Members of Hindutva bodies Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal held protests across Delhi on Wednesday against the communal violence that erupted in Haryana’s Nuh and spread to neighbouring districts.
The protests caused traffic jams in some areas, including Vikas Marg which connects east Delhi to the central parts of the city.
The violence began in Nuh on Monday afternoon after Hindu devotees who were part of the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra clashed with Muslims after their procession was allegedly stopped near the Khedla Mod.
Four persons, including two home guards, were killed in Nuh, where Hindu devotees clashed with Muslims after their procession was stopped. In Gurugram, a mob burnt down a mosque and killed its 19-year-old naib imam. A naib imam is the deputy to the imam of the mosque.
The protests took place as initial reports of the violence had suggested that for several hours, Hindu devotees participating in the procession were stranded in a temple complex, surrounded by a violent mob.
However, when Scroll visited the temple on Tuesday, the head priest, Deepak Sharma, said that although the atmosphere was tense on Monday afternoon, the police had managed to keep the mob “at least a kilometre away”.
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Haryana violence: The tale of a mosque and a temple
In view of the protests, the police have beefed up security at sensitive areas in the national capital, reported PTI. The police said that demonstrators have not sought permission for any rally or meeting at a public place, reported The Indian Express.
The protesters have blocked the highway on the Badarpur border. In Ghonda Chowk, Shahdara, the police had to put up barricades to control the crowd, reported ANI.
Videos on social media also showed demonstrators outside the Nangloi police station in West Delhi, calling for boycotting Muslim-owned businesses and removing tenants living in the area. A protestor said in a speech that the police should verify the identities of all tenants and street vendors.
“Will we make Delhi UP or not?” he asked amid loud cheering.
The police confirmed that the protest was held but denied that it took place outside the station. The station house officer of Nangloi police station told Scroll that the protest was being held at a square. However, a sign for the police station could be seen just behind the man giving the speech.
The police officer also said that no first information report was registered against the demonstrators as the rally was peaceful.
On Tuesday, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had described the Nuh violence as a “terror attack” and demanded an inquiry by the National Investigation Agency, reported the Hindustan Times. At a press conference, the Hindutva body’s Joint General Secretary Surendra Jain alleged the attacks against Hindu devotees were carried out in a planned manner and were incited by Congress leaders.
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