Asghar Wajahat's short story 'I Am A Hindu' explores the devastating psychological impact of communal riots through the experiences of a Muslim family living under curfew in a riot-hit town.The narrative centres on Saifu, a simple-minded orphan who is taken in by his uncle's family after his father's death.Though initially mocked for his innocence, Saifu gradually becomes a loved member of the household.

During prolonged communal unrest, he is assigned to night patrols with local youths who constantly frighten him with fabricated stories about the brutal treatment Muslims would face if caught by Hindus.Unable to distinguish truth from exaggeration, Saifu develops intense fear and recurring nightmares.His confusion grows to the extent that he innocently asks whether becoming a Hindu would save his life.

The narrator attempts to explain that riots are driven by criminals and political interests rather than ordinary Hindus and Muslims, while also reflecting on how communal violence is manipulated for electoral gains and how innocent citizens become its greatest victims.The story reaches its emotional climax when security personnel assault Saifu during curfew enforcement.Traumatised and believing that identifying himself as a Hindu will protect him, he repeatedly cries, 'I am a Hindu,' before collapsing.Through this tragic ending, the story highlights how hatred, propaganda and fear can shatter the mind of the most vulnerable.

Wajahat's fiction presents a powerful critique of communal politics, prejudice and the human cost of violence, emphasising that ordinary people suffer while political opportunists benefit.