Had any Muslim played any role in this attack, bulldozer action would be taken against them, said AIMIM leader, adding that no action has been taken against them
Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Several policemen were injured as mob resorted to stone pelting during the Aakrosh rally held by the Hindutva outfits on Thursday demanding the demolition of the Jama Masjid in Uttarkashi town even though the authorities made it clear that the mosque is built on the legal land.
The police personnel were deployed there to maintain law and order in the wake of the rally.
“Today during the public outrage rally taken out by a Hindu organisation in Uttarkashi, the mob broke the barricades and pelted stones. Seven police officers/personnel were injured in the stone pelting, out of which two seriously injuredpolice personnel have been taken to a higher center in Dehradun by ambulance,” said the Uttarkashi police in a statement on Thursday.
The Hindutva outfits organised Aakrosh rally alleging that the mosque in question is built on illegal land while the authorities found the mosque built on legal land.
Speaking to Clarion India, Dr. Nayyar Kazmi, state president of All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), said that these outfits protest even though the authorities made it clear that the mosque is built on the legal land.
“It is their stubbornness. They are using violence and coercion for their demands. They are resorting to hooliganism under the protection of the government. They are pelting stones and misbehaving with the police. All this is happening. Yet, no satisfactory action is being taken against them,” said Kazmi.
He said that had any Muslim played any role in this attack, bulldozer action would be taken against them. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Dhami talks about the uniform civil code but when it comes to these issues, there is no talk of uniform application of the law.
The Hindutva outfits had earlier protested at DM’s office and submitted a memorandum demanding the demolition of the mosque.
In response to the Hindutva campaign, the DM formed a committee led by SDM Bhatwari to investigate the matter. The committee upheld the mosque’s legality, saying that it does not occupy government land.
According to the officials, the mosque has been legally built on the land registered to the members of the Muslims community.
Yet, the Hindtuva outfits, under the banner of Sanyukt Sanatan Dharam Rakshak Sangh, an umbrella group of Hindu organisations, took out the march and attempted to move towards the mosque instead of taking permitted route.
“The protestors, however, reached the Single Tiraha and tried to break the barricade and move towards the mosque. We tried to persuade them but they insisted on moving beyond the barricades. Suddenly one of them threw a bottle at one of the police personnel that injured him. They then started pelting stones at us. We had to use the force to disperse them,” said Amarjeet Singh, Station House Officer of the Uttarkashi police station.
“The protestors even ransacked four shops of the Muslim community and misbehaved with the women cops. They also made provocative speeches against them,” he added.
According to Kazmi, Hindutva groups are targeting mosques in Uttarakhand to disturb the peace after targeting Muslims in the name of other issues – Beef, Jihad, ‘Love Jihad’, ‘Land Jihad’, ‘Thook Jihad’.
“Such campaigns are being held at different places in Uttarakhand constantly. Several Hindu organisations are carrying out such activities. They are harming the unity and integrity of the nation,” he said.
Meanwhile, a video is being circulated on the social media claiming that it’s Muslims who pelted stones on the Hindutva rally on Thursday during the rally. However, the police described these claims as “fake news”.
“Misleading news are being spread on the social media that a particular community pelted stones on the Janakrosh rally in Uttarakashi,” said the police.