Questions have been raised over the National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) findings that Hindu families migrated from Kairana in Uttar Pradesh due to an increase in crime and deterioration of law and order situation there.
The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has said that there was nothing on the ground in Kairana which confirms the NHRC’s claim of exodus.
On Monday, a NCM team visited Kairana and Muzaffarnagar to take first hand stock of the situation as claimed by the NHRC.
NCM member Farida Abdullah Khan, who led the team to Muzaffarnagar and Shamli, said that they found nothing during their inspection regarding the changing demographics of the town.
Farida said that they met some local families and spoke to the local administration as well.
“There was no evidence to suggest there had been an exodus of any kind. I don’t wish to comment on the NHRC report too much, but some of the findings seem baseless,” she said.
“The NHRC report claimed that over 30,000 riot victims had migrated to Kairana town and changed its demography. The fact is that maximum number of the families who left the Hindu dominated villages during the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots and came to Kairana is 2,000-3,000,” she added.
Farida also pointed out that NHRC blaming migrated families for increase in crime in the town “is factually not true”.
The NHRC had in its probe report alleged that families migrated from Kairana due to threats pertaining to increase in crime and deterioration of law-and-order situation. The Commission had claimed to examine relevant witnesses, victims, independent witnesses, police officials concerned and SDM.
“Most of the witnesses stated that many families migrated due to threats pertaining to increase in crime and deterioration of law-and-order situation,” the Commission said, quoting the team’s findings.
The NHRC probe team had also found that in 2013, after resettlement of about 25,000-30,000 members of Muslims community in Kairana town from Muzaffarnagar, the demography of Kairana town changed in favour of the Muslim community, it becoming the more dominating and majority community.
