Chandigarh: In the wake of "intense communal tension" in Haryana's Nuh, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and other leaders cutting across party lines have appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony in the state.
Khattar also said that "strictest action" will be taken against those responsible for the incident.
"Today's incident is unfortunate. I appeal to all the people to maintain peace in the state. The guilty will not be spared at any cost, and strictest action will be taken against them," the chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi.
आज की घटना दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण है, मैं सभी लोगों से प्रदेश में शांति बनाए रखने की अपील करता हूँ।
— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) July 31, 2023
दोषी लोगों को किसी भी कीमत पर बख्शा नहीं जाएगा, उनके खिलाफ सख्त से सख्त कार्रवाई की जाएगी।
Khattar said the citizens should cooperate in the interest of the state by following the principle of "Haryana Ek Haryanvi Ek", asserting that all issues can be resolved through dialogue.
The chief minister said that the kind of situation that has arisen in Nuh, the responsibility of every common citizen towards the society increases further.
Khattar also said that no person is above the Constitution of the country. "We all should keep working together for the integrity and peace of the country," he said.
Congress leader and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also appealed to all to maintain peace and brotherhood.
Congress MLA from Nuh Aftab Ahmed and former MLA Zakir Hussain also urged people to maintain peace and brotherhood.
Hussain said that Nuh-Mewat region is known for its brotherhood and communal harmony for centuries and people should not lend an ear to any rumour and maintain peace.
Union minister Rao Inderjit appealed to people of all sections to maintain peace, saying that the residents of Mewat have always set an example of brotherhood. He said that anyone who disturbs brotherhood will not be spared.
Meanwhile, Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav warned the public of strict legal action for any objectionable post on social media.
A home guard was shot dead and about a dozen policemen injured as a mob in Nuh district tried to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession, pelting stones and setting cars on fire, police said.
According to police, VHP's 'Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra' was stopped by a group of young men near Nuh’s Khedla Mod and stones pelted at the procession. Cars were then set ablaze. People in the procession also hurled stones back at the youths who had stopped them, reports said.
In Nuh, mobile internet services were suspended till Wednesday to contain the "intense communal tension", the Haryana government said.
"...This order is issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of district Nuh and shall be in force with effect from 4 pm, July 31 to 23:59 hours of August 2," Additional Chief Secretary (Home) T V S N Prasad said.