By Team Clarion
NEW DELHI – In the national capital, where skyscrapers rise and development is often flaunted as a sign of progress, Muslims in Yamunapar locality face a reality that feels far removed from modernity; they are struggling for something as basic as a graveyard.
With a rising population and increasing number of deaths, there is only one run-down cemetery available to the entire community. The situation becomes unbearable during the monsoon, when waterlogging turns the ground into a swamp. Families are forced to endure both grief and indignity as they struggle to find “two yards of land” to bury their dead.
“It is a shame that in Delhi, even after 78 years of Independence, Muslims cannot bury their loved ones with dignity,” said Abdul Qayyum, a local resident. “The cemetery is full, broken, and as it rains it is impossible even to offer namaz-e-janaza (funeral prayers) peacefully.”
Residents allege that their pleas have been falling on deaf ears for decades. Despite repeated requests to elected representatives and the administration, no new burial grounds have been allocated.
“We have gone to every office, every politician. We were promised facilities, but nothing has changed,” said Mohammed Arif, who has lived in the area for 40 years. “When the city builds highways and metro lines in months, why can’t they provide us with a proper cemetery?”
The crisis has now reached such a point that residents have taken to the streets. Led by Congress district president Kamal Gazi, members of the Muslim community staged a peaceful protest in Delhi’s Welcome area. In a rare and heartening display, Hindus from the locality also joined the demonstration, lending their voice to the demand for justice.
“This is not a Muslim issue alone. This is a matter of basic dignity and humanity,” said Kamal Gazi. “If there is no proper cemetery, it affects every family here. To deny this is injustice.”
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.