Nuh: Hindu groups say Aug 28 yatra on, despite no permission

Nuh deputy commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata earlier denied permission to the procession, citing law and order concerns.

Right-wing Hindutva groups on Wednesday said they will not cancel their plan to take out the brij mandal jal abhishek yatra on August 28 in Nuh, even though the district administration has denied them permission on Tuesday, citing security concerns.

Nuh’s Nalhar Mahadev Mandir. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

Members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal said they had made elaborate plans to resume the procession that was disrupted on July 31 by stone pelting and the ensuing communal clashes that left six dead and 88 injured.

On Tuesday, Nuh deputy commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata had said that based on a police intelligence report, they denied permission to the procession citing law and order concerns.

Surendra Jain, joint general secretary of VHP, said they will take out the procession no matter what. “We will take out the yatra as per our schedule. It is our right and we have planned it accordingly. Our security and safety is the responsibility of the administration and police and they should provide us the same. We can control the number of devotees if required, but we will resume the yatra,” he said.

VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal said they are still hopeful that the administration will grant them permission. “The administration ought to extend support instead of creating hindrances,” he said.

Hindu outfits under the banner of the Sarva Hindu Samaj held a mahapanchayat in Palwal district on August 13 where they announced that they would resume the yatra on August 28 in Nuh district. The yatra earlier was supposed to start from Nuh’s Nalhar Mahadev Mandir and proceed to Ferozepur Jhirka and later to Singar in Punhana. However, around three kilometres from the Nalhar temple, it was disrupted by violence and stone pelting.

Narender Bijarniya, Nuh superintendent of police, said permission was denied to the yatra keeping the law and order situation in view. “Due to the sensitive situation in the area, we cannot grant permission for any religious yatra. If anyone tries to take the law into their hands, strict action will be taken against the community/person,” he said.