Protest in Gujarat’s Kheda over housing project for Muslims in Matar taluka: Here’s what local Hindus are saying

Locals fear that under the pretext of this project, Bangladeshi infiltrators will be settled in the area and the demography will be changed.

Tensions have surfaced in parts of Gujarat’s Kheda district after several Hindu residents from villages in Matar taluka staged a protest and reached the Collector’s office demanding government intervention. The protesters urged the administration to declare their areas as “disturbed zones”, expressing concern over a large residential housing project being developed for members of the Muslim community.

Residents submitted a memorandum to the district administration claiming that a major housing project is being developed in villages, including Traj village in Matar taluka. They fear that under the pretext of this project, Bangladeshi infiltrators will be settled in the area and the demography will be changed. Local Hindu organisations are calling this incident ‘land jihad‘. 

However, the organisations have told OpIndia that they have received a positive response from the administration following this incident. The Collector has assured that the district administration team will complete all the necessary investigations in this matter and impose riot control in the area. Hindu organisations said that this issue is not limited to villages only; Muslim builders are setting up such projects in the entire district, and the Hindu population of the entire district is in a state of worry and fear. 

Large housing project being built on converted farmland

Villagers told OpIndia that agricultural land in the village boundary has been converted into non-agricultural land, and construction work for a large housing society consisting of around 200 to 300 houses is progressing rapidly. The project is reportedly being developed by Amjad Khan under the name “Ambar Courtyard”, with the slogan “One dream, our land, our home.”

Residents also said that the houses in the project are intended only for members of the Muslim community and that people belonging to other religions or communities are not being offered properties there. Locals have also questioned how such large pieces of agricultural land were converted for residential use and have demanded an investigation into the process.

“Not limited to one village,” say Hindu organisations

In a conversation with OpIndia, Bajrang Dal coordinator of Kheda-Andan division, Dhavalsinh Jhala, has said that this conspiracy is not limited to isolated villages. But this is being done in almost all the talukas and villages of Kheda. He has also said that large-scale construction of houses is going on in Kheda city, villages and cities of Matar taluka and Mehmedabad under a similar scheme. 

The Hindu organisation suspects that this scheme has been implemented to provide permanent residence to Bangladeshi infiltrators who were evicted from Chandola Lake in Ahmedabad. 

Residents raise concerns over demographic change

In the application, Hindu organisations have put forward three main issues before the administration, in which they have expressed concern about demographic changes. The first issue is the change in the population structure. Locals say that due to the settlement of people from outside, especially from Ahmedabad and surrounding areas, the population structure of the village may be disrupted, and Hindus may become a minority. 

While speaking to OpIndia, Jayrajbhai, a resident of Traj village, said that currently only around 100–150 houses in the village belong to the Muslim community. Despite this, he said, many Hindu residents already feel uneasy about security and social tensions.

He also mentioned an earlier incident in which a Hindu youth was attacked by a group of Muslims after he objected to abusive language being used by Muslims in public. According to residents, even for celebrating Hindu festivals such as Janmashtami and Rath Yatra, police protection has been required in the village for several years.

Villagers argue that if tensions already exist despite the Muslim community being in the minority, bringing a large number of new residents into the area could worsen the situation.

Fear of the settlement of illegal immigrants

The second concern raised by villagers relates to the possibility of illegal immigrants settling in the area. Residents said that people displaced during demolition drives in areas such as Chandola Lake in Ahmedabad might move into these new housing societies.

They expressed fears that some of these people could be illegal migrants from Bangladesh or individuals involved in criminal activities, which they believe could affect local law and order.

Villagers cite past incidents of violence

Residents also referred to past incidents in the region while raising their concerns. They claimed that maintaining peace during religious events has often required heavy police deployment.

In the Garmala village of Matar taluka, another housing project named “Aashiyana Residency” has also reportedly triggered protests. Villagers alleged that a Hindu resident was recently attacked by some Muslim individuals from Ahmedabad, and a police complaint was filed under Section 307 (attempt to murder) in connection with the incident.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad District General Secretary Haresh Patel has said that some anti-social elements gather near the dargah near the ancient temple near Bhalada village, and recently, one night, there was an incident of fire in this ancient temple, while the adjacent dargah is safe. Following this incident, Hindu organisations are opposing any other Muslim settlements. The video of the incident of arson in the temple is available on OpIndia. 

Memorandum sent to several authorities

Residents of villages including Traj, Koshiyal, Pipariya, Machhiyel and Khadiyapura have sent copies of their memorandum not only to the district administration but also to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court, the Superintendent of Police and several religious and social organisations.

The villagers have demanded that the housing project be immediately stopped and that disturbed area provisions be imposed across the region.

Locals say the planned settlement of people from Ahmedabad

Some residents claim that Muslims from areas such as Juhapura and Chandlodia in Ahmedabad are being systematically brought to settle in Matar. They say this has created a climate of fear among local Hindus.

Bajrang Dal District Co-Convenor Ronaksinh Parmar, while talking to OpIndia, said that a conspiracy to change the demography is going on in this area as part of a well-planned conspiracy, and in that regard, the villagers have reported the incident by submitting a complaint to the administration. 

Along with this, he mentioned the incident of an attack on a Hindu youth and the setting of a temple on fire. He has demanded that the Disturbed Areas Act be implemented in the entire area to prevent such incidents and to prevent the settlement of Muslims. 

According to Hindu organisations, if local Muslims from the village construct houses, it may be understandable, but they question why people from outside the area are being brought in to settle there.

For now, the organisations say the district administration has assured them that the matter will be investigated and that appropriate action will be taken if required.

(This article is a translation of the original article published on OpIndia Gujarati.)