Sadhus visit temple; no procession take out in Nuh

Story by ATV | Posted by Aasha Khosa | Date 28-08-2023

Sadhus who visited the temples in the Nuh district of Haryana

New Delhi

A face off between the Hindu religious groups which wanted to take out a religious procession even as the authorities had imposed a ban on it in Nuh, was avoided thanks to the deft handling of the sensitive situation by the administration.

The day passed off peacefully as after discussions, the police allowed a 51-member delegation of saints to visit the Nalhad temple in Nuh as part of the religious procession they were insisted on taking out.

The police had sealed the borders to prevent entry of outsiders into the district where six persons had died and property was destroyed in a flare up of communal tension during a Hindu religious procession on July 31.

The VHP had announced the Braj Mandal Yatra but the district administration had issued orders to ban it. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had also appealed to all Hindus to offer prayers in the temples around them.

On July 31 violence broke out during the passage of the Braj Mandal Yatra, in which dozens of vehicles were torched and six people, including an Imam, and two home guards, were killed.

Tension prevailed in the area; curfew was imposed and internet remained suspended for weeks. Today again, the Internet services were suspended and curfew was imposed.

Heavy police deployment was made in the district to prevent any untoward incident

Police told media that a group of 51-member monks and saints from outside have been allowed to visit all the three main temples of Nuh. They were being taken around the temples in government vehicles.

A Sub-Inspector identified as Hakmuddin who was on duty on the day died of a heart attack in Nagina.

In the meanwhile in neighbouring Gurugram Police put several Hindu leaders, including Kulbhushan Bhardwaj and Abhishek Gaur, under house arrest in view of the Shobha Yatra called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The Hindu leaders were not allowed to go outside their houses. Police personnel were stationed outside their houses throughout the day.

"It was around 8.22 a.m. on Monday when a PCR van of the Gurugram Police was deployed outside my house here in Sector-14. They did not allow me to go outside," Bhardwaj said, adding the Haryana government has placed some Hindu leaders under house arrest.;

"The Haryana government has reminded Hindu leaders of the Mughal era by placing us under house arrest, but Hindus can not stop and Jalabhishek was offered at Nalhad Temple in Nuh. When the time comes, Hindus will give a befitting reply to this arbitrariness," he added.

A notice was sent by the police to the Hindu leaders, which read: "In the wake of the Nuh violence on July 31, it has been known from the Intelligence report that you are a 'conscious member' of Hindu society and raise your voice against anti-Hindu activities, so you will neither participate in the Shobha yatra on 28 nor will you tell anyone.

"You also will not even make such religious comments through oral or social media, which may disturb peace and order. If you indulge in such activities without permission, action will be taken as per rules," read the police notice.