New Delhi: Saket Gokhale, a Member of Indian Parliament’s Upper House from West Bengal, has sought details from Nuh SDM in Haryana about the action the administration has taken against members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindu groups who participated in the communal riots in the district last week.
Nuh, the Muslim dominated district in Mewat area of Haryana, witnessed communal clashes between Muslim and Hindus on July 31, 2023.
The riots started in Nuh when “someone” threw stones on a “Shobha Yatra” reportedly led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other right-wing Hindu extremist groups, passed through the area which had majority of Muslims as its habitant.
It is unclear who actually threw the stone on the Hindu “religious procession”. No investigation done to find out the actual perpetrator. It was assumed that the “someone” who threw the stone on the procession must have been a Muslim.
This despite the fact that those part of the VHP procession were very aggressive, shouting provocative slogans, and carrying swords and sticks, according to Union Minister and BJP Member of Parliament from Gurugram.
Soon stone pelting started from both the sides, rioting and clashes spread to other adjoining areas including Gurugram, the financial and technology hub earlier known as Gurgaon barely an hour from the National Capital New Delhi.
As many six people, including a Deputy Imam of a Gurgaon Mosque and two Home-Guards, were killed in the clashes. Properties worth crore of rupees and belonging to Hindus and Muslims both were targeted, damaged, torched or looted.
Then started the administration action called “bulldozer justice”. Homes, shops, including medical stores, and properties belonging to Muslims were demolished using bulldozers and JCB machines.
The administration carried the discriminate and one-sided demolition drive, according to the local MLA, with conflicting claims.
While some officials claimed that the demolition has nothing to do with the recent communal violence and is an attempt to clear encroachments, local Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ashwani Kumar on multiple times in the last four days have said the properties bulldozed were owned by anti-social elements and rioters.
It is also claimed that those encroached the government and private lands were actually “illegal immigrants” from Bangladesh and Myanmar (Rohingya).
Local administration Sunday razed to ground a 3-storey Sahara Hotel claiming stones were pelted during the riots from the roof of the hotel.
#Nuh Sahara Hotel and Restaurant razed Sunday. #Haryana Govt says it was illegally built and it was used for stone pelting #Nuhviolence @Districtnuh @police_haryana @mlkhattar pic.twitter.com/ompLU0V57K— Sushil Manav (@sushilmanav) August 6, 2023
#Nuh Sahara Hotel and Restaurant razed Sunday. #Haryana Govt says it was illegally built and it was used for stone pelting #Nuhviolence @Districtnuh @police_haryana @mlkhattar pic.twitter.com/ompLU0V57K
The administration however is silent till writing this report about the action taken against the rioters who were carrying arms in the procession led by VHP and other right-wing extremist Hindu groups.
In his letter addressed to Nuh SDM Ashwani Kumar, Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale has sought the details of the action taken against members of VHP and other Hindu groups.
“How many homes of VHP goons and others, who participated in the violence and were carrying illegal weapons and firearms, have been identified and demolished?” Gokhale asked in his letter.
In his letter Saket Gokhale also refuted the charge that the poor Muslims whose homes and shops were demolished were illegal immigrants or Rohingyas.
“For the last two days, the Nuh District Administration has been demolishing houses and shops belonging to Muslims who they claim are "illegal immigrants and Rohingyas encroaching on govt land."
What's peculiar is that the authorities apparently realised that these are "encroachments" only after the Nuh violence snf started demolitions even while a curfew is in place”, he said.
“On the other hand, news reports have categorically said that the Muslims whose homes were demolished were workers from West Bengal”, he said.
For the last 2 days, the Nuh District Administration has been demolishing houses and shops belonging to Muslims who they claim are "illegal immigrants & Rohingyas encroaching on govt land."What's peculiar is that the authorities apparently realised that these are… pic.twitter.com/fFDEJCqR9U— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) August 6, 2023
For the last 2 days, the Nuh District Administration has been demolishing houses and shops belonging to Muslims who they claim are "illegal immigrants & Rohingyas encroaching on govt land."What's peculiar is that the authorities apparently realised that these are… pic.twitter.com/fFDEJCqR9U
Saket Gokhale also sought the details of the ground and evidence based on which the administration came to the conclusion that the Muslims were illegal immigrants or Rohingyas.
“If these were "illegal immigrants", how did SDM Nuh identify and determine that? How many cases under Passports Act, 1967 registered?” Gokhale asked claiming that he has concrete and confirmed reports that “these houses are not of illegal immigrants but of Muslim families from West Bengal living in Nuh.”
Gokhale also asked Chief Minister ML Khattar to come clean on why no action has been taken against VHP.
“CM M. L. Khattar needs to come clean urgently on why no action has been taken against VHP goons who were involved in the riots.”
“Is it because this violence was planned and orchestrated by his party BJP?” he asked.
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