Haryana’s Nuh district and its border areas turned into fortress as security heightened in the region in the wake of Braj Mandal Jal Abhishek Yatra called by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today (August 28). The authorities denied permission to the VHP to hold the procession but the Hindu organisation is adamant about going ahead with its plan in Nuh which recently saw a communal clash in which six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died when a religious procession of the Vishva Hindu Parishad was attacked by a mob on July 31.
With the VHP asserting that Hindu groups would go ahead with its procession, authorities have ordered the closure of educational institutions and banks on the day, suspended mobile Internet and bulk SMS services, and imposed prohibitory orders in the communally-sensitive district.
Haryana Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur said the administration has denied permission for the yatra due to a meeting of the G20 Sherpa Group, scheduled to be held in Nuh during September 3-7, and to maintain law and order in the aftermath of the July 31 violence.
In view of the yatra call, Kapur presided over a meeting with senior officers of bordering states through videoconferencing and called for a coordinated effort to effectively deal with the situation.
The meeting was attended by senior police officers of Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
The authorities were using drones for surveillance in the wake of recent violence in the district.
The state government also imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) prohibiting the assembly of four or more people in an area as a precautionary measure.
The government announced the decision to suspend mobile Internet from August 26-28, apprehending the spread of rumours through social media ahead of or during Monday’s rally.
Shops are also advised to remain closed on Monday, he said, adding there will be strict enforcement of prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144.
VHP firm on Nuh procession
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday said the “shobha yatra” would be taken out in Nuh on August 28 and asserted there was no need to obtain permission from the administration for such religious events.
The organisation, however, said it would inform the administration about the procession and was open to discussion on its form and size as “we do not want to cast a shadow on G20 event”.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said the yatra would be taken out by the Sarva Hindu Samaj of Mewat, not the VHP.
He also appealed to people of other areas of Haryana to take out similar yatras in their respective localities and not join the one in Mewat.
Jain hoped that the yatra will remain “peaceful”, claiming that Muslims of the area have offered to cooperate.
During this period, no person will be allowed to carry weapons such as licensed firearms, lathis, axes and others.
Director-General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur presided over a meeting with senior officers of bordering states through videoconferencing and called for a coordinated effort to effectively deal with the situation.
In the meeting, attended by senior police officers of Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, Kapur said the administration has denied permission for the yatra due to a meeting of the G20 Sherpa Group, scheduled to be held in Nuh during September 3-7, and to maintain law and order in the aftermath of the July 31 violence. The government announced the decision to suspend mobile Internet from August 26-28, apprehending the spread of rumors through social media ahead of or during Monday’s rally.
Inter-state barricading should also be done to prevent any kind of mobilisation of people, he asserted. Nobody will be allowed to take the law into their hands. Kapur said Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Mamta Singh will be the nodal officer and stationed in Nuh. He asked the police officers of bordering states that in case any incident that can disrupt communal harmony comes to their notice, it should be shared on a real-time basis so that preventive action can be taken on time.
Regarding the order suspending mobile Internet, the order by Prasad read, “…This order is issued to prevent disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of district Nuh and shall be in force with effect from August 26, 1200 hours, to August 28, 2359 hours.” On Friday, Nuh Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata wrote to Prasad, bringing to his notice that the Sarv Jatiya Hindu Mahapanchayat had called for a Brij Mandal Shoba Yatra in the district on August 28. In the letter, he said there is an apprehension of the misuse of social media/bulk messages by anti-social elements to disturb the peace.
“Therefore, it is necessary to suspend all mobile Internet and bulk SMS services in Nuh district to avoid any untoward situation,” Khadgata wrote, requesting Prasad to issue the necessary directions. In his Saturday order, Prasad said there is a clear potential for the disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disturbance of public law and order in Nuh via the spread of rumours and inflammatory content through the Internet. He ordered the temporary suspension of mobile Internet services (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, CDMA, GPRS), bulk SMS (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except voice calls.
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