Uttarakhand: Boards Banning Entry of Non-Hindus/Rohingya Muslims Appear in Garhwal Hills

Dehradun: Amidst growing intimidation and public threats to minority Muslims in the Uttarakhand hills and public boards put up banning the entry of non-Hindus/Rohingya Muslims, two Muslim delegations met Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) Abhinav Kumar on Thursday. The delegation apprised Kumar about the grave communal situation prevailing in Garhwal hills, particularly at Nandghat and Gopeshwar in Chamoli district, and sought police protection for the minuscule minority population living there.

A delegation of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), led by its Uttarakhand state unit president Nayyer Kazmi, along with victims of Nandghat violence, met the DGP and expressed concern over the violence perpetuated by Right- wing Hindutva groups in which shops and business establishments run by Muslims were attacked, ransacked and looted. Some of the Muslims were badly beaten up and their mosque at Nandghat ransacked and damaged, the alleged.

Another delegation of Muslim Sewa Sangathan, led by Dehradun Shahr Qazi Maulana Mohammad Ahmad Qasmi, submit a memorandum regarding the increasing number of cases targeting the Muslim population, particularly in the hills of Garhwal and Kumaon.

Trouble began in Nandghat market near Nandprayag in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand on Sunday following allegations of eve-teasing and making indecent gestures at a minor girl by a Muslim youth who ran a barber shop in the area. The father of the minor girl had lodged a complaint with the police a few days ago as the alleged accused had absconded. Later, an irate mob of Hindutva groups, raising provocative slogans against the Muslim community, allegedly attacked, ransacked and looted at least seven shops owned by Muslims. They allegedly also damaged a makeshift mosque where Muslims used to pray, as well as damaged some vehicles owned by Muslims. The alleged accused Arif Khan had already been arrested by the police from Bijnore.

Two Muslim delegations going to meet Uttarakhand DGP Abhinav Kumar on Thursday.

Some of the victims of Nandghat violence who were beaten up, told the DGP that they were shopkeepers and were part of the protest against eve-teasing, yet they were identified and bashed up after their shops were broken open and looted,

The delegation, as per sources, also apprised the DGP that some Muslims were residing in the area for the past over five decades and had to flee with their families to save their lives.

They alleged that similar processions with provocative slogans were also taken out at Gopeshwar town, the district headquarters on Tuesday. The police has imposed prohibitory orders in Nandghat and has registered cases against 500 unidentified persons for the Nandghat violence.

The Muslim delegations also told DGP that Darshan Bharati, a known rabble-rouser Hindutva leader, known for his anti-Muslim hate speeches, was allowed to hold meetings “further vitiating” the already tense atmosphere in the area.

The delegations also apprised the DGP about public boards, allegedly put up by Hindutva groups, against the entry of non-Hindus/Rohingya Muslims for doing any business in Rudraprayag district, adding that this was “completely unlawful and against the Constitution of the country.”  

The delegations also flagged that of late, petty issues or any alleged criminal or anti-social activity by any Muslim, were followed by processions by Hindutva organisations targeting the entire Muslim community in various towns and cities in the hills.

The Uttarakhand police chief was told that since 2017, there had been several such cases where minority Muslim community had been targeted on trivial issues and forced to leave. The delegations cited incidents in Chauras in Kirtinagar block of Tehri Garhwal, where nearly 10 Muslims engaged in small businesses were forced to leave on a flimsy ground of ‘Love Jehad’ last month. In June 2023 Muslims were targeted in Purola on similar grounds. The ‘love jehad’ did not stand judicial scrutiny in the court of law and was found to be baseless, the said.

The two Muslim delegations alleged planned attempts bordering on ‘Islamophobia’ to “harass, humiliate and threaten Muslims with an evil and unlawful design of ethnic cleansing.”

“Despite the communal politics of the times, we understand and believe that the officers of the country, particularly of all India services, have a constitutional responsibility to uphold the rule of law by standing up with the poor, marginalised, deprived and minorities in the country,” a member of the delegation said, adding that the DGP assured them of action.

After the meeting, Nayeem Quaraishi of Muslim Sewa Sanghathan said his organisation would be holding a prèss conference on the issue in Dehradun on Friday.  

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.