Genocide finds its roots in hatred but after four days of simulated curfew in Noida’s Kanawani village, life seems to be limping back to normal. Shops opened on Friday amidst tight security. The district administration also opened Sidharth Public School, which had been vandalised on Monday night. Officials visited the houses of Jatavs (Dalits) and calmed the residents of the village. They claimed the five families, which had fled on Tuesday after the school was demolished, have returned to their roots.
The decision to re-open the school was taken after a visit by a team of UP SC/ST Commission member on Wednesday. later district education officials visited the village and inspected the school razed by the Gujjars. “We don’t want children to suffer the consequences of ethnic cleansing. A temporary classroom with five rooms has been rigged up near the demolished school campus. There are at least 128 students studying from Classes I-VIII. We have arranged five teachers to impart lessons. There are also three Government schools in the area to bail us out,” said Ashok Kumar Singh, Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA).
Rajesh Yadav, Sub-Divisional-Magistrate (SDM) of Dadri region said all efforts are being made to restore peace in the region after Monday’s ethnic cleansing. “We are meeting the Jatavs and assuring them of adequate security. We have also reinstated a large number of police personnel to avoid a repeat skirmish,” he said. Meanwhile, the District Magistrate and SSP are making frequent trips to the village since ethnic clashes broke out between the two communities. Only three people have been arrested so far by the Noida Police.