Representative Image for Vishwa Hindu Parishad protest
On August 2, the Supreme Court directed the authorities to ensure no hate speeches or violence takes place during the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal rallies in Delhi NCR region to protest against ‘Nuh Violence’ which has spread to other parts of Haryana. However, the apex court has refused to put a stay on the VHP and Bajrang Dal rallies in the region.
The petitioner Shaheen Abdullah moved the interlocutory application (IA) before the apex court, seeking to stop the VHP and Bajrang Dal’s rallies proposed to be carried out in the Delhi NCR region. On July 31, the VHP organised a Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Religious Yatra in Nuh, Haryana. However, Islamists pelted stones at the rally, vandalised public property, and set vehicles ablaze, leaving several injured.
The court’s Division Bench, comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SV Bhatti, heard the urgent application in a special sitting. The court directed the Delhi Police and the State Governments of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to ensure that no untoward incidents take place during the rallies. Furthermore, the court directed the authorities to record the rallies in sensitive areas and preserve the footage. The court further said that the authorities are bound by the court’s earlier orders directing the police to suo motu register FIRs in hate speech cases.
The petitioner’s counsel Senior Advocate Chander Singh informed the court that the VHP and Bajrang Dal have announced 23 rallies in the Delhi NCR region. The court asked the counsel if any hate speeches were made during these rallies, to which Singh replied in affirmative. The counsel further said that more rallies are planned for today, August 2, in sensitive areas.
“There cannot be any quarrel on the proposition that hate speeches do vitiate the atmosphere. Mr. Raju, please ensure that the authorities must take adequate precautions to ensure that there is no violence and there are no hate speeches,” Justice Sanjiv Khanna said, addressing Additional Solicitor General SV Raju.
“Please get in touch with the authorities immediately to ensure that nothing untoward happens and at least there are no hate speeches or violence at all. And wherever you think are sensitive areas, take additional precautions in the form of additional police force. Also, deploy CCTV cameras to ensure everything is recorded,” Justice Khanna further told the ASG.
“We have to ensure that rule of law is maintained. This cannot be treated as an adversarial litigation. The law and order is basically a policing issue which must be taken care of,” Justice Khanna further said.
“We hope and trust that the State Governments, including the police authorities, will ensure that there are no hate speeches against any community and there is no violence or damage to properties. Wherever required, adequate police force or paramilitary forces will be deployed. Further, authorities including the police will take use of the CCTV cameras where installed or make video recordings in all sensitive areas wherever required. The CCTV footage and the videos will be preserved,” the court said in its order.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad Demands NIA Probe
On July 31, Muslims attacked a peaceful religious procession organised by the VHP in Haryana’s Nuh. The violence left as many as six dead, including two security personnel. Hundreds of vehicles were set ablaze, with targeted attacks and looting on the shops of Hindu vendors. On August 1, addressing a press conference, the Central Joint General Secretary of VHP, Surendra Jain, demanded an NIA probe into ‘Nuh Violence.’
Addressing the meeting, Jain said, What happened in Haryana’s Nuh is distressing and condemnable. Every year in the sacred month of Shravan, Hindus reach Nuh (earlier Mewat) to visit the five holy temples of Bhagwan Shiv, built during the Mahabharata period.
This year too as many as 20-25 thousand Hindus assembled in Mewat to visit these temples peacefully. However, the procession was bombarded with stones and the visitors were attacked with sticks and other sharp weapons by the Islamists. The religious procession, ‘Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra’, was flagged off from Gurugram’s Civil Lines by Bharatiya Janata Party district president Gargi Kakkar. When it reached Khedla Mod in Nuh, it was attacked, police said.
Elaborating on the incident that unfolded in front of him Jain said, “Within 15 minutes to the procession, Islamists started pelting stones at us. They were well-equipped with guns, swords and sticks. Stones were coming from one side and bullets were fired from the other. Some threw petrol bombs at us, it was very difficult to get out of it. We managed to sought refuge at the Nalhar temple.”
Sharing the horrors from the day, Jain said, he witnessed the death of a devotee who sought refuge in the temple. He added, “As soon as we reached the temple, the Islamists reached there as well. They started setting vehicles like buses, cars, and others on fire. They also opened fire at us, and as many as two people sustained bullet wounds among us. When the police arrived, the Islamists climbed up to the mountains and opened fire at women and children in the temple. A person died in front of us.”
Telling about the state of Hindus in Mewat, Jain shared how he managed to get out of what looked like Mini Pakistan. Notably, the Haryana government said on August 1 that at least 13 companies of paramilitary forces have reached Nuh district, and 6 more companies will reach shortly. “The situation is normal in all the districts around Nuh as well. Section 144 has been imposed as a precautionary measure in Faridabad, Palwal, Gurugram.”
He added, “Somehow the police managed to rescue the women, children and others from the temple and took us to the police line. But by then we watched the unthinkable in Mewat, it was like ‘Mini Pakistan’ to us, here and there people sought refuge, be it temples, offices or police stations. The attackers did not left the police stations as well.”
Dr Jain alleged that the people who instigated these rioters are responsible for this incident, because of their instigation, attacks happen on Muharram and Ram Navami. How many other people have been sacrificed, is being ascertained, but even from the administration, the correct figures are not available in this regard. Arrangements are being made for the injured and their proper treatment.
He added, “What happened in Nuh is an accident that calls for serious introspection. A Direct Action kind of atmosphere was created in Nuh yesterday. I would also like to tell to those clerics who try to incite followers of Islam on every occasion that this is the result of it. This is not right. This is a suicidal tendency. He asked, What kind of future are you creating for your children by bringing them forward and letting them set things on fire? You may be in the majority there, this does not mean that you will dig graveyards for Hindus. Misdeeds like these should not be tolerated in any circumstances”
He announced that in protest against this cruel attack on Hindu religious procession, on August 2, dharnas will be held across the country. In this protest, effigies of Jihad will be burnt. Due to this terrorist attack, two workers of Bajrang Dal have been brutally murdered, and two other people of the society have also been sacrificed. VHP demands that one crore rupees be given to their families. Those injured should be given Rs 20 lakh, and those whose vehicles and buses have been destroyed should be given full compensation, for which the government should also take responsibility. The entire Mewat area should be sealed, combing should be done, and each and every Islamist should be caught and punished, then, only this anti-Hindu, anti-national terror activity going on in Mewat can be stopped.
He added, the VHP demands an NIA investigation into the matter considering visuals and clips showing that the Islamists planned this attack beforehand and they were equipped with deadly weapons.
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