A CPI (ML) fact-finding team visited Machheran Mohalla in Meerut on 11 March 2019 to enquire into the recent fire tragedy which took place there. The team, led by Party District in-charge Com. Pradeep Kumar Advocate, met the victims and spoke to the local citizens to find out details of the incident.
More than 200 houses were entirely burnt in this fire. Most of the people living in these houses were from poor and Pasmanda Muslim homes who worked as daily labourers to feed their families. Local people and victims, who included Shahzad Nizam, Iqramuddin, Abdul Hanif, Rizqan and Mohammed Arif, told the team that Cantt Board officials had come with the police and said that the construction done by a person called Fiku was illegal and asked them to remove these illegal constructions. An argument followed during which the police started beating up the women, and a stampede followed. After that, some criminals set fire to the houses, completely charring the mosque. The fire rapidly spread to more than 100 houses, and gas cylinders kept inside the houses started exploding. The women, men, and children somehow managed to save their lives by jumping over walls and running away, but goats and other livestock were burnt to death. Shrimati Chaman and Shabnam told the team that they had gathered together some things for their daughter’s marriage, but everything got destroyed in the fire.
A leader from the ruling BJP is accused in the incident and he has been arrested by the police. The administration has so far made no arrangements for the rehabilitation of the victims, who have been left without a roof over their heads. The government and the District administration must immediately take the necessary steps. At the same time, strict action must be taken against the guilty persons in this fire incident.
After the visit of the enquiry team, the CPI (ML) State unit released a statement in Lucknow and demanded proper rehabilitation and financial assistance from the government for the more than 200 poor and minority victim families who have been rendered homeless by the fire.
