Himachal Pradesh polls 2017: Who came to us when our shops were burnt, ask riot-hit shopkeepers in Tissa

The Indian Express spoke to those shopkeepers who started from the scratch again and continue to work in the market where they were allegedly targeted even as the school incident had nothing to do with the market in Tissa town. Mustafa, 42, who runs a pure vegetarian ‘786 Shuddh Vaishno Dhaba’ (786 being number of religious faith for him) eatery in the market, has now taken a shop on rent for Rs 10,000 a month as his own dhaba was set on fire. He still had BJP flag at his shop today. “I suffered loss of Rs 3.5 lakh. They had petrol bombs in their hands when my shop was put on fire. Now, I have started again with this shop on rent,” he says. Asked about the BJP flag, he says, “Some people today put it. I did not remove it or object to it. Flags are not going to give votes to anyone. Why should I object?” he says. “I eat non-veg but we have to serve what customers’ demand. Customers here are largely vegetarian,” he says.

Rashid Mohm, 32, with his vandalised ice cream machine and a BJP flag on it (Express Photo/Divya Goyal)

For Rashid Mohammad, 32, who also runs a ‘Vaishno Bhojanalya’ pure vegetarian dhaba in the market, salt was rubbed on his wounds Thursday. “My ice cream making machine worth Rs 1.5 lakh was vandalized that day. It is lying locked at the shop. Today someone came and put up a political party’s flag on it. BJP flag or Congress flag, it is the same for me. That day no one came to help us or compensate us for our loss,” he says. “No one even cared if we were dead or alive and today they are here to ask for votes. Neither we were involved in girl’s rape or later beating the other teachers, why were our shops vandalised,” he asks.

“Neither Congress nor BJP came to compensate us for our losses or help us in anyway. We were targeted without any reason so there is no point in supporting any of them. Putting a flag or posters outside our shops won’t give them votes. So let them do all this decoration. Why should I take the pain of even removing it,” said Shamshad Khan, 21, who jewellery shop was vandalized and he still hasn’t got the front glass gate repaired. “I have already spent Rs 1 lakh on repairing some basic furniture. I do not have more as of now,” he says.

Both Hindu and Muslim shopkeepers in Tissa market now say that they want peace to continue. “We are happy and co-existing peacefully after two months of communal tension now. We just want peace. So there is never a discussion of our political affiliations,” they say. Meanwhile, Surendra Bhardwaj, Congress candidate from Churah, said ‘the party leaders were never at fault for whatever happened.’

“Police booked our two local leaders but they were not at fault. Both Hindus and Muslims are supporting Congress now,” he claimed. Asked if the booked Bhatt brothers are now working for his campaign he said, “No one accompanies me. I do my campaign on my own. They can work in their areas.”