Letter by Sunlight Colony RWA damning evidence of bias against Kashmiri Muslims

As reports of alleged assault of a Kashmiri Muslim family by fellow residents of a South Delhi colony gather steam, an incriminating letter written by the residents' association has surfaced.

The letter, dated 2 April 2018, is addressed to the Delhi Police Commissioner, Delhi Lieutenant Governor and, hold your breath, even the Prime Minister. Signed by SN Pandey, president of the association, the letter alleges that “of late, 4-5 persons namely Ms Azra, Mr Salam, Mr Bilal, Mr Ashish and few other person associated to them, have made the life of all the residents of Siddhartha Extension, a hell”.

The letter goes on to make sweeping allegations against the named persons of indulging in “all sorts of nefarious and illegal activities”. In a clear indication of an inherent bias against Kashmiri Muslims, the letter also accuses these individuals of harbouring terrorists. The allegation is entirely unsubstantiated and not backed by any evidence.

The letter also states that “these persons claim that they are Muslims and have been trained to destroy the families of 'Kafirs' and make their lives a hell”. Additionally, the letter says complaints to authorities have gone unheeded because of Union Minister Maneka Gandhi's pressure, whom the letter identifies as being connected to the said persons.

Significantly, the letter concludes with a veiled threat of armed violence, saying that the residents “have been left with no other alternative, but to unite together and take action in self-defence”. Pandey, on behalf of the RWA, has appealed to the addressees to direct the authorities to look into the matter, “before there is a breach of law and order”.

It was widely reported on 12 May that members of this Kashmiri family, including women, were assaulted by an irate mob of residents of the colony, wielding hockey sticks. Pandey was quoted in many media reports saying that the said persons have been staying in the colony for a long time and no one had said a word about them so far.

This avowed tolerance towards the said persons is not borne out by the RWA letter. Many have also claimed that at the heart of the assault was the residents' anger against the Kashmiri family for feeding stray dogs, because of which dogs roam around unchecked and bite residents. The RWA letter clearly reveals that this “anger” was over much more than merely feeding dogs.