Intro:With starting of Ramzan, loudspeakers are removed from temples in Moradabad district. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his administration seem to be basking in the ‘glory’ of its past mistakes.
While the sad memories of happenings of Muzaffarnagar are still fresh in the public minds, the UP Government stirred the hornets’ nest by disturbing the peace and tranquillity of Moradabad region since last fortnight. The police and administrative failure to resolve simple problems escalated the tensions and disturbed the law and order situation. No officer, including the Commissioner, DIG, DM and SSP, is taking any initiative in restoring the situation. No initiative is visible from Mulayam Singh Yadav, the ruling SP chief. UP is one of the most important states of the country as Prime Minster Shri Narendra Modi, Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh and half a dozen central ministers represent this state.
Uttar Pradesh |
The issue that is dodging the state government was not very serious one. In fact, it is a very trivial one. But at the same time very sensitive too. The Dalit members of Akbarpur Chaidri village in Kanth tehsil of Moradabad district are up in arms against the police for removal of loudspeakers from the temple in their locality by the police. When they protested the police action, they had to face the stringent action by the police force. This prompted the Hindu organisations and Dalits to take to street against the high-handedness of the police. The people are demanding restoration of loudspeakers on their temple and this demand has caught the officials in a catch 22 situation.
There are 80 per cent Muslims and 20 per cent Dalits in Akbarpur Chaidari village situated some 30 km from Moradabad. There are four mosques and two more are under construction. The Dalits have constructed a temple of Lord Shiva some 40 years ago in the village. They celebrate the ‘Janmashtami’ and ‘Shivratri’ with loudspeakers on the temple. This has been going on for years. There was never any communal tension in the village because of this. Kanth MLA Anis Ur Rahman says both the communities lived here with mutual trust and love and harmony.
Since assembly by-elections are approaching at Thakurdwara Assembly seat the political parties seem to be preparing grounds for it. This is said the root cause of this dispute. President of BJP West UP Chaudhary Bhupendra Singh said they had four main demands viz. restoration of loudspeakers, dismissal of two cops Zakir and Mukhtyar who defiled the ‘Shivlinga’ and removed the loudspeakers from the temple, they should be charged for spreading communal frenzy and immediate restrictions on the construction of two mosques that are being constructed ‘illegally’. The BJP, Hindu Jagaran Manch and VHP also demanded punitive action against those policemen who lathicharged the peaceful agitators in Kanth and transfer of the responsible officials. Chaudhary Bhupendra Singh was more disturbed over the fact the 50-odd police force behaved in a most unruly manner with the women who were reciting bhajans at the temple injuring Kishno Devi, Birma Devi, Bhagwati Devi and Mahant of the temple Hoshiyarnath. They narrated their agony to Deputy Director of SC/ST Commission Kaushal Kumar.
Senior BJP leader of Moradabad Shri Vinod Agrawal said the administration is again acting at the behest of the state government. The Police charged 36 members of Hindu organisations under various sections and sent 21 of them behind the bars. Amongst those arrested are BJP leader Uttampal, Provincial Organising Secretary of Hindu Jagarana Manch Hitesh Kumar, General Secretary Deepak Goyal, RSS office-bearer Krishna Gopal, BJP leader Sompal Singh and BJYM District President Navin Chaudhary.
Moradabad District administration on June 29 did not allow MP Sarvesh Kumar, Sambhal MP Satpal Saini, and Nagina MP Dr Yashwant, Union Minister and Muzaffarnagar MP Dr Sanjeev Balian to visit the village and forced them to return from Brijghat Bridge, Gajraula. The Union Minister talked to DM over phone and according to MP Sarvesh Kumar the DM had promised to restore the loudspeakers within a couple of days. But till the filing of this report this was not done.
The BJP intends to raise this issue in the Parliament during forthcoming session. In state assembly also the issue was raised on July 1.
-Surendra Singhal
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