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DHULIYAN: Traders in Bengal have a tradition of opening new “haalkhatas” (ledgers) on Poila Baisakh, marking the advent of the Bengali New Year. In violence-ravaged Murshidabad, the spirit of celebration was replaced Tuesday by the silence of a broken community.
Nemai Ghosh, a resident of Aurangabad in Suti, opened his outlet Janapriya Sweets but had few customers. Shards of glass and remnants of a damaged shutter littered the storefront.
On Poila Baisakh, the store usually has a queue of customers waiting to buy rosogollas and shingaras (Bengali version of samosa).
“We had received bulk orders and I was worried whether I could deliver on time. My workers arrived last night and we opened the store, but sales were nothing compared to what we get on this day. My only satisfaction is reopening my business after four days,” he said. “How long can you confine yourself indoors in fear?”
Around 16km away, in Dhulian’s Namopara, Dilip Sarkar opened his three-decade-old grocery store at 8am. “Poila Baisakh is important to us traders,” he said.
“It is a tradition to start a new ledger on this day. For the past several decades, it has never happened that my shop has been closed on Poila Baisakh, and I did not want that to happen this time either. My family is anxious, but I could not stay home.”
For many others, there was little to celebrate.
“My house was all but destroyed in the mob rioting,” said elderly Debi Sardar, who returned to her home in Bethbona the previous day.
She was one among several hundred residents who had crossed the Ganga to take refuge in a Malda school.
“I could not stay in Malda for long. They provided food, but I needed to be back. I needed to be home to find and feed my livestock. I was very anxious about the animals. Thankfully, they have all returned. I know the house is not liveable. Maybe I will get some help from the state govt to rebuild it,” Debi said.
The Murshidabad administration has started a survey to identify damaged homes. Around 60 have been listed so far. Relief and rehabilitation are likely to start Wednesday.
Moni Mondal, who returned to his Bethbona home with a police escort, said there was no option but to flee after what happened.
The adjacent villages of Jadavpara, Palpara and Daspara, all under Shamsherganj police station, also wore a deserted look. Burned homes and two-wheelers spoke of the vandalism triggered by protests against the new waqf law.
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