Land sharks inciting riots

VADODARA: Most believe cosmopolitanism breeds in localities where standard of living is good and literacy is high. But a small pocket in city where residents are illiterate, live in shanties and struggle for two square meals has proved to be more broad-minded.
Sulemani Chawl, a locality of 430 shanties on the Ajwa and Waghodia road junction, is in stark contrast to its communally sensitive surroundings.Hindus and Muslims in the chawl live in harmony. Very few here are literate, most work as daily wage labourers, push carts and rickshaws to survive.
Last night when police cracked its whip here, beating up poor residents including women, smashed a couple of rickshaws, residents living in peace here for over 25 years were taken aback.
"Somebody hurled a crude bomb. A 17-year-old boy got injured in the explosion. We heard the noise and came out to see what had happened but police thought we created trouble and picked up boys from our locality," said Ram Kanojia, a peanut vendor.
He said Hindus and Muslims in the chawl have been living in peace for decades and even in the current spate of communal violence did not break the bond of love between two communities. "We eat and live together. It is the outsiders who hurl petrol bombs on us and create problems. They can''t digest the fact that Hindus and Muslims in the chawl are united," Kanojia said.
A common contention among residents is that land sharks are eyeing the plot on which the chawl stands. "Builders in the area want us to vacate this plot. There is a building complex nearby but it is vacant. Builders feel that the chawl is a black spot on the landscape. Moreover, the chawl is on a prime location and if it is wiped off, the builders who can lay their hands on this land can make a good fortune," said Iqbal Mirza, another resident.
He said on March 16, the then deputy commissioner of police Piyush Patel had visited the chawl. Patel shared tea with residents there and appreciated their unity.
"But on Tuesday night we became the victims of police. They did not bother to confirm whether we were the ones who were involved in the riots or we were the victims of riots. They beat us up, smashed our doors and did not even spare the women," said SSC student of Nalanda Vidyalaya staying in the chawl Poonam Thakor.
"We are poor people. We don''t have any clout. They overlooked the fact that in this chawl the Hindus and Muslims live in peace and it is the outside elements that want to disturb this unity. Even now our pleas are ignored," said Ashok Chauhan, a rickshaw driver.
Mahesh Patel, a factory worker said since curfew has been clamped in the area, the residents are finding it difficult to survive. "We don''t have anything to eat. The biggest question is how to survive," Patel said. "We urge the police to consider our unity. Instead of targeting us the police should book those who are guilty of fomenting trouble," said Premnath Mane, a migrant from Maharashtra.
Residents living in the chawl suspect that a noted builder in Waghodia road is playing mischief. But the residents say that they neither have the resources nor the influence to make a legal case.
Meanwhile, the fabric of unity remains intact in the chawl with Hindu and Muslim residents coming to each other''s aid and nursing wounds.