Gurugram: Hope among the ruins, Muslims guard temple in Nuh

Gurugram : "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one remembers to put on the light" -- this famous quote from a Harry Potter movie is having real-life examples in strife-torn Nuh district of Haryana.

Setting an example of harmony, people from the minority community in Marora village are guarding a temple and gaushala in Nuh district, which witnessed communal violence on July 31.

Around 30-40 youths from the Muslim community can be seen guarding a temple and a gaushala from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. to maintain communal harmony in the area.

Mustaq Khan, the sarpanch, told IANS, "What happened in Nuh city did not affect the cordial relationship between people from different communities in our village, which has about 10,000 residents with over 3,500 voters."

He also said that a day after the communal clashes in Nuh, people from the Hindu community in the village were scared.

"I immediately called a meeting of 'chattis biradari' (36 communities) and directed people from the Muslim community to guard the temple and gaushala in the village until everything is sorted out. We also barred the entry of outsiders into our village so that no one could disturb law and order or create any kind of nuisance.

"At the meeting, it was unanimously decided that 20-40 youths from the minority community will guard the village from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. till further orders. We have also asked people to organise 'thikri pehra' so that no outsiders can disturb harmony. "People are creating a wrong perception of Nuh. We have been staying peacefully in this village for years," Khan said, adding that the police had arrested two youths from the village who were sent to jail.

Ved Prakash, care-taker and priest of Maharishi Dayanand Arsh temple and gaushala, confirmed that youths from the minority are guarding the temple since August 1.