A stamp paper of hate: Muslims asked to sign on the twisted line

Probably the first village to have set in black and white the terms for return of Muslims, the majority community wants the other families to also sign the mafipatrak if they want to live here.

‘‘Even if they don’t sign they can return but I won’t promise their safety,’’ says Bharatsinh Pravinsinh, a scion of the former royal family of Kadwal State. He knows the Rs 10 stamp-paper, the conditions it lays down and the signatures it contains have no legal sanctity and hence declines to allow the mafipatrak to be photographed. ‘‘It’s like leaving a proof against us, but you can take a look at it,’’ he says.

By signing the mafipatrak the Muslims have ‘‘admitted to taking out a rally and raising slogans.’’ The document lists six conditions for the community’s return: ‘‘you won’t eat beef; you can take part in Hindu festivals only if you can maintain their religious sanctity; no interference in quarrels between Hindus; no anti-national activity; no new Muslims will be allowed,’’ and lastly, ‘‘you won’t harass Hindu girls and women.’’

DSP Piyush Patel said he had not seen the mafipatrak but was told by the majority community that ‘‘we will allow Muslims even if they tender oral apology.’’

The majority community has submitted a list of 11 persons to the police who they allege led a rally where slogans like Pakistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad, Gai ko kato, Hinduonko goshta khilao were raised on March 2.

Vadesinh Rathwa, the husband of village sarpanch Vajiben, says even if the 11 sign the mafipatrak, it will have little meaning. ‘‘They have to apologise at a public place. They have received monetary compensation for damage to their homes, their public apology will be our compensation because they terrorised us,’’ he says.

The majority community says about 100 Muslims took out a rally shouting slogans. The minority community says they only rushed to douse two cabins that were in flames but deny attacking a home guard who fell into an open well.

They admit shouting slogans like Nara e takbir allaho akbar, Gaus ka daman nahi (Hazrat Gaus was a saint who fought against injustice) when they moved to douse the flames. ‘‘What else can we do but shout religious slogans when we are in difficulty,’’ said Hafizabibi Abudulrahman, asking ‘‘Did not they not shout Jai Siyaram after setting our houses on fire?’’

Hussainbhai Makrani, one of the signatories, admits: ‘‘We have no option, where else will I go. I am ready to collect 100 such signatures if that ensures safety of our lives and property.’’

Sikandar, another sigatory, asked there was no reason for them to raise slogans in praise of Pakistan and offend the Hindus. ‘‘We are 250, including women and children, and they are more than 5,000. Can we afford to take them on?’’

All the 50-odd houses of the minority community have been damaged.

Home guard Bharat Baria who is still bedridden after the fall said: ‘‘the Muslims charged us with torching their cabins and beat us up.’’ Like Baria, there are many villagers who say Muslims raised provocative slogans.