“Non-Hindus/Rohingya Muslims and hawkers are prohibited from doing business/roaming in villages.” A few signboards have been put up in the Rudraprayag district of the Indian hill state of Uttarakhand. The words are written on the signboards. Through this, ferry sellers as well as non-Hindus and Rohingya Muslims are prohibited from doing business or roaming in the respective areas.
According to a BBC report, there has been a strong debate across India over such writing on boards in public places. However, those concerned claim that this message was written as a ‘warning’. The representatives of the Muslim community met Uttarakhand Police DG Abhinav Kumar and objected to the matter.
The police administration claims that as soon as they came to know about these ‘warning message’ boards, they were removed. At the same time, the police officer assured that action will be taken against the people involved in this incident.
The issue of the board has come up at a time when communal tension has erupted over the molestation of a minor in the neighboring area.
Recently, there was an allegation of molestation of a minor girl in Chamoli district near Rudraprayag. The accused is a Muslim youth. Communal tension spread over this incident.
Although the board mentions Rohingya Muslims, no official statistics are available about the presence of this community in Uttarakhand.
According to village chiefs and locals, the list of villages where such boards have been installed includes Nalsu. Pramod Singh is the head of this village belonging to Ukhimath block of Rudraprayag district. BBC reported that they have spoken to village head Pramod Singh to find out more about the incident.
In this regard, Pramod Singh said, ‘What was written on the board in my village has been changed. Earlier, non-Hindu and Rohingya Muslims were written on the board. Now, instead of that, entry of hawkers has been banned.
But explaining the matter in response to the question why this message, Pramod Singh said, “Actually, most of the hawkers (identity) coming to the village do not have any verification (verification). It was written in this way so that no incident would happen in the future.
However, the village head admitted that the use of words like non-Hindus and Rohingya Muslims in the board is not correct. He claimed that he had informed that before the board was installed. However, the head of the village claimed that he did not know who put up the board.
In the words of Pramod Singh, ‘We have already informed those who put up this board that it is not right to write it. But I don’t know which organization those people (who put up the boards) belong to.’ BBC reported that they spoke to the heads of several other villages, but they refused to comment on the matter.
However, Rudraprayag resident Ashok Semwal, who is associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, claims that these boards have been put up to ‘spread awareness’.
Semwal said, ‘These boards are installed by some village heads and some organizations to increase awareness. The issue started from the Kedar base, then everyone followed others and installed this board.
Semwal’s argument behind banning the entry of hawkers, when business can be done in the market, what is the need to come to the village? Semwal said, the police has asked to correct the writing of the board.
Communal tension in neighboring districts
It is alleged that the shop of a Muslim youth named Arif was attacked and vandalized in the Nandnagar Ghat area of Chamoli, a neighboring district of Rudraprayag. The young man is accused of molesting a local minor.
The situation became heated after the molestation incident came to light. The members of the Hindutva organization took out a procession in the local market and started shouting slogans. Allegedly, after that, vandalism was carried out in the salon of the accused youth. It has also been alleged that the shops of other Muslim traders in the vicinity were also targeted at that time.
Two days later, the accused youth was arrested from Softpur village in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, the police have filed a case against those involved in the vandalism incident in the market. Section 163 of the Indian Civil Protection Code was enacted to maintain peace in the area.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condemned the incident and said that strict legal action will be taken against those accused of vandalism in the market. After that there was an atmosphere of tension in that area. The police force has also increased its activity to keep a strict vigil on the situation.
Objections of the Muslim community
After the matter of the board came to light, objections were raised about it. Uttarakhand State Unit President of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). A delegation led by Naiyar Kazmi met DGP Abhinav Kumar.
He informed the DGP about the incidents of boards put up in Rudraprayag and Nandnagar Ghat (market vandalism) in Chamoli. In his words, ‘We have met Uttarakhand Police Director General Abhinav Kumar regarding this. Informed him about such a board at Rudraprayag and also showed that picture. The DGP has assured us that they will investigate the matter and action will be taken against those who are destroying the environment.”
Another delegation of Muslim Seva Organization led by Kazi Maulana Muhammad Ahmed Qasmi of Dehradun city met DGP Abhinav Kumar and also submitted a memorandum in view of the incident.
Qazi Maulana Muhammad Ahmed Qasmi told the BBC, “The memorandum talks about the increasing number of cases targeting the minority Muslim population in the mountainous regions of Garhwal and Kumaon.”
Naeem Qureshi, President of Muslim Seva Organization, said, “In a secular country, the Constitution has given every Indian the right to come and live anywhere in India.”
He also said, ‘The type of board that has been put up is reprehensible. This incident proves that the administration is not able to fully fulfill its responsibilities.’ Naeem Qureshi said that apart from the matter of the board, DGP Abhinav Kumar also expressed regret about the incident of Chamoli.
