Every morning at 8am in Nanda Nagar, Uttarakhand, Ahamad Hasan opens the brown shutter of his dry-cleaning shop located on the banks of the Nandakini River, which flows through this remote Himalayan town in northern India. He meticulously hangs the dry-cleaned clothes in plastic covers on his shop’s pink walls and waits for customers. Prior to September 2024, he would typically have between 20 and 25 customers by lunchtime, including both Hindu and Muslim clientele. However, on this particular day, fewer than five Hindu customers visit his shop by noon, and Hasan is aware there is no point in waiting for a Muslim customer since he is the last Muslim in town.
For generations, Nanda Nagar was home to 15 Muslim families. It was a place where Hasan was born and raised, where his family celebrated Hindu festivals and Eid with neighbors. However, that changed in September 2024 following an explosion of anti-Muslim violence triggered by a Hindu girl’s allegation of sexual harassment against a Muslim barber. This violence, which included hate-filled slogans and physical assaults, forced the town’s Muslim community to flee in the cover of night, fearing for their lives.
Only Hasan and his family returned to their home, determined to make it work despite the fear and isolation. Their former Hindu neighbors now avoid them, and Hasan has become a ghost in his own town, invisible to the society he was once part of. His shop, vandalized during the violence, has not seen the same level of activity, and he struggles to get non-Muslim workers to help with repairs, indicating a complete boycott of Muslims.
Hasan’s story reflects a broader trend in Uttarakhand, where under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami of the BJP, there has been an increase in hate crimes and intolerance against Muslims. From economic boycotts to physical violence, Muslims face oppressive conditions. Despite the hardships and the loss of friendships, Hasan remains hopeful, symbolizing resilience in the face of adversity.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/4/12/i-didnt-go-the-last-muslim-man-in-indian-town-hit-by-religious-strife?traffic_source=rss
