Speakers called on people to “not buy anything” from Muslim-owned shops and businesses.
(Photo: Mukul Chauhan/The Quint)

A panchayat allegedly representing “all Hindu communities” in Haryana’s Manesar, barely 50 km away from Delhi, has called for the ‘economic boycott’ of Muslims in the area. The speakers called on people to “not buy anything” from Muslim-owned shops and businesses.

Under the banner of ‘Samast Hindu Samaj’, the event held on Sunday, 3 July, saw at least 200 people in attendance.

Bajrang Dal’s Monu Manesar, Dharmendra Manesar of Gau Raksha Dal – a cow vigilante group, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad General Secretary of Manesar unit Devendra Singh, were among those present at the meeting.

“I don’t even go to a Muslim barber to get a haircut. If I eat food in any hotel, then first I see the hotel of Hindu religion. I also try to see the ID also, and only then I eat food. All brothers should be aware of this and boycott them. If their businesses don’t run, they will automatically run away.”
A member who attended the panchayat to The Quint

‘Evict Illegal Immigrants’
The members submitted a memorandum to Duty Magistrate Sajjan Singh, in which they called for “illegal immigrants” to be evicted. It was also decided that “watch-over” committee at the village level would be formed, to keep an eye on “any Muslim” living in the area.

“Administration should oust them after the probe. If illegal people are not ousted by the administration, Hindus will act on their own,” Devendra Singh, General Secretary VHP, Manesar said.

“There should be an immediate enquiry into this and those found staying illegally should be evicted. They are involved in religious conversion. We want strict action should be taken against them,” the memorandum read.

They also warned the administration that the meeting will be reconvened if action is not taken over their demands.

‘Keep Weapons, Not Phones’
The panchayat in also called for the “impeachment” of Supreme Court Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala who called for Nupur Sharma to apologise to the nation over her controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad.

The speakers at the panchayat called upon the people in the area to keep weapons in their pockets instead of mobile phones.

“Phone would not protect you but the weapon will keep you safe from ‘Jihadis’,” they said.
“For Hindutva, and for one’s own religion, if a bullet has to be shot first, Ashutosh Tyagi will be ready.”
Ashutosh Tyagi, Member of the Panchayat to The Quint
This is not the first time in Haryana that such a panchayat has been convened to call for the boycott of the Muslim community.

Earlier, Burari in New Delhi, Nuh in Haryana, Roorkee in Uttarakhand, and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh have witnessed such gatherings of locals calling for the economic exclusion of Muslims.

Importantly, local police and officials from the local administration were present at the venue when the call was being made by the speakers.

This article first appeared on thequint.com