Uttarakhand: Now ‘Mazar Jehad’ Campaign Reaches Prestigious ‘The Doon School’

Dehradun: The 'Mazar Jehad' campaign started by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has now reached the reknowned residential school -- The Doon School’ -- where an old ‘mazar’ within the boundary of the school premises was demolished on the reported insistence of a ‘Hindutva’ group led by one Radha Dhoni, considered a prominent hate monger in the capital city.

The controversy came to light when Dhoni of the Sanatan Sanstha, who has been in the forefront of targeting Muslim rehriwalas (hawkers) and shopkeepers in the city, shared a video in which she alleged that a new ‘mazar’ was being erected within the boundary wall of the school. Reports alleged that her supporters went into the school and demolished the ‘mazar’. However, there is no clarity yet on who did it and how the ‘mazar’ within the premises of the school was demolished.

The school authorities have kept silent and did not register any complaint with the police.  Meanwhile, a purported video of a group of four to five men demolishing the ‘mazar’ went viral on social media.

Savin Bansal, District Magistrate, Dehradun, told the The Times of India that the incident happened on November 13 and the order of the demolition was not issued by the administration. However, he claimed that an administrative team was sent to verify the facts related to the said ‘mazar’. He said that he has sought a report on the matter.

While, none in Dehradun knew who demolished the ‘mazar’ after entering the school premises, which is well protected since children of influential politicians and people study there, there was widespread concern over security of the school.

To reassure parents, the school Headmaster Jagpreet Singh wrote the following letter: “It has come to our notice that certain sections of the media are carrying reports about a breach in the School Campus and demolition of a structure within the premises of the School. 

These reports are inaccurate and misleading. As you are aware, the School boundary wall along the Chakrata Road is being re-built by the Public Works Department (PWD) due to an ongoing road expansion work by the state government. The said work is being carried out by a contractor employed by the PWD. 

We would like to clarify that the contractor, out of his own volition, and without any permission from the School or the PWD, erected an unauthorised structure and the same was immediately removed after intervention of the State’s local administration. On bringing the attention of the PWD to the said matter, they have promptly intervened and even sent a written apology to the School.

 The School Management was well aware and was working closely with the authorities regarding the same. Please be rest assured that there has been no breach of our security and the campus continues to be a safe place for all our residents. 

 The safety and welfare of our students and staff continues to be our top priority. The School’s routine is continuing as per schedule and our students are currently in the midst of their Trials. There is also the excitement of the term end events and winter vacations approaching shortly. Till we communicate with you again, we wish you the very best.”

Interestingly, the Headmaster also seemed to be backing the narrative of the Hindutva forces stating that “the PWD contractor, out of his own volition, and without any permission from the school or the PWD, erected an unauthorised structure and the same was immediately removed after intervention of the State’s local administration. On bringing the attention of the PWD to the said matter, they have promptly intervened and even sent a written apology to the School.”

A worker demolishing the reported 'mazar' in Doon School.

However, questions are being raised as to why PWD, which is government agency, erected a new ‘mazar’ within the school boundary wall. Some also refused to believe that the government agency, known for “not laying even a single brick without long bureaucratic functioning” had erected a ‘mazar’.

What is raising suspicion is also that the incident comes in the backdrop of  Chief Minister Dhami launching a campaign against alleged ‘Mazar Jehad’ by demolishing more than 400 ‘mazars’, some centuries old, throughout the length and breadth of the state ,claiming these to be illegal. The rise in incidents targeting the minority Muslim community is being seen as an extension of this campaign.

Old timers recall that an old ‘mazar’ existed behind the police post which has now been targeted and demolished. A Press Trust of India (PTI) report, quoting an unnamed Uttarakhand Waqf Board official, said that the part of the school on which the ‘mazar’ stood used to be their property at one time.

"According to our records, 57 acres of land in the said area belonged to us but its current status is not known," a Waqf Board official said on condition of anonymity,” the PTI report said. The Waqf Board still owns a large portion of land adjacent to the school, he further said.

Meanwhile, the Dehradun district administration has issued a notice to The Doon school seeking an explanation for a structure coming up on its campus that was alleged to be a ‘mazar’.

The notice said, “During the inspection, ongoing construction work of a ‘mazar’ was found, verified by a school employee, an assistant engineer from smart city project implementation unit, and other labourers. Land records from Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) showed no approvals for the structure. Why was the structure being built and why did the school not inform the authorities about the incident when it could have escalated into a major law and order issue or disturbed public order?”

The school has not yet formally responded to the district authorities. But the pertinent question was, who was out to break the law and order situation and allegedly trespassed into school?

Another Hindutva outfit leader Darshan Bharti, who has been in the forefront against Muslims mosques and mazars and was involved in hate speeches across the state, including one at the Haridwar Dharma Sansad in 2022, and more recently at Uttarkashi and Kedarnath, has been openly advocating violence against Muslims. He said had met Chief Minister Dhami and the authorities here recently requesting them to demolish the ‘mazar’ within the boundary of the school.

"Whoever may have done it, I welcome the demolition. Why should there be a ‘mazar’ within a school? That too inside the walls of a prestigious school like The Doon School... It shows the extent of ‘land jehad’ in the state," Bharti, who is founder of Uttarakhand Raksha Abhiyan, was quoted as saying by PTI.

Interestingly, Bharati and Dhoni, who have several cases against them, were seen sharing the dias with Chief Minister Dhami during the visit of Hindu preacher Baba Bageshwar during his visit to Parade Ground in Dehradun in November 2023.

The Doon School has among its alumni several celebrities and political leaders, including former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, his brother Sanjay Gandhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, his son, former ministers Karan Singh, Amarinder Singh, Kamal Nath, Mani Shanker Aiyar, RPN Singh and Naveen Patnaik besides celebrated authors like Amitav Ghosh and Vikram Seth. The children of several ruling BJP leaders, including a son of Chief Minister Dhami, are also studying in the school.

The writer is a freelancer based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.