In Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh, several Dalit Hindu families are forced to sell their houses due to alleged harassment by local Muslims. In the Dawoodpur Kota village under Thana Jawan area, some Dalit Hindu families have put up posters outside their houses with text “Dalit Samaj ke makaan bikau hain, Musalmano se pareshan karne par Dawoodpur Kota Aligah se palayan karne ko majboor hain” (Houses of Dalit community are up for sale, fed up of harassment by Muslims, we are forced to migrate from Dawoodpur Kota village).
Meanwhile, Aligarh Police personnel have been deployed in the area after a recent incident of clashes between the Hindu Dalit and the Muslim community. The local Dalits have appealed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide them protection.
Last year, a dispute arose over forcibly removing the keys of a motorcycle, after which a fierce fight broke out between the local Hindu Dalit and Muslim communities. Police were also deployed for a few days. Even after this, sporadic incidents took place and this month, a Dalit woman Jaywanti Devi, a resident of this Muslim-majority village, was beaten up by Muslims after a dispute over chasing away a goat.
Giving information about the incident, the Dalit victim Jayanti Devi said that the goats of a woman named Daraksha who lived in the neighbourhood had entered her house and spilled milk and flour. Jayanti Devi said that when she complained about this to the Muslim woman next door, she was threatened.
The Dalit woman said that her Muslim neighbour threatened her and was even assaulted by the neighbours.
A case was registered in this matter at Jawan police station. Jawan police station in-charge Hemant Mavi said that two accused were arrested in the case of assault. After this, some villagers had put up posters of houses for sale on their houses, which have been removed.
Reports say that Dawoodpur Kota is a Muslim-majority village and there are around 60 Hindu families in the village, of which 20 are Dalit families. There are around 400 Muslim families. The village is around 8 kilometres away from Jawan town.
Mohit Kumar, a resident of Dawoodpur Kota, said that the windows of vehicles parked outside the houses were broken due to stone pelting by the Muslims. He added that garbage is also often thrown on their houses. Arguments take place with their family members over petty matters. The Dalit Hindu man said that women and daughters of their families are also not safe in the village and therefore they are forced to sell their houses.
The local Hindu Dalits alleged that their women are subjected to harassment and the local Muslims interfere in the Hindu community’s social and religious rights. The Muslims often clash with Dalits over playing DJ in wedding processions and crate a ruckus during weddings. The locals lamented that these issues have made it difficult for Dalit families to get their daughters married.
