and shops.

According to police records, eight mosques, two madrasas and one dargah or shrine were reportedly damaged. But Muslim organizations say the actual number is higher.

Farooquia Masjid Brijpuri in northeast New Delhi is being reconstructed after Hindu rioters damaged it in February. Photo by Zaffar Iqbal.

Hakeem ud din Qasmi, a JUH official, said in some instances the volunteers of the organization went to the affected places for an on-the-spot assessment of the losses, while in other cases people affected by the riots themselves approached JUH for help.

He said the JUH is not only helping in the reconstruction of the mosques, but also in restoring lost businesses and helping with the legal fight on behalf of those hurt in the riots.

Ud din Qasmi said the JUH has not limited its role to helping only Muslims; the organization has reached out to distressed Hindus as well. “We also rebuilt a damaged house of a Hindu family and six gutted shops owned by Hindus near a mosque at Shiv Vihar,’’ he said. 

He said the JUH mounted peace rallies in the worst-hit areas to instill a sense of confidence among the people. “We helped the people who had migrated during the riots to return to their native places,’’ he said. “We opened channels of communication with the non-Muslims for bringing about reconciliation between the two communities.’’

JUH actively participated in India’s struggle for independence and has always been at the forefront of humanitarian work. The organization also helped Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh, people affected by the tsunami in Sri Lanka, and migrant workers stuck in lockdown during the pandemic. Ud din Qasmi said that even during the pandemic the organization has continued with its humanitarian work.

Several people whose businesses were destroyed in the riots have made a new beginning. Kanhiya Lal, a Hindu shop owner, said his two shops were gutted and that he suffered a loss of 16 lakh rupees (about $20,000). “The district magistrate offered help, but a Muslim organization was the first to provide aid,’’ he said.

As people are trying to make a fresh start, law enforcement agencies have yet to identify and punish the rioters. Delhi police have been criticized for targeting students and activists who participated in the CAA and the National Register For Citizens (NRC) protests that raged in several parts of India following the Delhi riots. The NRC, too, is widely considered to be discriminatory against Muslims, part of the BJP’s nationalist Hindu campaign to curtail the size of the Muslim minority.

According to Haji Muhammad the rioters had come from outside. “It was the work of the outsiders; the local Hindu residents of the area were not involved in riots,” he said. Lal is also upset with the police for failing to identify the rioters. He said no action was taken by the police after the FIR was filed. “As soon as we got to know that our shops were gutted, we lodged a complaint but there has been no response to-date,” he said.

“Most of my customers are Muslims,” Lal said. “I never discriminate against my customers on the basis of religion.”  “There is no problem now,’’ said Muhammad “Nobody prevents us from responding to the call for prayers.”

In riot-hit areas, Hindus and Muslims are clearly renewing their bonds, not allowing the tragedy to cloud their relationship. Both communities agree there is no alternative.

Zaffar Iqbal is a journalist based in Kashmir India. He has reported for 18 years on armed encounters, environmental issues, crime, politics, culture and human rights. He’s formerly the bureau chief of Jammu and Kashmir for NDTV.