By S.M.A.KAZMI
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.
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.
This story was originally published in newsclick.in. Read the full story here.