The Haryana government has issued notices to gram panchayats and sarpanches for passing resolutions barring entry of Muslims to their villages following the communal violence in Nuh district, reported The Indian Express on Sunday.
Communal clashes had erupted between Hindus and Muslims during the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra, a procession organised by the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, on July 31, and quickly spread beyond Nuh. Hindu mobs went on a rampage in Gurugram, torching a mosque in Sector 57, killing its deputy imam and setting fire to shops and shanties of Muslim migrant workers in Sector 70 the next day.
Following the violence, gram panchayats in Rewari, Jhajjar and Mahendragarh districts passed resolutions prohibiting entry of Muslims to their village in an apparent reaction to the violence, reported The Indian Express.
“At a few places, some people passed these kinds of resolutions,” Haryana Development and Panchayat Minister Devender Singh Babltold the newspaper. “But I have given clear instructions to the district administrations of all such places that such an act is not permissible under the law and if any person is indulging in issuing such diktats, strict action shall be taken against such people as per the law.”
Authorities have issued show cause notices under Section 51 of the Haryana Gram Panchayati Raj Act that deals with the suspension and removal of a sarpanch or panch, reported the newspaper.
“They [gram panchayats and sarpanches] shall send their replies, which will be examined,” Rewari’s Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Imran Raza told The Indian Express. “Further action shall be taken after examining the replies that they submit.”
Following the violence, at least 50 villages had told the police and the administration that they were boycotting members of the Muslim community by not renting out houses and shops to them, reported the Outlook.
Brahm Yadav, the outgoing councillor of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram had said, had said that Aadhar Cards and other valid identity proofs of the tenants should be checked by those who are letting out properties, reported the Outlook.
“The violence that broke out in Nuh on July 31 was due to the Muslim community,” Yadav had alleged. “They should not be given any house or room for rent in the area. In fact, our Valmiki people should be allowed to run meat shops in the district and we should all boycott the shops run by Muslims.”
Also read:
- How communal violence swept Haryana’s Nuh and Gurugram
- ‘We walked straight into their trap’: As dust settles, fear and regret in Haryana’s Nuh
Hindutva group mahapanchayat on resuming yatra
A Hindutva group, Sarv Hindu Samaj, will hold a mahapanchayat at Pondri village in Palwal district on Sunday to discuss how to complete the religious march that was stopped on July 31.
The gathering was granted police permission, according to the office of the Palwal superintendent, reported NDTV.
Leaders of the Hindutva group said on Saturday that they plan to resume the procession on August 28 from Nalhar village in Nuh, reported the Hindustan Times. Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal will also take part in the meeting, reported the newspaper.
The police said that the permission to hold the meeting was granted on several conditions. Only 500 people are allowed to attend the meeting which is ordered to end by 2 pm, Palwal Superintendent of Police Lokendra Singh told NDTV
“No one will deliver hate speech,” Singh told NDTV. “A case will be immediately registered if someone does. No one will bring weapons, sticks, batons or any flammable object.”
The Gurugram Police on Friday also requested the public to refrain from raising provocative slogans, making speeches, carrying banners or committing any act that may hurt religious sentiments and disturb the peace.
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