A Heartbreaking Time in Our Village

As-salamu alaykum. Lately, I've been carrying a heavy sadness because of what's been happening in my village in Satara. Just after Eid al-Fitr, on March 22, a large group of people came and staged a rally. They were shouting that Muslims should be forced out, that no one should buy from Muslim shops, and that property shouldn't be sold to us. They even made others take promises in the name of God to follow these rules. Because of this, my uncle's shop-which he had rented for nearly 10 years-was closed. The owner, who had been our neighbor for 25 years, felt too scared to keep renting it to us after making that promise. My uncle's shop was important for our small village; he sold vegetables, fruit, clothing, and shoes, and now it's gone. It's truly painful to see elders and neighbors we've known our whole lives now avoiding our gaze. All this seems to be driven by those who want to stir division for political gain, using religion to split people apart, much like tactics from the past. In our village, they've damaged a dargah, assaulted a young Muslim boy, and falsely accused a relative in a case that even the courts have doubts about. With so many police around now, my birthplace, Vardhangad, doesn't feel like home anymore. Our families have lived here for generations, through many rulers, but now the situation feels so bleak. I make du'a to Allah that things improve and that peace returns, insha'Allah. Nothing else matters more than that.