Uttarakhand: ‘Love Jihad’ Allegations Force Muslim Shopkeepers to Flee Chauras in Tehri

Dehradun: After the much-publicised Purola ‘Love Jihad’ case in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand failed in a court of law recently, seven Muslim shopkeepers of Chauras area of Kirtinagar block of Tehri district have been forced to close down their businesses and run away from their homes by ‘Hindutva’ elements on the alleged trumped-up charges of “Love Jihad’.

The Muslim shopkeepers alleged they had been forced to sign documents in the police station stating they were vacating their shops as per their own sweet will. The shops owned by Muslims are closed since August 7, 2024.

Interestingly, none has raised any voice against this “discrimination”, including the main opposition Congress, except Indresh Maikhuri, state secretary of CPI (ML), who wrote to Uttarakhand Director General of Police and district police chief of Tehri district, criticising the role of the local police in acting against the Muslims. The police has yet to respond to his missive. The mainstream media, as always, has decided to ignore the indicent.

Indresh Maikhuri, state secretary, CPI (ML).

The problem for the miniscule Muslim shopkeepers started on July 31, 2024 when Ali Jafri, son of Shamsher Ali, who runs a hair-cutting saloon in Chauras area across the river opposite Srinagar Garhwal, was talking to his girl classmate on the road near the police station.

Ali Jafri, a 12th class student of the local Vidyamandir school, is said to be a good student who did well in his previous board examinations. Little did he anticipate that he was being watched and was later ‘caught’ by the Hindutva moral police. Both the students were taken to the original police post at Chauras where the parents of the both the students were called. The girl was let off and her parents did not lodge any formal complaint against the boy.

However, the Hindutva ‘moral police’ force, allegedly led by local Bajrang Dal and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh members, reportedly attacked the hair-cutting shop of Shamsher Ali, the father of the boy and “beat him up”. They allegedly ransacked the shop and threw away all the belongings.

“I had been running the hair-cutting shop for the past 26 years and had an unblemished record. Two of my older children also studied from local Vidyamandir school, like Ali Jafri, and did well but Bajrang Dal people, led by Badrish Godiyal, threatened us to leave within seven days,” Shamsher told this correspondent over phone from Najibabad, his native place in Uttar Pradesh.

Ali Jafri had stood first in his school and was also part of the government-sponsored “Bharat Darshan” tour last year.

“Later, a group of Bajrang Dal activists attacked our rented place but it was because of the courage of our landlord that no harm came to our family, but we were forced to flee,” Shamsher added.

One of his younger brothers, Gulsher Ali, who was running a welding shop, was also forced to vacate the shop. “The Bajrang Dal activists came with a letter in which it was stated that we are vacating the shop at our own sweet will. My brother was forced to sign the letter in the police station,” alleged Shamsher Ali.

The letter that was “forcibly” signed by Gulsher Ali to vacate his shop.

Ikramuddin, another Muslim who was running his business of washing and ironing clothes, alleged that he was also asked by the police to close down his shop. Afraid of any backlash against him, he has also left Chauras for his native Bijnore district of UP.

Maikhuri, in his letter to the Uttarakhand DGP, has condemned the incident and demanded stern action against elements “out to vitiate the atmosphere.”

The CPI(ML) leader said none had the right to force the minorities to abandon their business and homes and the rule of law should be enforced. He also questioned the role of the local police for their alleged partisan role in threatening the Muslims and forcing them to sign letters forcefully.  

Yashwant Khatri, in-charge of the Chauras police post, when contacted, said that there were nine Muslim shopkeepers and only a few have left on their own. When asked about the reason for vacating their shops and houses, said those people had issues with their landlords and had vacated “as per their own will.”                     

In another related incident, Srinagar Garhwal police, on a complaint by local Bharatiya Janata Party leader Lakhpat Bhandari lodged a case against one Sahil Salmani, running a hair-cutting saloon in the city for having five fake Facebook accounts under the name of ‘Amit Rawat’ with an alleged intention of committing “love jihad” .

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