The campaign against Muslims started when a girl attempted to elope along with some men on 26 May. In this regard, the police have arrested 23-year-old motorcycle mechanic Jitender Saini and 24-year-old Ubed Khan
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — The police in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi have registered an FIR after posters threatening Muslim traders to leave the area by June 15 were put up in Purola town on Monday, following a violent protest over the elopement of a girl.
The provocative posters, which were put up on the shutters of several shops, called Muslims “Love Jihadi” and warned them of dire consequences if they don’t leave before the Mahapanchayat planned for 15 June.
“If you don’t oblige, time will tell what is going to happen,” threatened the poster. Muslims run about 30-40 shops in the Purola main market.
Taking cognisance of the posters, the police filed an FIR at Purola police station against unidentified persons under Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language), 505 (statements aimed at public mischief), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
“We have filed the FIR on Monday against unidentified people for promoting enmity between different groups and threatening a particular community under relevant sections of the IPC. Our efforts are on to identify those who put up the posters in the Purola main market,” said Purola station house officer K.S. Chauhan.
Two days ago, members of Hindutva outfits held protests in Barkot and allegedly attacked shops and houses belonging to Muslims. However, the police are yet to take any action against the miscreants.
The campaign against Muslims started when a girl attempted to elope along with some men on 26 May. In this regard, the police have arrested 23-year-old motorcycle mechanic Jitender Saini and 24-year-old Ubed Khan.
Hindutva outfits picked up the issue and started targeting the religious identity of one accused by describing it as a case of “Love Jihad”.
On May 29, a march was held on the issue in Purola which turned violent aft the agitators attacked shops and establishments belonging to Muslims. A similar protest was held on June 3 under the banner of Yamuna Ghati Hindu Jagriti Sangathan. Nearly 900 people took part in it.
The protesters also handed over a memorandum to the SDM, seeking verification of people coming from outside for doing business in the town. “In the garb of doing businesses in the town, some people from a particular community have been indulging in immoral activities… thereby, polluting the atmosphere,” the memorandum said. Several shops run by the Muslims have remained shut since May 29.
“A verification drive of all Muslim traders and shopkeepers should be conducted. Those who are delinquent types shouldn’t be allowed to stay in the town. Others can operate freely,” media reports quoted Brij Mohan Chauhan, president of the Purola Vyapar Mandal, as saying.
Meanwhile, some members of the Muslim community have left the area and moved to other places.
Saleem, a 35-year-old garment shop owner, who went to his brother’s house in Dehradun, said he didn’t want to immediately return due to the communal tension. “If they want us to leave the ‘Pahad’ (hills), the authorities should compensate us for the properties owned by us,” he was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying.
A delegation of Muslim traders also met the Parula SDM and submitted a memorandum urging the local administration to provide security and safety to them. The traders said that for the last 10 days, they could not do any business in the area. There is an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among Muslims as the police have not given any strong assurance of providing them security.
Raees, a clothes trader, was cited by Dainik Jagran as saying that Muslims are with the police and other traders when it comes to stopping criminal activities. “But we should be given security so that we can run our business freely,” he said.
