Following the arrest of 37 people over communal riots in Gujarat's Samiyala village in Vadodara, village elders have resolved that Hindus and Muslims should serve as guarantors for each other's bail proceedings, the Indian Express reported on Tuesday.
The riots occurred after firecrackers were burst and loud music was played in a Hindu marriage procession near a mosque in Samiyala late after midnight on Saturday, March 11. The Vadodara police arrested 37 people in total - 22 from the Hindu community and 15 from the Muslim community.
The following day, district administration and police officials arranged a meeting where villagers from both communities were asked to be present. It was the police authorities that suggested the mutual bailout, in an attempt to rekindle "harmony", asking the villagers to “be large-hearted”. Village elders accepted the unique proposal and speaking to the publication, they said the exercise revitalized the spirit of “brotherhood” that the “older generation” had.
This is not the first time that communal tensions have flared in the village over festive and religious processions. In 2017, the villagers established rules of engagement to maintain religious harmony, but these rules ended up not being observed in practice.
Speaking to the Indian Express, Taluka police station in-charge sub-inspector VG Lambariya said, "In 2017, after a disagreement, the villagers had created a set of rules about processions, religious festivities and places of worship to avoid any such untoward incidents… They told us that the rules were done away with years ago. Now they have decided to call a meeting and reinforce the same rules…”.
Published 14 March 2023, 11:51 IST