Call for Mahapanchayats by majority and minority communities in Uttarkashi, Garhwal is indeed a matter of grave concern !

The communal situation in Uttarkashi district of GARHWAL, Uttarakhand with Purola having become a nerve centre for alleged possible tension between two communities after the call given by both the majority and minority communities for Mahapanchayat has gained momentum.

The media hype has further added multiple proportions to this imbroglio.

A sensitive case of an adolescent girl having been abducted by two boys , allegedly, one of majority and another of minority community is behind this entire controversy that has sensitised the issue to the core with an organisation of majority community led by Darshan Bharti, a saffron clad saint’s organisation Devbhoomi Raksha Samittee and other Hindu organisations giving the Mahapanchayat call for 15 June and the religious Muslim heads giving a call for another Mahapanchayat on 18 th June, countering it.

The abduction of the minor Hindu girl of a shopkeeper of Purola, Uttarkashi took place on 26 May and there had been several demonstrations since then at Bhatwadi chinyalisod and Bhatkot areas of Uttarkashi against a community and police demanding justice at the earliest.

This confrontationist attitude of both the communities in Purola, Uttarkashi , otherwise a holy town has led to tensions not only among both the communities, especially the peace loving people but also in the police and law enforcing department. The call initially given by Uttarakhand Dev Bhumi Raksha Abhiyan, a right wing organisation says that in view of the increasing cases of alleged ” Love Jihads”, in various parts of Uttarakhand and swelling population of the minorities in Devbhoomi the demography of the state is being negatively effected, especially in Uttarkashi.

Hence the call for Panchayat on 15th will discuss the demographic changes coming in Uttarkashi in particular n Uttarakhand in general including steps to be taken to control and counter it.

According to the news reports the head of the right wing organisation Darshan Bharti : he has asked the owners of the shops to ensure that Muslims are asked to vacate their shops. We haven’t asked the traders of minority community to do so said Bharti in a report of HT today.

The tension brewed up when the Muslim shop owners or in rent in Purola, Uttarkashi market saw posters stuck on their doors the other day to vacate them and leave Purola immediately failing which they will face severe consequences. This led to several of them shifting elsewhere under fear of retaliation.

In view of the existing tension in Purola market area and in Uttarkashi as well the atmosphere has become surcharged with some of the Muslim shopkeepers already having left for Dehradun or other unknown destinations vacating the shops, especially those who were on rent.

However, the shopkeepers or traders association has denied having put any pressure on the local shopkeepers to vacate their shops.

But the call for Mahapanchayat against Muslim traders given by Uttarakhand Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan on 15 th June and Muslim religious leaders calling another Mahapanchayat on 18 th has created a sort of communal divide situation in Purola, Uttarkashi that may have widespread implications in entire state.

Uttarakhand is a majority community state called Devbhoomi where communal harmony and brotherhood always dominated but it has been witnessed that during the last few years the situation of communal harmony has come under question mark especially since votes are being exploited on communal lines by varied political parties.

Uttarakhand always talks of peace, amity and brotherhood since time immemorial and is the center of four ancient Hindu religious portals Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri, Hemkunt Sahib and Jama Masjid Nainital and popular Piran Kaliyar Sharif Dargah at Roorkie etc.

All these religious ” Peeths” are spreading communal harmony, peace and amity since time immemorial.

Therefore, every effort should be made by the government, various social organisations, political parties and law enforcing agencies in Uttarakhand to deal with this ongoing communal situation very sensitively and strongly to curb the nefarious elements from the beginning to bring peace and tranquility in the region , once and for all.

It is the moral primary responsibility of the state government and its machinery to deal with the situation in such a manner that the communal divide is bridged forthwith among all communities and the trouble mongers punished stringently.

It may be recalled that the honourable Supreme Court has already issued directives to curb the hate speeches and hate speech mongers at all costs and stringently punish the guilty.

The state government should therefore while obeying the Supreme Court directives deal with the communal situation and hatred mongers strongly and ensure that peace and tranquility finally settles in Purola in particular and in Uttarkashi in general at the earliest.

It may be recalled that in Uttarakhand while the majority community population is 82.97% the minority community percentage is 13.9% . Therefore both the communities should exercise restraint and the majority community should show larger heart in this regard. The crime should be viewed purely from the angle of law and order , not classified on communal backgrounds say some legal experts.