Now open call for economic boycott, violence against Muslims in Uttarakhand

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Now open call for economic boycott, violence against Muslims in Uttarakhand

S.M.A.KAZMI

Dehradun, Oct 4

Amidst growing Islmophobia and past several communal incidents across Uttarakhand state including in capital city of Dehradun, now a call for economic boycott and violence against minority Muslim community has been made at a public rally held at Srinagar Garhwal on Thursday.

Lakhpat Bhandari, a Local BJP leader took out a “Chetna and Chetavani” rally in the main Srinagar city and openly and blatantly made hate speech against Muslims. He called upon a well attended rally to economically boycott Muslims to teach them a “lesson”.  Calling for burning of shops owned by the minority community, he charged them of indulging in ‘Love Jehad’.

Eulogising the ‘Hindutva’ elements who were instrumental in forcing out nearly a dozen Muslims from Chauras area last months on the charges of ‘Love Jehad’, he threatened that a particular shop owned by a Muslim is under his scrutiny. He called upon the women who had turned up in large number to boycott economically Muslim fruit sellers since they are responsible for hiking the prices of fruits during the ongoing “Navratra” festival. He appealed to the Hindus not to but fruits from Muslims but instead buy dry fruits during the nine day long ‘Navratra’ festival.

Meanwhile, Indresh Maikhuri, Secretary CPI(ML) in statement strongly condemned the open hate speeches being delivered publicly at Srinagar Garhwal with impunity with call for economic boycott and threat of burning of shops owned by Muslims was made by a BJP leader. Maikhuri called upon the Pauri Garhwal district police chief to take suo moto cognizance of such hate speeches as per the directives of the Supreme Court and take stern action against such elements who are out to challenge the law and order and rule of law. He said that in case of any criminal act by any individual, police has been authorised to take action as per the laid down principle of law and not by a mob.

Lakhpat Bhandari who led the procession and delivered hate speech had earlier in august,2024 lodged a case against Sahil Salmani, running a hair cutting saloon in the city for having five fake Face Book accounts under the name of ‘Amit Rawat’ with an alleged intention of committing “love Jehad” .

In the last week of July, 2024 seven Muslim shopkeepers of Chauras area of Kirtinagar block of Tehri district across river Alaknanda opposite Srinagar garhwal city were  forced to close down their businesses and run away from their homes by ‘Hindutva’ elements on the alleged trump up charges of “Love Jehad’. The Muslim shopkeepers have been forced to sign up documents stating that they are vacating their shops as per their own sweet will in the police station. The shops owned by Muslims were  closed since August 7, 2024. The problem for the miniscule Muslim shopkeeper had started on July 31, 2024 when Ali Jafri, son of Shamsher Ali who runs hair cutting saloon in Chauras area across the river opposite Srinagar Garhwal, was talking to his girl classmate on the road near the police station . Ali Jafri, a 12^th class student of local Vidyamandir school a brilliant student who has done well in his previous board examinations. Little did he anticipate that he was being watched and later ‘caught’ by Hindutva moral police. Both the students were taken to the original police post at Chauras where, the parents of the both the students were called. The girl was let off and her parents did not lodge any formal complaint against the boy.

However, the Hindutva moral police force led by local Bajrang Dal and RSS members attacked the hair cutting shop of Shamsher Ali, the father of the boy and beat him up. They allegedly smashed the shop and threw away the belongings outside.

On September 1, 2024, the seven shops belonging to Muslims were attacked, ransacked and looted  by an aggressive Hindutva Mob at Nandaghat in Chamoli district following allegations of eve-teasing and making indecent gestures to a minor girl by a Muslim youth who was running a barber shop in the area. The violence spread to Gopeshwar town where shops owned by Muslims were ransacked. Three mosques of the area were also smashed and ransacked.

Later, on September 27, 2024, communal tensions prevailed in capital city of Dehradun following recovery of a minor Muslim girl by railway police at Dehradun railway station, who has run away from her home in Baduan district of Uttara Pradesh to meet her boy friend.  As Muslim and Hindutva group members clashed on the issue exchanging stones and brickbats, Police booked seven each from both the communities. However, next morning rightwing Hindu groups affiliated with the ruling BJP/RSS blocked the main Clock Tower road in the city seeking release of a Bajrang Dal leader who was booked by the police for alleged communal violence and arson at Dehradun railway station. Later, the Bajrang Dal leaders and his supporters were released under pressure from ruling party leaders.

Thousands of commuters, school going children, tourists and common man were stranded and suffered on the main clock tower as member of Hindu organisations along with shopkeepers of Paltan bazaar started a sit in and blocked the road in support of their demands. All the shops in paltan bazaar and adjoining areas of Gandhi road, Chakrata and Rajpur road also remained closed. A victory procession of released Bajrang dal leader Vikas Verma was taken out in Paltan Bazar. Later police booked 400 persons for blocking the road.

On the other hand, on September 26, 2024, Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Pankaj Purohit of Uttarakhand High court on a writ petition filed by Mohd. Ayyun of Nandanagar, Ghat, district Chamoli and Ahmed Hasan of Mangalore, District Haridwar, directed SSP, Chamoli to ensure  that law and order is strictly enforced and no untoward incident occurs targeting any particular community.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Muslim Sewa Sangathan presented a memorandum to Dehradun District Magistrate seeking immediate strict action against Yati Narsinanand for his provocative utterances against Prophet of Islam.