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Uttarakhand: Congress blames groups linked to BJP for Purola communal tensions
Uttarakhand Congress chief Karan Mahara said they have been saying from day one that the ruling party and organisations linked to it are trying to give communal colour to the Purola case
The Opposition Congress has accused organisations linked to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to give communal colour to a girl’s alleged abduction attempt on May 26 that triggered tensions in Uttarakhand’s Purola.
A Muslim and a Hindu man allegedly tried to abduct the girl, prompting allegations of “love jihad”, a term right-wing groups use to describe an alleged Muslim conspiracy to woo Hindu women. Courts and the Union government do not officially recognise the term.
The two accused were arrested on May 27 but right-wing groups held protests and attacked shops and houses of Muslims. The authorities denied permission for a Hindu mahapanchayat (grand assembly) as posters threatening Muslim traders to shut shops and leave the state by June 15 came up in Purola. The tensions forced 40 of 45 Muslim businessmen and residents to leave the town following threats.
Uttarakhand Congress chief Karan Mahara on Sunday said they have been saying from day one that the ruling party and organisations linked to it are trying to give communal colour to the Purola case. “It is unfortunate. Contrary to this, the right-wing organisations were tight-lipped when a Pauri Garhwal receptionist was murdered ...then BJP leader’s son was involved.”
The 19-year-old receptionist at a resort was allegedly murdered for refusing to provide “extra services” to VIP guests. Former minister Vinod Arya’s son, Pulkit Arya, owned the resort and is one of the accused in the case. Vinod Arya, who was booked for alleged attempted sexual assault, was expelled from the BJP
BJP leader Manveer Singh Chauhan said the Purola case is not an isolated one. “There are various such cases that have been reported across Uttarakhand. It suggests that it is a conspiracy. Our party and right-wing organisations are trying to raise awareness. We do not target any community without any reason. Our party’s objective is clear that attempts to change the demography of the state will not be allowed.”
HT on Saturday reported that a schoolteacher, the complainant in the abduction case, maintained it was being given a communal colour when there was no religious angle.
“There were attempts from the first hour to make this a communal issue. Right-wing activists even prepared a police complaint for us on their own, but the police did not accept it. It was never a love jihad case, but a regular crime. Those that committed it are behind bars. The judiciary will now decide,” said the teacher, whose identity is being withheld to avoid identification of his niece, who was the target of the abduction attempt.
