Although residents of Sinthla Dangal and the adjoining Ram Krishna Dangal, a Hindu-majority pocket, say all is well after the communal flare-up in March 2018
As Asansol prepares to go to polls in phase -4 on April 29, the imam who had lost his son in communal riots in March 2018 said in his deliberations ahead of the Friday namaz that Muslims should ensure that their votes are not fragmented.
"We want peace to prevail and no life should be jeopardised. We should try not to split votes and cast in favour of a party which will fight communal forces," said Maulana Imdadul Rashidi, imam of Noorani Masjid at Sinthla Dangal. Asked which party he think was good to fight communal forces, he said, "People are intelligent to make choice."
Although residents of Sinthla Dangal and the adjoining Ram Krishna Dangal, a Hindu-majority pocket, say all is well after the communal flare-up in March 2018, which claimed three lives, the divide is clear. The poll battle too has narrowed down to between TMC and BJP here. DNA spoke to others too who had lost their loved ones in the riots. There might not be any surface tension but a strong undercurrent is palpable.
About a couple of kilometres away, in the next village, Sandeep Raut, who lost his mother to riots, said Biharis who lived in the area had grown a strong resentment against the state government. "There is no fighting per se but none of us went to Mamata Banerjee's public meeting or roadshow on Friday. At least from what people are saying here is that they will vote for Babul Supriyo," he said.
Sandeep had lost his mother Pratima Devi Raut (44), who had gone along with other women of the area to protest against police atrocities when she allegedly got run down by a police vehicle.
Vikas Nagar area in Raniganj, among others, too spoke on these lines to DNA, the communal split evident.
About 25 km away from the place at Vikas Nagar area in Raniganj, 50-year-old Mahesh Mondal was allegedly killed during the riot by people of a different community when he went to the field to defecate. Mahesh left behind his wife Nutan Devi and their daughter Radhika Kumari who is in Class II student now. "There had been all sorts of promises of compensation and a job but it has been over one year now and I have not got anything. I have turned sand blind and work as a maid at other people's households to earn a living," Nutan Devi told DNA. She alleged that after remaining unresponsive for several months the party local leaders have suddenly become active ahead of the elections. "Recently a party worker had come to me saying that my papers for a government job have been sent to the state government and I will get a job after the elections. I don't trust them now and I will not vote for them either," she said.
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