Revocation of RSS ban evokes strong reactions as some Uttarakhand police personnel in their social media group indulge in blatant communal rantings   

Revocation of RSS ban evokes strong reactions as some Uttarakhand police personnel in their social media group indulge in blatant communal rantings

S.M.A.KAZMI

Dehradun, Sept 7

Amidst targeted violence against Muslims and their forcible evictions from Chamoli and Tehri  districts of Garhwal hills of Uttarakhand by the Hindutva groups backed by ruling BJP/RSS in the past one month, the derogatory remarks against the Muslim community in a Whatsapp group reportedly of Uttarakhand police personnel has raised questions about the recent decision of the Uttarakhand Government to allow all it’s employees to participate in the activities of RSS.

After the violence against miniscule Muslim community at Nandghat in Chamoli district following alleged charges of eve-teasing against a Muslim youth on September 1, derogatory remarks were posted on a whastapp group reportedly having police personnel as members called “UK-01 to 13 Uttarakhand Police”. The screen shots of such derogatory remarks of photos against Muslims were shared by a section of the media highlighting the alleged partisan attitude of police personnel who were supposed to be impartial. Karan Singh Nangyal, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Garhwal range said that an inquiry would be conducted about the said whatsapp group and action would be initiated against such police personnel.

All this happened when Chamoli police had posted on social media to maintain peace and communal amity following Nandghat incidents.

The trouble had started at Nandghat market near Nandprayag in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand on September 1  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 father of the minor girl had lodged a complaint with the police a few days ago as the alleged accused absconded. An irate mob of Hindutva groups raising provocative slogans against minority Muslim community attacked, ransacked and looted atleast seven shops owned by Muslims in Nandghat market on September 1. They also damaged a makeshift mosque where the Muslims used to pray. They also damaged some vehicles owned by the Muslim community members. These groups also attacked and damaged another mosque at Gopeshwar, the district headquarter of Chamoli district, the next day.

While, the shops owned by Muslims were attacked and ransacked amidst provocative slogan shouting against minority Muslim community, a large police force present were mere mute spectators. The police later, imposed prohibitory orders at Nandghat and filed cases against 500 unidentified persons for violence.

On the other hand, public boards have been put up these groups at several places in Rudrapayag district announcing ban on the entry of non Hindus/ Rohingya Muslims in their areas.

Earlier, last month, nearly a dozen Muslims who had been living and working for the past more than two decades were thrown out of their shops and forced to leave on the trumped up charges of ‘Love Jehad’ against a Muslim student at Chauras in Kirtinagar block of Tehri Garhwal district. The Muslims were forced to leave their hearths and homes. The police has decided to ignore these cases involving Muslims and looked the other way since Muslims are poor and afraid to lodge their complaints. Most of them have quietly left.

Two Muslim delegations alongwith few victims of nandghat vioelnec who were beaten up and made to flee their hearths and homes met Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) Abhinav Kumar on September 5 and apprised him about the grave communal situation prevailing in Garhwa hills particularly at Nandghat and Gopeshwar areas of Chamoli district and sought police protection for the minuscule minority population living there.

However, nearly two months after central revoked the ban on RSS, the Uttarakhand government also revoked the ban on the participation of its’ state government employees in the activities of Rashtriya  Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS), the mother organisation of ruling BJP.

The state government order stated that participation in RSS’s ‘Shakha’ meetings as well as cultural and social programmes will not be considered a violation of service conduct rules.It has been decided that participation by any employee  in RSS Shakka (morning and evening Sabha) and other cultural or social activities will not be considered a violation of Uttarakhand State Employees Conduct Rules, 2002.

The ban revocation order has evoked sharp reactions from opposition parties. Suryakant Dhasmana, senior Vice-President of Uttarakhand Congress party said that such orders are violative of the spirit of Constitution which treats every citizen equally . “ By allowing state government employees including police personnel to join RSS and its’ ‘Shakhas’ where divisive agenda is preached, how could police and administration act impartially in an already communally divisive atmosphere,” he said.

Indresh Maikhuri, Uttarakhand state secretary of CPI(ML) said that by allowing employees to become part of RSS would be the worst thing to happen. “RSS is  political organisation who has been controlling the politics of ruling BJP. It would be disastrous for the country and society,” he added.