Claiming that he was stopped briefly by Haryana Police from entering Nuh, where a curfew is currently in force, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) president Alok Kumar on Monday said he had no clue why he was barred from attending the Braj Mandal Shobha Yatra in the district.
Claiming a failure of the local administration, the VHP president said he had never seen such ‘mismanagement’ by the police in his entire life.
“I do not know whether I will reach (Nuh) on time. First, they stopped me then they let me through. I sensed a clear failure of the local administration,” the VHP leader said.
Amid fears of fresh violence after the VHP announced the Yatra, the district administration enforced prohibitory orders under Section 144, urging locals in Nuh to stay indoors. Roads were barricaded with access restricted and outsiders were barred entry to the district, which saw clashes last month.
The VHP gave a call for ‘Braj Mandal Shobha Yatra’ in the district on Monday, despite authorities denying permission for the procession.
Kumar meanwhile, asserted that the Yatra will be taken out as planned and he will perform the Jalabhishek on Monday.
“I didn’t understand what was happening. Some (police personnel) let me pass at checkpoints while others stopped me, wasting my time. Where’s the sense in stopping me here,” the VHP leaders told reporters here (in Nuh). We haven’t been able to open a direct line of communication with the administration yet. Police personnel at every checkpoint seem to be enforcing their own rules,” he added.
Earlier on Monday, while on his way to Nuh, Kumar said the Yatra would not be cancelled under any circumstances. “However, the number of people joining the procession may be reduced,” he said.
Responding to the heavy police presence in the district on Monday, the VHP president said had the security deployment in Nuh been anywhere close to this last month, the violence on July 31 would not have happened.
He said he had no clue why the administration was denying permission for a peaceful procession. “I wonder why unarmed civilians, including women, elderly and children, are being told not to take out the Yatra,” the VHP leader said.
“We know that there is G20 summit happening shortly and it is a sensitive area. We have decided not to create any hindrances for the administration, and have, hence, reduced the number of people joining the Yatra,” he said, adding that the procession will not be called off.
Meanwhile, Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya, a Hindu seer from Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, sat on an indefinite hunger strike after he was allegedly stopped from entering Nuh.
The seer alleged that the administration stopped him and his followers at the Sohna toll plaza while they were on their way to pay homage to people who were killed in last month’s clashes and perform ‘Jalabhishek’ in Nuh temple on the occasion of the last Somvaar (Monday) of the Hindu month of Saawan.
“We had brought the soil of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi and the Jal (water) of Saryu river to pay homage to the Bajrang Dal workers, who were killed and were to return after performing Jalabhishek. I was travelling in a convoy of vehicles. Upon learning that Section 144 was in place, I reduced the convoy. Still, the administration stopped us and is not allowing us to return as well,” Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya said.
He said that he would sit on a hunger strike until he received permission to pay homage and perform Jalabhishek.
Mamata Singh, additional director general, Law and Order, said strict action will be taken against anyone trying to instigate people through social media.
“We have denied (permission) for any type of Yatra or group movement… However, people are offering prayers in the temple as it is the last Somvaar (Monday) of Saawan,” she said.
“Internet services will remain suspended till midnight,” she added. (ANI)
