Hearing will be held in Uttarakhand High Court on mahapanchayat today, administration has not given permission

Uttarakhand Mahapanchayat: The Uttarakhand High Court will hear on Thursday a plea seeking to restrain Hindu organizations from holding a ‘mahapanchayat’ against “love jihad” in Purola town, where the local administration has imposed prohibitory orders to prevent the gathering from taking place. The ‘Association for the Protection of Civil Rights’ moved the High Court on Wednesday after the Supreme Court refused to hear a petition related to the matter and allowed the petitioner to approach the High Court or any other relevant authority.

Local trade unions have called a shutdown on Thursday in Uttarkashi district, in which Purola falls, to protest against the imposition of Section 144. The administration has not given permission for the Mahapanchayat. There has been communal tension in the area after two persons, including one from the minority community, were arrested for trying to kidnap a minor Hindu girl in Purola on May 26. Along with rescuing the girl, the accused were sent to judicial custody.

Campaign against cases of love jihad
Local trade bodies and right-wing Hindu organizations have launched a campaign against ‘love jihad’ cases in Purola and neighboring towns such as Barkot, Chinyalisaur and Bhatwari. Earlier in the day, a vacation bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah had asked the NGO’s counsel Shahrukh Alam to pursue the options available in law and approach the High Court or any other authority.

The NGO’s petition requested to stop the ‘mahapanchayat’ and register an FIR against those who made hate speeches allegedly targeting members of a particular community. The bench said, “We do not want to go against the legal procedures. There is the High Court and there is the district administration, you can approach them. Maintaining law and order is the responsibility of the state government and why do you think no action will be taken if the matter is brought to its notice. You should have faith in the High Court.

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petition withdrawal request
The bench, in its order, recorded that Alam has sought withdrawal of the writ petition to enable the NGO to approach the High Court or any other authority. The bench said, ‘Permission is granted. The writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn.” Alam said members of a particular community have been asked to leave Uttarkashi through posters and letters and police taking suo motu cognizance of hate speeches. An FIR should have been lodged but no action was taken on his behalf.

“The material available shows that there is a need to register an FIR under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). A mahapanchayat is going to be held on June 15 and they have given an ultimatum to the district administration to evict members of a particular community by June 15.” Will be applicable. He said that some people may try to disturb the peace, so section 144 has been implemented.

Bajrang Dal President Anuj Walia said that the steps being taken to stop the mahapanchayat are part of a larger conspiracy against Hindus. Demanding the removal of Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Rohilla and Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi, Walia said, “The mahapanchayat was to be conducted peacefully. The administration is protecting the Jihadis.” He said, “The administration is working under the pressure of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi.” He said that Section 144 will not prevent Hindu organizations from holding mahapanchayats, which will be held after June 19. Can happen anytime.

failed kidnapping attempt
Other right-wing Hindu organizations that called for the mahapanchayat include the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan. “Love Jihad” is a term often used by right-wing activists to allege that Muslim men are converting Hindu women by luring them into marriage. Apart from the failed kidnapping attempt on May 26 in Purola, a case of attempted kidnapping of two minor sisters of Nepali origin by a person named Nawab came to light on June 8 in Arakot area of ​​Uttarkashi district.

In both cases, a case has been registered against the accused under Indian Penal Code section 363 (kidnapping) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. After these incidents of attempted kidnapping, more than 40 shops run by Muslims in Purola have not opened even after a fortnight. Posters were pasted at some shops last week asking people to leave the city before the Mahapanchayat or be ready to face the consequences.

The ‘Muslim Seva Sangathan’, an organization working for the rights of Muslims, has also called for a mahapanchayat in Dehradun on 18th June. On the other hand, members of the Uttarakhand Waqf Board and the State Haj Committee appealed to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take strict action against ‘anti-social elements’ who were obstructing peace in the hill state and to protect the Muslims living in Purola for generations.