GURUGRAM: A mahapanchayat by Hindu outfits in Palwal on Sunday demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the July 31 violence in Nuh. The mahapanchayat was held by the ‘Sarv Hindu Samaj’ at Pondri village in Palwal district, which borders Nuh.
At the mahapanchayat, participants made several demands, including scrapping of the district status for Nuh, trial of all accused outside Nuh and arms licences for Hindus living in the area for self-defence.
Lauding the government’s “bulldozer action”, the mahapanchayat said it was not enough and rioters should be made to pay for the damage also. It demanded deportation of all outsiders, including Rohingya, from the Mewat region. It also sought permanent deployment of central forces in the district.
The meeting decided to resume the Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh on August 28. The gathering vowed that the yatra would be taken out whether they get permission for it or not. Earlier, the yatra was halted due to communal clashes on July 31.
Though it was promised that cow vigilantes won’t take part in the event, Azad Shashtri, supremo of the self-styled Haryana Gau Rakshak Dal, participated in it. He demanded “100 arms for each Hindu village” of the region. The mahapanchayat was originally scheduled to be held in Nuh, but due to security reasons, the police did not give it permission. However, the Palwal police granted sanction on Sunday morning, while warning against hate speech during the gathering.
The Internet was suspended in the area as around 1,500 people gathered against the permitted 500.
Irked over the speeches at the mahapanchayat, leaders from Nuh have demanded action against it. “What they are saying is not just hate speech, but amounts to instigating riots. It’s strange they don’t allow public representatives to meet people, but allow an unruly crowd of 1,500 to gather and incite tension. We demand strict action over such gatherings,” said Nuh MLA Aftab Ahmed.