The Mahapanchayat called by Right-Wing outfits in Uttarakhand’s Purola to protest against love jihad could not materialize, as section-144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrpC) has been implemented by the district authorities. The section imposed in anticipation to prevent any escalation of communal tensions will remain in-effect till June 19. The town of Purola has been subject to national debate, as the communal tensions in the region have stirred up since an alleged abduction attempt of a minor girl on May26. The two accused, including one Muslim were immediately handed over to the police by the residents.
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Alleged Love Jihad
After the kidnapping incident, one of the youths was identified as a 24-year-old Muslim. Following these accusations primarily stemming from Right-Wing outfits were made at the case being an incident of love jihad. On May 27, government officials asked Muslim traders to shut their shops as many Hindu groups planned to conduct a rally protesting the attempted kidnapping of the minor Hindu girl. Earlier, an ultimatum had been issued against Muslim traders in region to close their shops and flee the area by June 15. The call for protest had been withdrawn late in Wednesday night. There was no Mahapanchyat organized but several members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal managed to reach Purola ground and marked a protest.
Maintaining Law and Order
On Wednesday, Director General of Police Ashok Kumar said, “All steps required to maintain law and order are being taken. No one will be allowed to disturb the peace. I request all stakeholders to assist us in maintaining law and order.” Hearing a petition against organization of Mahapanchayat, Uttarakhand High Court directed state government to ensure peace in the area and perform its constitutional duty. The bench headed by Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, expressed satisfaction with the steps being taken by the government to normalize the situation.
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