On 7th October, Organiser Weekly shared a disturbing video of a madarsa catering illegal Rohingya immigrants living in Nuh, Haryana. In the video, children studying in a makeshift madarsa claimed, “non-believers will burn in hell.” As reported by Subhi Vishwakarma, around 400 illegal immigrants live in the area. The children study Urdu, Pashto, Farsi, English, and Hindi in the madarsa. The children have no intention of becoming doctors or engineers and want to become “Hafiz” when they grow up.
Though the Muslim teacher, also a Rohingya, was cautious enough not to make any controversial statements, the children did not hold back and professed extreme beliefs. Not to forget, Nuh witnessed violence against Hindus in July 2023 when Islamists attacked Shobhayatra and killed innocent Hindus and security personnel. In the same Nuh, Mewat area, Mamman Khan, Congress candidate and one of the accused in Nuh Violence has won the Haryana Assembly Elections with the highest margin.
"We came to India in black…" says a Rohingya Muslim living in Nuh.
— Subhi Vishwakarma (@subhi_karma) October 13, 2024
This video was recorded during our ground visit for the #HaryanaElections, during which we coincidentally entered a #Rohingya settlement. What we discovered there is beyond belief!
We found a fully operational… pic.twitter.com/ebAXMGbmEZ
Rohingyas came to India illegally without visas or passports
In the video, the illegal immigrants from Myanmar informed the Organiser team that they reside in Nangal village near Nuh, Haryana. Speaking to the team, one of the teachers, Muhammad Yunus, said that there are around 400 refugees living in the area. He stated that all the children of the refugees living in Mewat and Nuh attend this particular madarsa.
Another teacher, Ziaur Rahman, who also teaches at the madarsa, said he crossed into India illegally via Bangladesh in 2016, escaping the violence in Myanmar. He openly admitted that he entered India illegally with the help of people at the border. He said that he did not have a passport or visa to enter India. Furthermore, when asked if they had any local identity cards, he claimed that they only had UNHCR refugee cards.
Though Yunus claimed that they teach Hindi and English at the madarsa, when Subhi and her team checked, the available books were all in Urdu and Farsi. When asked about the other books, Yunus claimed they were kept in another classroom, which was conveniently locked at the time.
Illegal immigrants’ journey from Myanmar and life in India
In the video, they discussed their harrowing journey from Myanmar to India. They explained that they fled to preserve their faith in the face of severe persecution. Rahman, who came to India in 2016, has been living without any identification documents other than the refugee card.
When asked if they received any government support to establish the “refugee camp,” Yunus said that the government did not provide any support, but no one stopped them either. The illegal immigrants have essentially been living on encroached land for around a decade without interference from the authorities.
Yunus also claimed that they keep away from illegal activities and that officials from CID often visit them, warning them not to come out if there is any potential for violence in the area. He said, “They [CID] come and tell us not to go out, and we oblige.” Despite the madarsa being an illegal structure on encroached land, it has become the primary educational institution for the Rohingya children in the area, where they receive religious education.
‘No doctors, no engineers, only Hafiz’
As the so-called Hindi and English books were unavailable for the Organiser team to check, it is safe to conclude that the madarsa’s educational curriculum is strictly religious. Children are taught Arabic, Urdu, Quran recitations, and the fundamentals of Islam. When the team spoke to a few children at the madarsa, they made it clear that their ambition is to become Hafiz and dedicate their lives to serving Allah. When questioned about choosing alternative careers such as becoming a doctor or engineer, one child refused and said, “I want to become Hafiz.”
Strong sentiments against non-believers
One of the most alarming aspects of the video was the views they hold about non-Muslims. When the reporter asked what the definition of the best Muslim was, one of the students said, “The best Muslim is the one who remains connected with Allah at all times, for whom religion always comes first. Those who do not believe in Allah will know when the Dajjal (Antichrist) comes, and he will take them to the fire of hell. The Dajjal will make false claims, but we will not believe in him; we will only have faith in Allah. Those who do not believe in Allah will definitely burn in hell.”
To which the reporter sarcastically replied, “Oh, we too will burn? We don’t believe in Allah, so are we going to burn? Well, yes, we are infidels, we are Hindus. But we don’t know much about this.”
The reporter then asked, “What are we to you, as Hindus?” The reply was, “Just brothers and sisters.” The reporter responded with humour, “Wow! Please don’t call us infidels (kafir), at least let us live in peace!”
From the conversation, it was evident that the students believe non-believers will burn in hell, but they had been taught not to say anything about Hindus or call them “Kafirs.”
Exposure to Zakir Naik’s controversial teachings
Another problematic aspect of the video was the confirmation that reporters received about the children being exposed to the videos of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, who is known for his anti-Hindu views. When asked if the children watched his videos, they praised him and said, “We like how he brings people to the path of faith with full force and conviction. That’s what we appreciate about him.”
Conclusion
The video has raised several questions about the situation in Nuh. There are multiple camps of Rohingyas in the region. One of the madarsa teachers confirmed that several of the illegal immigrants are living in Jammu and Kashmir, Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Delhi, and West Bengal. Apart from what he admitted, there have been reports of illegal Rohingyas being caught in Assam, Mumbai, and other places. Their presence in India and their children receiving religious education may have serious implications for the country’s social fabric.
While they express gratitude for the safety and security they enjoy in India on camera, their commitment to radical beliefs about non-believers points to a deep-seated ideology that could have far-reaching consequences.
Nuh Shobhayatra attack of July 2023
On 31st July, a mob of hundreds of Islmist rioters attacked Hindu devotees participating in the Brijmandal Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh, Mewat of Haryana. At least six people were killed as a result of the riots.
During the investigation into the riots, OPIndia accessed over 25 FIRs and complaints that provided a clearer picture of what happened during the violence. Based on information available via FIRs, complaints and witnesses, it appeared that the attack was pre-planned. OPIndia came across several videos posted two days before the Jalabhishek Yatra instigating Muslims against Hindus.
Islamists have claimed the riots happened because of Bajrang Dal activist and Gau Rakshak Monu Manesar. Old videos of Monu were circulated to instigate Muslims saying he was going to Nuh on that day. The video that was mostly circulated was from October 2022. Detailed reports can be checked here.
Furthermore, a cyber crime police station was attacked in Nuh, Police officials were injured, Home Guards were killed. The rioters first shot one of the Bajrang Dal activists Abhishek, then his throat was slit and his head was crushed leading to his death.
OpIndia’s complete coverage of the Mewat Shobha Yatra Attack can be checked here.
