Uttarkashi District was a quiet place before 2023 in Uttarakhand State, now seems to be in turmoil.. Earlier, a case was instituted on behest of HINDUVTA Organisations operating there to expel Muslims families living in Purola for decades in name of LOVE JIHAD, which proved false in Court. But damage was done and the fabric of communal harmony was broken.
Now, in the city of Uttarkashi on 24th October 2024, there was a communal frenzy to demolish a mosque, which was in existence from the year 1969, surveyed and notified by Uttar Pradesh Government Gazette in the year of 1984 and registered as Waqf Property. Hindutv organisation object the existence of Masjid there on the pretext that there is Kashinath temple and Varuna Virat hillock sacred to them, so the Masjid should be removed. The so called custodian of Hindutva, named Swami Darshan Bharti, Vishnu Giri Maharaj, Dalpat Bhandari, Rakesh Uttarkhandi alongwith with locals are leading the movement. The mastermind, as admitted by himself in a podcast interview, is Swami Darshan Bharti, who planned alongwith his accomplices at his residence at Dehradun to accomplish this task and created a law order situation at Uttarkashi under his leadership on 24th October 2024. Many were injured including police men in stone pelting by mob and taken to hospital. An FIR no. 0060 dated 24.10.2024 was also lodged at Uttarkashi Kotwali but those ignited the situation, instigated the locals and conspirators of communal mobilization escaped unhurt and without being named in Police FIR.
The offenders are now claiming heroism on account of manhandling of police and subjugating the force. They are reiterating to repeat such mobilisation against the Muslims and other minorities like Christian and Buddhist throughout the Uttarakhand. In another proclamation، saint looking miscreants like Anand Swaroop and disciples of Yati Natsimhanand give option to non hindus living in Uttarakhand either to convert in Hinduism or fled to Muslim States or they will kill them as they are organising Kali sena for that purpose. All this going unheard and perhaps, Government of Uttarakhand is waiting to do away population increase of Minority from the State on accusations of demographical change and giving impunity to the hate mongers like Anand Swaroop and Yeti Narsimhanand Swami disciples, who are constantly threatening for genocide and annihilation of Minorities on the pretext of love (religious conversion) and land jihad etc with false and exaggerated narratives, igniting situation of hatred for Minorities living in Uttarakhand.
What a repressive situation it is that citizens of Uttar Pradesh and other States are termed as Bahari or outsiders and facing a kind of discrimination in society as untouchables or people not wanted? There is a beginning of separatism in the society with mobocracy rulings and often are beaten up, their business ransacked and burned, imposition of economic boycott and call for eviction from different part of State on one pretext or others. Their Masjid, Madarsas, Churches and many mazars are targeted as illegal or proclaimed encroachment. The right wing Hindu outfit are often ruling and deciding at their own to desecrate and remove them in a wild justice and no effective legal measures taken against those taking law in their own hand, spreading hatred and lawlessness, with impunity towards hooligans. Mostly, all acts of hooliganism go unchecked by administrator and without action against them. There is a demand for expelling Muslim community from Hilly districts on allegations of many jihads and termed them jihaddis or Rohingyas or Bahari. Where is the Constitution impunity or religious tolerance as proclaimed for these citizens of the country in such incidents, which are being reported every day at different part of State. A complete clamourous and unconstitutional situation being erupted every now and then look like that a testing ground of Hindutva’s spread throughout States now.
How long and how far it goes, nobody knows it but a conducive situation for every resident of Uttarakhand have to be ensured for peaceful co- existence by the Government of Uttarakhand as their Constitution obligation.
By Khursheed Ahmed
