Delhi riots: Subhash mohalla in Yamuna Vihar swears by its unity in diversity

NEW DELHI: On a lane in Subhash mohalla in Yamuna Vihar, a Shiv temple stands. It escaped any harm during last week’s communal riots. The temple priest testified that the Muslim residents ensured its safety. On Tuesday, Hindu and Muslim families prepared food at the temple for those affected by the riots.
As pujari Achal Sharma performed his daily rituals, Asif Khan and his wife Nusrat arrived.Khan recalled, “We convinced residents not to believe in the rumours. People were scared as there were slogans being chanted and sounds of gunfire. But we stood together.” Nusrat’s beauty parlour in Bhajanpura was vandalised. “Our house stayed intact and we ensured other houses too remained undamaged,” Khan added. “With the love we share here, we will rebuild the parlour.”
Anil Kumari, Sharma’s mother, said self-assuredly that the Muslims in the locality would sacrifice their lives for the temple. “This is the love we share,” she said. The priest also said that when the Babri Masjid riots rocked the country in 1992, “not a leaf on this lane was shaken and never will”.
According to Shabbir Ahmed, “Each night, Pandit ji and we stood guard at the lane entries. Others brought us tea to help us stay awake.” Retired CISF employee Ramesh Chandra Walia added, “Even women did guard duty, staying alert during daytime too.”
In Shiv Vihar too, the spirit of harmony helped neighbours avoid violence. Rajaram, 60, who runs a school in the area, said, “When Hindus saw Muslims in trouble or vice-versa, they intervened to save each other. We have been living together for 33 years. It was outsiders who indulged in violence.” Neighbours came to the assistance of Sajid Hassan and his family. “There was a wedding in my family on February 25, so we had many guests in our house. Our neighbours hid most of us in their houses and we left when police arrived in the morning,” said Hassan.