Muzaffarnagar riots have led to a change in the communal harmony of the region. Why did the Muzaffarnagar riots take place? Muzaffarnagar riots explained through a timeline:
I Communal violence took place in Muzaffarnagar in June 2012, August 2013 and now in September 2013. Once known as Mohabbat Nagar for the Hindu-Muslim harmony in the region, something goes terribly wrong with Muzaffarnagar.
II The incident which sparked the riots started on 27th August. A muslim youth was stabbed to death in Kanwal village by two youths of the jat community for allegedly stalking their sister. The duo then reached the deceased youth’s family to talk to them but were beaten to death.
III Police of the concerned area registered an FIR against the parents of the brothers who killed the youth and themselves got beaten to death. This led to anger within the jat community as parents of the girl were not even present on the site of killing.
IV Political leaders from across the political spectrum exploited the opportunity by speaking in favour of their respective vote banks.
According to an NDTV report, local leaders of congress and BSP spoke in an inflammatory tone just three days after the incident in a Friday prayer meeting with muslims as audience. Similarly, local BJP leaders addressed a mahapanchayat called by the jat community which was markedly termed as ‘Bahoo Bachao Beti Bhachao Panchayat’.
V The necessary step of preventing inflammatory speeches and gatherings was avoided by the UP administration with serious repercussions as the farmers returning from the mahapanchayat were attacked by the other community and a localized dispute between private parties snowballed into a full-fledged riot.