Nuh violence: 'Mahapanchayat' resolves to resume VHP yatra on Aug 28

Gurugram/Palwal: A 'mahapanchayat' by Hindu outfits at Pondri village in Haryana's Palwal on Sunday decided to resume on August 28 the VHP's Braj Mandal Yatra in Nuh that was disrupted after communal violence in July.

The mahapanchayat also made several demands, which included an NIA probe into the attack on the VHP yatra in Nuh on July 31 and declaring Nuh a cow slaughter-free district.

At the 'Sarva Jatiye Mahapanchayat', participants from Palwal, Gurugram and other nearby places took part, and it was decided that the yatra will resume from Nalhar in Nuh and pass through Firozpur Jhirka's Jhir and Shingar temples in the district.

While addressing the event, some Hindu leaders said that Hindus in Nuh, a Muslim-dominated district, be given relaxation in securing arms licences for self-defence.

At the gathering, Haryana Gau Rakshak Dal's Acharya Azad Shastri told the youth "not to be afraid of FIRs". "We should immediately ensure getting licence of 100 rifles in Mewat," he said.

The mahapanchayat, attended by some local BJP leaders, was held under the banner of 'Sarv Hindu Samaj', in which several Hindu outfits, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, took part. It was presided over by Arun Jaildar, a Khap leader.

Zaildar said the annual yatra, which has remained incomplete, must be completed on August 28.

The mahapanchayat was originally planned to be held in Nuh district's Kira village but permission was denied for it in view of the prevailing law and order situation.

Permission for the mahapanchayat was given in Palwal, Deputy Superintendent of Police (headquarters), Palwal, Sandeep Mor said on Sunday.

Palwal and Nuh are adjoining districts.

Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died in the clashes that erupted in Nuh after the VHP procession was attacked by mobs on July 31. Gurugram also witnessed stray incidents of violence.

VHP leader Devender Singh had earlier claimed that the yatra will resume on August 28 in Nuh after the earlier one came under attack.

The mahapanchayat also demanded that Nuh district be merged with adjoining Palwal and Gurugram districts, and a survey of losses of shops and homes of Hindus be carried out and they be compensated.

There should be permanent deployment of Rapid Action Force and four battalions of central forces in Nuh, it sought, and further demanded that cases registered in Nuh against those indulged in violence should be heard in a court outside the district and the arrested accused be lodged in Gurugram or other jail instead of Nuh.

Rohingyas and people from any other place outside the country living in Nuh should be removed and a law should be made to enforce this, the Hindu leaders demanded.

It was also demanded that compensation of Rs 1 crore and a government job be provided to the family members of Hindus who died in the Nuh violence and Rs 50 lakh to those injured.

In the mahapanchayat, Bharat Bhushan, state convener of Bajrang Dal; Anurag Kulshrestha, social media head of VHP; BJP's Sohna MLA Sanjay Singh, former Palwal MLA Subhash Chowdhary, Nuh BJP former district president Surender Arya and officials of the VHP, Bajarang Dal and other Hindu outfits were present.