The dust is far from settled in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, communal tension, demolished structures, and an uncertain future awaits the survivors. Adding insult to injury are the constant jibes of being “Bangladeshi” and “Rohigya” that they have to hear everyday as an “insult”. 

The most impactful of these insults however, have not come from right-wing forces. The Bengali speaking Muslims of Jahangirpuri, who say they came to the national capital over the years leaving their homes in West Bengal to earn a living, have been tagged ‘Bangladeshi’ and ‘Rohingya’ by mainstream politicians including leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which leads the Delhi government. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that is in power in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and ordered the Jahangirpuri demolitions, has perhaps been empowered by that too. Municipal elections are due in the city-state soon and the BJP wants to retain the power it has here for decades, while the AAP, fresh from its win in Punjab, hopes to make its debut in the MCD,  before it ventures to contest Assembly elections in other states. That means more ‘action’ may soon be expected in the city. 

Bulldozers may reach other ‘Muslim’ colonies?

According to a report in Dainik Jagran, after Jahangirpuri, other Muslim majority areas of Delhi, such as Shaheen Bagh and Okhla may be on the ‘list’ where the Municipal Corporation may take action against what it deems are “illegal constructions”. These areas are under the South Delhi Municipal Corporation. It was reported that there are “Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators” as claimed by the authorities. These areas include the now well known Okhla-Shaheen Bagh. 

The BJP has made it a key point of the BJP’s ‘mission’ to ‘rid’ the city and country of alleged “Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators”. This follows the allegations given by the AAP leaders such as deputy CM Manish Sisodia, MLA Aatishi Marlena, RS MP Raghav Chaddha and others who “accused” the BJP of “settling Rohingya and Bangladeshis in Jahangirpuri” and other areas. The AAP leaders said that these “Rohingya and Bangladeshis” were then used to fuel communal unrest including riots. 

Sisodia had claimed, “BJP has got Bangladeshis and Rohingyas illegally settled in different parts of the country. Why were they settled in the country? These people have been settled along with BJP’s own people. After getting them settled, riots are conducted as per a script.” Raghav Chadha had used a similar tone with a focus on Delhi and said, “If one wants to know when the BJP plans to create the next riot, ask them to give a list of places where they have settled Bangladeshis and Rohingyas. The BJP has settled Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in Delhi, and [will] use them to riot.”

जहांगीरपुरी में बुलडोजर कार्यवाही पर प्रतिक्रिया pic.twitter.com/IgFBsmdtlm

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) April 20, 2022

According to news reports, last week, the Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta wrote to the Mayors and Commissioners of the south and east Delhi civic bodies, asking them to “run bulldozers” on the illegal encroachments by “Bangladeshis, Rohingyas and anti-social elements” in their areas. He in turn blamed AAP and the Congress for “protecting rioters” in Jahangirpuri. In repornse the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Mayor Mukesh Suryan said the SDMC will carry out the anti-encroachment drives accordingly. According to a report in the Hindu, Suyran said, “If a bulldozer is required, then we will use it. If a senior leader is showing interest in removing illegal encroachments, we should welcome it. There are many illegal encroachments in Okhla, Khanpur and the like, they will be dealt with.” 

Was a grenade found outside the BJP councillor’s home?

Adesh Gupta repeated, “Bangladeshi Rohingya are patronised by Kejriwal” when speaking of reports that a “bomb” was repotedly found at the house of BJP councilor Bhagat Singh Tokas, who had proposed that Mohammadpur village be renamed to Madhavpuram. According to news reports, on Monday night, the Delhi Police recovered a bag with “an old rusted grenade” in it near Southwest Delhi's Mohammadpur area. Police and other forces reached the spot and took action.  

According to a report in The Print, a day after the Delhi Police found the unidentified bag BJP councillor Bhagat Singh Tokas has claimed to have received a threat call.  On Tuesday Tokas told the media, “Yesterday, a hand grenade was found in Mohammadpur. So, this is the mischief of an anti-social element to threaten me and the people of my village. The investigation is going on. Someone has brought an old grenade and has kept it near my house, but I would like to say that we are celebrating the 75th Azaadi’s Amrit Mahotsav and these elements should have been abolished at the time of independence. I would like to thank Delhi state BJP President Adesh Gupta that a big campaign under his leadership will be held soon for the remaining 40 more places that are named after Mughals who looted us.” 

केजरीवाल से संरक्षण प्राप्त बांग्लादेशी रोहिंग्या की एक और घिनौनी करतूत!

गुलामी के प्रतीक नाम के विरुद्ध मोहम्मदपुर गांव का नाम बदलकर माधवपुरम का प्रस्ताव निगम में पास कराने वाले भाजपा पार्षद भगत सिंह टोकस के घर पर बम मिला।

अपनी हिंदू विरोधी मानसिकता से बाज आओ @ArvindKejriwal। pic.twitter.com/Z1ZaSciSWc

— Adesh Gupta (@adeshguptabjp) April 25, 2022

AAP continues to chant ‘BJP settled Rohingya-Bangladeshis in Delhi’

However, AAP leaders including its Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha continue to accuse the BJP of settling Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in Delhi and all over the country. He said, “BJP has settled these Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in Delhi and used them to cause riots. If one wants to know when the BJP plans to create the next riot, ask them to give a list of places where they have settled Bangladeshis and Rohingyas.” 

Atishi later added that the “BJP is threatening Delhiites with Bulldozer politics. Going from house to house saying "Give money or else you will break the house".” 

BJP Bulldozer की राजनीति से दिल्ली वालों को धमका रही है। घर-घर जाकर कह रही है "पैसे दो वरना घर तोड़ डालेंगे"

आज हमने Delhi के कोने-कोने में पदयात्रा निकाली और लोगों को बताया: हमें भाजपा के गुंडों से डरना नहीं है। अगर कोई परेशान करे तो AAP के नेता आपके साथ खड़े है।

-@AtishiAAP pic.twitter.com/QlbiXCpfI4

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) April 24, 2022

BJP की पैसे की हवस रुकने का नाम ले रही!

▪️पैसे की हवस के कारण BJP अब मंदिरों पर Bulldozer चला रही है

▪️लोगों को बुलडोज़र का डर दिखा भगवान की गुल्लक से उगाही कर रही है BJP

▪️AAP और श्रीनिवासपुरी की जनता ने मन बना लिया है कि BJP को मंदिर पर बुलडोज़र नहीं चलाने देंगे

-@AtishiAAP pic.twitter.com/u2QgAeuPXs

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) April 23, 2022

Meanwhile, while the politicians were busy accusing each other, it was left to the Hindus and Muslims of Jahangirpuri and other areas, to walk together in a peace march holding Tricolour in the lanes and hope that the violence and destruction is not repeated.

Related:

Jahangirpuri: Hindu, Muslim citizens take out peace march holding Tricolour

Evolution of Bulldozer Injustice

Eye witness account from the broken heart of Jahangirpuri

Jahangirpuri demolition drive: Brinda Karat walks the talk yet again!

Jahangirpuri: Navika Kumar, Anjana Om Kashyap demolish media credibility further