Over to ‘Nuh’

Ram Puniyani

The incidents of Nuh have twin logics inbuilt into it. The annual Yatra, Brijmandal Jalabhiskek Yatra with destination of Nalhar Mahadev Mandir, chose an interesting route. It did not pass through Hindu majority areas but chose the route where Muslims are more in number. The Mandir already had the presence of the VHP leader Surendra Jain, whose video is circulating; the Hate flowed abundantly in his speech just before the Yatra.

In addition Monu Manesar, the accused in the murder of Nasir and Junaid, who were killed and brutally burnt alive in a four wheeler, issued a video pronouncing his intention to join the Yatra and urging upon people to be there to welcome him. He is Chief of Cow Protection cell of Bajrang Dal in the area. Due to murder of Nasir and Junaid, he is quite hated in the area. His video did act as a provocation. On similar lines, Bittu Bajrangi, another member of Cow vigilante group also issued a similar provocative video. It seems both these worthies were advised by VHP leaders not to join the procession.

The claims are that Muslim minorities attacked the procession and also the temple. The videos of the incident show that from within temple premises there was a shooting by vigilantes right in the presence of police force. Many in the procession were carrying arms, and preferred to pass through Muslim majority areas giving provocative slogans. Those who attacked the procession were also armed.

In the whole mayhem the police was either a bystander or looking the other way around as seen in one of the videos. The processionists also attacked a mosque, killing one Naib Imam. Early on Tuesday, two hundred strong Hindutva mob defied curfew and went on rampage spree. They entered the Masjid at Sector 57 in Gurgaon and attacked the three people sleeping there. They stabbed Imam Saad multiple times before setting fire to Masjid.

The violence is spreading beyond the Nuh area to NCR area. Citizens for Justice and Peace has complained to the DGP and NCM about the escalation of violence and urgent need to control it. Satyapal Malik, ex-Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, very well commented on the tragedy of Nuh, “The whole country will burn like Manipur if these people are not contained,” he said. “Jats by culture or tradition believe in the Arya Samaj way of life and are not very religious in the traditional sense of the term. Neither are the Muslims of this area very traditional in their outlook. Therefore one has never heard of the two communities clashing in this manner ever since Independence. And these attacks will only increase in the run-up to 2024 as is evident in Manipur,” he said addressing a packed hall at the Constitution Club.

As VHP plans to take out many processions in the area, the Supreme Court in all its wisdom has hit the nail on the head when it urged the authorities to ensure that no violence or hate speeches take place in the protest marches being held by Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

It is urgent to combat hate; it has to be a sort of movement. What people need is a state police and other authorities totally sensitised to the values of pluralism and diversity. The need of the hour is a state apparatus totally committed to Indian Nationalism and not to sectarian Nationalism.

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Frontier
Vol 56, No. 10, Sep 3 - 9, 2023