Ensure law and order is maintained: Uttarakhand HC to govt on Purola communal tension

Nainital: The Uttarakhand High Court heard a petition on Thursday on the communal tension in Purola town and directed the state government to ensure that law and order is maintained.

Tension has been brewing in Purola in Uttarkashi district for over a fortnight since a foiled attempt by two men, including a Muslim, to abduct a minor girl.

The state government had issued prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in the hill town to prevent a "mahapanchayat" called by local trade bodies and Hindutva outfits on Thursday over alleged incidents of "love jihad".

However, the call for the "mahapanchayat" was withdrawn by the organisers late on Wednesday night.

A division bench of Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, while hearing the petition, also asked people not to engage in debates on social media on the incident, which had sparked communal tension in the town, and said it will help normalise the situation.

The state government is working towards maintaining law and order in the area and with time, things will settle down as time is the best healer, the bench said and expressed satisfaction with the steps being taken authorities.

The petition was moved by advocate Shahrukh Alam on behalf of The Association for Protection of Civil Rights seeking prevention of the mahapanchayat in Purola as it could disturb public harmony.

The court said that the communities have been living in harmony with one other for centuries and they will continue to do so.

It directed the state government to ensure that law and order is maintained and no loss of life or property takes place in Purola. It was said in the petition that a mahapanchayat has been called by various Hindutva organisations after a minor girl belonging to the Hindu community was caught eloping with a man of the Muslim community.

The mahapanchayat may pose a threat to public harmony and may lead to further communal tension, the petition said.

Advocate General SN Babulkar informed the court that section 144 has been imposed in the area and steps have been taken to defuse communal tensions, thereby, effectively preventing the mahapanchayat.

The petition also called for the state to maintain law and order in the area. It was alleged in the petition that Muslim shopkeepers have been asked not to open their shops.

Posters announcing the same have been pasted outside their shops as well as uploaded on social media, it claimed.

Protection for such shops and their owners was also demanded by the petitioner. It was further prayed that FIR be registered against those who had authored such posters.

The bench also said one cannot be forced to buy or not buy from a particular shop. As for the FIR, it maintained that it is for the police to proceed in such matters.

The high court also said that an FIR has already been registered in the matter.

Even if there is an error on part of the police, the option to approach the magistrate under section 156(3) of the CrPC is always available, it said.