India, Feb. 23 -- On February 26, 2020, as riots engulfed Mustafabad, Mohsin and his family watched helplessly as their bakery was looted. The night before, sensing danger, they had fled to a relief camp. Their home was spared, but their livelihood was gone.
Five years on, they are still waiting for the compensation they were promised.
The government had announced financial aid-Rs.10 lakh for families of those killed, Rs.5 lakh for permanent disabilities, and varying amounts for property damage.
But for Mohsin, the system proved impenetrable. "I visited the sub-divisional magistrate's office at least 10 times in 2020. The staff spoke to me so badly that I stopped going," he said. Despite legal assistance from an NGO, the process stalled....