LUCKNOW: Thirteen poor Muslim families, who are being victimized in Jaunpur city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, are worried after they were served eviction notices on false charges.
On 1st August, 33 people were arrested by the local police after it was claimed that the ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogan was raised during a Muharram procession in Kishundaspur village. The authorities have served notices to thirteen of these 33 persons asking them to vacate their “encroachments” from the government land. These notices have added to the problems of these families as they were already suffering due to the imprisonment of their breadwinners.
The affected families said that it was the ‘Tajustan Zindabad’ slogan raised during the procession but some miscreants made it into “Pakistan Zindabad.”
“That is the ‘Tajustan Zindabad’ slogan. He was our teacher. He has died. We raised a slogan to hail him,” an upset woman was quoted by the local media as saying after receiving an eviction notice. She appealed to the government to verify the video.
The woman said the video has not been investigated properly and they are being punished merely on the basis of false claims made by some miscreants.
After the arrest of their men, the families are finding it difficult to sustain themselves. They sleep hungry. “No one has come to inquire how we are living or surviving. False allegations were levelled against us,” she said. Her son was arrested on 31 July while the family slept at night.
Several women from the affected families asserted that it was ‘Tajustan Zindabad’ not ‘Pakistan Zindabad’. They fear that their houses could be bulldozed by the administration after serving notices to them.
All the arrested Muslims have been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code.
