On June 2, 2022, leftist propaganda website The Wire published a report about the violence that took place in Jahangirpuri Delhi. They quoted the locals and claimed that the people of the Muslim community are migrating from Jahangirpuri.
The Wire painted a grim picture of the situation in Jahangirpuri. They claimed that unilateral action of the Police against illegal encroachers was the basis of the so-called exodus of Muslims from the area. They attempted to blame Police for the so-called ‘atmosphere of fear’ in Jahangirpuri and claimed the Police were harassing innocent Muslims for extorting money.
OpIndia conducted an on-ground investigation into the claims made by The Wire. On June 3, 2022, our team reached Jahangirpuri, just a day after The Wire’s report was published. We talked to the locals to confirm the ‘facts’ presented in the report. Most of the people we talked to outright rejected the claims made in the report. Also, upon investigation, we found that the ground situation was much different from what was claimed by The Wire.
The OpIndia team reached the part of Jahangirpuri where the violence had erupted, and the mob had caused the maximum damage. It was already 4 PM, and we could notice the hustle and bustle in the market. The shops were operating normally. There was a negligible presence of the Police. The barricades that were placed in the area had been removed. The barricades were present only till the temple located on the road where the mosque, which was the centre of discussion after the violence, was located. Also, people continued doing their daily chores.
Encroachments back on the road where Bulldozers acted
The Wire claimed in the report that the atmosphere of the region where bulldozers removed the encroachments was filled with fear. The locals, especially the people of the Muslim community, were scared. However, when we cross-checked the situation on the ground, it contradicted The Wire’s report. The encroachments were back on the roads. Junk deposits were visible on the sides of the roads of C block just like before.
At Shorab’s shop
Apart from junk, shops selling goods like electronics items and clothes without tax or GST were operating openly on the road. This was the same road where stone-pelting at Hanuman Yatra had started. Locals said all of those shops belonged to the people of the Muslim community. The encroachment was to the extent that a four-wheeler could not pass through that road comfortably. The fear that The Wire claimed in its report was nowhere visible in the people on that street.
Normal activity in front of the mosque
The next stop was the mosque and the area around it from where the Hindu Organizations have alleged that the stone-pelting had started. Upon reaching the spot, we noticed that the nearby shops were open from one line. There were bikes and some e-rickshaws standing on the spot to ferry people. There was a commotion around the mosque, and no signs of any ‘fear’ were visible.
Loading-unloading of junk
In its report, The Wire claimed that where bulldozers removed encroachments, people were scared for their future. However, on the same spot, we noticed loading and unloading of junk was ongoing without any fear of the authorities or the administration. The junk that was moved to Dhobighat of Block D during the anti-encroachment drive has been brought back.
There were trucks laden with junk standing on the spot. Also, very young boys were seen working at those shops without any restrictions. There were several handcarts standing at the spot to move the junk around that was unloaded from the truck.
The pending case against encroachment in Jahangirpuri
The authorities had initiated action against the encroachments in Jahangirpuri on April 20. Though such actions were common, it was seen as the aftermath of Jahangirpuri violence, where stones were pelted on Hanuman Jayanti Yatra, and the Hindus in the Yatra were attacked days before the anti-encroachment drive.
There were several political parties, leaders and activists who protested against the anti-encroachment drive and approached Supreme Court for a stay. The Court ordered to maintain the status quo at Jahangirpuri. The hearing in the encroachment case is still pending in the Court.
This report was first published in OpIndia Hindi.
