Eid celebration on a subdued note

Eid-ul-Fitr is generally celebrated with full gaiety and brotherhood by our Muslim brothers and sisters all over the nation and abroad, but this year's Eid is celebrated on a subdued note in Faribad of Haryana due to an unfortunate incident of the alleged killing of a Muslim boy on a train. This is the festival of joy and happiness. It marks the end of one month of fasting. It is also celebrated by Muslim brethren and Hindus. It promotes brotherhood, co-existence, peace and harmony in the society. Our country is secular and secular fabric must be kept intact at all costs. But in the recent times, some tragic incidents such as the alleged killing of Mohammad Akhlaq last year in Noida village and two days back on the train of Junaid in Bahdurgarh on mere suspicion of beef have happened that go against our national secular character, conscience, and commitment to Constitution. The co-existence of the people of all religious faiths in peaceful atmosphere is our characteristic. But the incidents of the alleged killing of Mohammad Akhlaq in the Noida Village on mere suspicion that he had kept beef in his refrigerator and the murder of teenaged Mohammad Junaid on the same count only two days back on the train to Bahadurgarh in Haryana are black spots on our secular fabric. Junaid and his brothers boarded the train at Sahadara station after shopping for Eid from old Delhi market for their home. The train was bound for Mathura. Some 15 to 20 people boarded the train at Okhala stations and asked Junaid and his brothers to vacate their seats for them. On this the altercation started that resulted in the alleged stabbing of Junaid by one of the people from the mob to death. People from the mob also suspected that they were carrying beef and on that count, they termed them as anti-nationals. The assailant stabbed Junaid many times until he succumbed to death. They beat the deceased’s brothers also and allegedly called them Mullahs. Their headgear was also pulled down. Junaid was of about 17 or 18 years. It is shocking. It shatters the conscience of all Indians. The most surprising thing is that no one from the crowd of people in the train and on the platform came forward to help the Muslim brothers. It becomes more so terrible when both the GRP and the Haryana police also did not act in time to save Junaid. Even the distress call made to the Haryana police went unheeded. So, the people of deceased’s Khandwali village in Faridabad of Haryana have decide not to celebrate Eid this year. It is the duty of Haryana police and the GRP to give protection to every citizen irrespective of his or her religion, caste and creed. It is also shocking that no high officials, ministers of Haryana govt. or big leaders of the ruling party of the state have visited the deceased family in the village to express sympathy and give assurance of safety and security of the people. The Khandwali village of Faridabad in which Junaid lived is of Muslim majority, but no quarrel or clash has ever occurred between Muslims and Hindus. This is an ideal village. The Manohar Lal Khattar led BJP govt. in Haryana and Narendra Modi-led NDA govt. at the Centre must act immediately to reign in the fringe elements of BJP and Hindu chauvinists so that this type of tragic incident must not recur. Our heads should hang in shame over this type of tragic incidents. Whoever has committed the heinous crime must be brought to book without any delay. This type of tragic incidents occurs time and again only because fringe elements feel empowered. They feel that law enforcing agencies cannot do anything against them. This type of impression is dangerous for the nation. The secular fabric of the nation must be kept intact. The BJP-ruled state govt. and the Central govt. must act to uphold the value, norms and practices of the nation. Our society is multi-religious and multilingual. Everyone has right to live in society. No section of the people can be victimized merely on the basis of their religion. What happened on Mathura bound train must not be repeated. The deceased’s villagers have rightly decided not to celebrate this Eid and show their protest by wearing the black band on their wrists.