Purola tension: Uttarakashi admin denies permission for June 15 maha panchayat

The Uttarakhand Police said that action will be taken against people who will try to take law into their hand

Amid ongoing communal tension in Purola town, the Uttarakashi district administration in Uttarakhand on Tuesday denied permission to the maha panchayat called by Hindu organisations on June 15.

The Uttarakhand Police said that they are committed to ensure the security of law-bound citizens. (File)

Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Purola, Devanand Sharma on Tuesday evening said, “We have denied permission to the Purola Pradhan Sangathan to hold the Mahapanchayat on June 15. After the peace meeting with district magistrate (DM) and superintendent of police (SP) on Monday, the organisers gave in writing that they are taking back their request (for permission).”

His statement came after Hindu and Muslim organisations on Tuesday reiterated their call for the maha panchayats. The Muslim organisations had scheduled their maha panchayat in Dehradun on June 18.

Ankit Rawat, president of Block Pradhan Sangathan, said, “The administration wanted us to call off the Mahapanchayat. We conveyed to the DM that the maha panchayat would be peaceful. Local people want maha panchayat, not us. We are bound by what people say. We want to send a message through maha panchayat that illegal activities by a particular community will not be tolerated in our peaceful town anymore. We will take a call tomorrow (Wednesday) after meeting of stakeholders whether to hold maha panchayat or not.”

Swami Darshan Bharti, founder of the Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan, said, “It’s our democratic right to hold the maha panchayat. How can they speculate that violence can happen during the maha panchayat? We will conduct the maha panchayat peacefully. Even if the administration denies (permission), the maha panchayat will take place. If anybody would try to disturb us, we will end the maha panchayat at that very moment.”

“We will not allow this (maha panchayat by Muslims) to happen even if we have to take a big step,” he said.

Waseem Ahmed, media in-charge of the Muslim Seva Sangathan, said, “The preparations for the maha panchayat are underway. People from across the state including Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, and Haldwani will participate in the maha panchayat.”

Additional director general of police (Law and Order) V Murugesan said, “It is for the local administration to decide whether to allow or not the maha panchayat in Purola. It is paramount for us to maintain law and order and we are committed to ensure the security of law-bound citizens. Action will be taken against people who will try to take the law into their hands.”

He said instructions have already been issued to the senior superintendent of police (SSP) and superintendent of police (SP) to take appropriate action in this regard.

The interfaith tensions in the hill town of Purola trace back to May 26 after two men, a Muslim and a Hindu, allegedly tried to abduct a 14-year-old girl. Local residents alleged it was a case of ‘love jihad’ – a term used by right-wing groups to describe an alleged conspiracy by Muslim men to woo and seduce Hindu women, although courts and the Union government do not officially recognise it.

While the two accused – Ubed Khan (24), a local shopkeeper, and Jitender Saini (23), a motorcycle mechanic – were arrested on May 27, the incident led to right wing groups holding protests in several areas and attacking shops and houses of several Muslims.

Posters threatening Muslim traders to shut shops and leave the state by June 15 also came up at Uttarkashi’s Purola market on June 5. The tension has prompted Muslims to keep their shops shut and some families to leave the district.

The Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan, whose “courtesy” was given in the posters that came up in Purola asking Muslim traders to vacate before June 15 maha panchayat, on its Facebook page on Monday posted an invitation for people to participate in large numbers in the maha panchayat on June 15.

The post said, “To protect the Santan heritage of our sisters, daughters and forefathers, all right-wing organisations, warriors, saints and public of the Purola area should attend the maha panchayat. All should discharge their religious duty.”

Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader and member of Parliament (MP) from Hyderabad, Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday tweeted, “The scheduled Mahapanchayat on June 15 should be banned. Those living there should be given security. Arrangements should be made to bring back those who are migrating from there. The BJP government should send culprits to jail, and peace should prevail.”

A delegation of Muslim leaders met chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday over the exodus of Muslims from Purola.

MLA Laksar Mohd Shahzad said, “We ask CM Dhami to ensure that the law takes its course in the Purola incident and the security of Muslims should be ensured. He gave us assurance that the situation will get back to normal in Purola.”