Mohammed Soheb is a farmer in the northern Haryana state’s Nuh district, India’s least developed region. With a majority Muslim population, Nuh had been known for Hindu-Muslim harmony until July 2023, when a nine-day spate of communal violence disrupted that harmony. The unrest seemed to fit a pattern often seen in Hindu-Muslim relations in India.

For Nuh’s Muslim community, the violence followed a period of perceived discrimination, a discrimination they feel has been rooted in government attitudes towards Muslims since India gained independence from Britain in 1947.

Despite its proximity to the capital, New Delhi, Nuh has lagged in development indicators like education, healthcare and infrastructure. Soheb, among others, has tried highlighting these issues, aiming for betterment.

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Nuh is part of the larger Mewat region, spanning parts of Haryana and Rajasthan, and has a significant Muslim population known as Meos, who are agriculturalists and pastoralists with a unique identity blending Hindu and Muslim traditions. During the period leading up to and following India’s independence, the Meo Muslims — like many other communities across India — were caught in the turmoil of the Partition of India and Pakistan, a time marked by widespread communal violence and mass migrations.

In the late 1940s, Mahatma Gandhi visited Mewat to promote peace and communal harmony, aiming to mitigate the communal tensions and promote unity between Hindus and Muslims. His visit and the message of peaceful coexistence between different religious communities in post-Independence India had a profound impact, persuading many Meo Muslims in the region to choose not to migrate to Pakistan.

Nuh’s position as one of the least developed districts reveals a history of alleged neglect by successive state and central governments. Despite this, peaceful coexistence had been a longstanding reality, seemingly due to the respectful treatment of the Hindu minority by the Muslim-majority population in Mewat.

Communal harmony in Nuh had been a point of pride. This atmosphere was, however, disturbed during the 2023 spate of violence, which still did not lead to a tense situation between Hindus and Muslims in Mewat.

The violence began during the annual Hindu religious pilgrimage, called Brajmandal Yatra, organized by the Hindu nationalist group Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Tensions escalated due to the anticipated participation of a Hindu nationalist activist, Monu Manesar, who was wanted by police for the murder of two Muslim men. Manesar used social media to announce he would come to Nuh as part of the procession.  

The procession was reportedly attacked the stones, bottles and Molotov cocktails, leading to violence in which at least seven people died and over 200 were injured. Authorities responded by imposing a curfew, cutting off internet services, and deploying additional paramilitary forces.

To understand the events, we visited Soheb’s home and delved into the district’s dynamics and the violence. Soheb provided insights contrasting with some Indian media portrayals, suggesting a more complex narrative. Both communities endure the repercussions of such conflicts. Yet, they persistently endeavor to uphold peace. Their success in maintaining harmony hinges on their capacity to challenge and reject politically and ideologically motivated false narratives.

“The Dinner Table” is a docuseries produced by Newsreel Asia and co-published with Religion Unplugged.

Harshita Rathore is a reporter based in India.