Visit of civil society organizations at Atali village, Ballabhgarh, Haryana, today( 5th June,2015)

Press Statement for favour of publication: (attached also) 

Visit of  civil society organizations at Atali village, Ballabhgarh, Haryana, today( 5^th June,2015).

Today a team consisting of members of PUCL, NAPM,  Khudai Khidmatgar and Socialist Party visited the Atali village in Ballabhgarh District (Haryana) led by  Justice Rajinder Sachar (Retd). Team met the Muslim residents who were attacked on 25^th May,2015, whose houses were burnt,  belongings  looted or destroyed and who had to flee from the village  to save their lives and   had taken shelter in a police station at Ballabhgarh till 3^rdJune.  The  team was happy to see that elders of the majority community had approached them and assured them of their co-operation in protecting them and support in building the ‘mosque’ and  on their assurance, as well assurance of the administration, they have returned to the village from  3^rd  June, 2015. However since their houses were burnt  and their belongings  totally destroyed or looted by the anti-social elements, they have to  rebuild their lives from scratch. The interim compensation at the rate of Rs.5000/- per family  given to the victims by the administration is totally insufficient.

      Besides the Muslim residents, the  team members met SDM Dr. Priyanka Soni, some police officials including two ACPs who were present at the spot as well as members  of the majority community of the village. Though  the administration and the elders of the majority community  asserted that they are committed to the building of the mosque,  still there are some mischievous elements who, inspite of the court verdict against them and inspite of the compromise,  seem to be unsatisfied and have again gone to the court of CJM, Faridabad,  in appeal claiming that the land of  the  mosque belongs to the Panchayat and got a notice issued to the Mosque committee as well as the Panchayat.  Matter is fixed tomorrow for hearing. However the team is surprised to note that though there are more than eight temples, there is no properly constructed mosque in the village and the Muslim residents  have been  offering their prayers  in a make-shift tinshed for more than a century.

      The team urges upon the  Haryana Govt. that (i)  the task of building the mosque must be given top priority and urgency, and proper protection be given to the mosque  committee  for this purpose; (ii) Adequate compensation be given to the victims of violence so that they are able to rehabilitate themselves  in a dignified manner; (iii) that  those responsible  for  violence should be immediately arrested and prosecuted and (iv) that due protection be given to the  Muslim families and their properties.

 The team members were Justice Rajinder Sachar, N.D.Pancholi, Prof. V.K.Tripathi, Vimal Bhai, Faisal Khan, Rizwan Ahmad, Farah Sakib and Abdul Malik.

N.D.Pancholi

President, PUCL (Delhi)