By S.M.A. Kazmi
Dehradun: A ‘Hindu Mahapanchayat’ was held against the Uttarkashi mosque at Ram Leela Grounds in Uttarkashi town of Uttarakhand, despite an assurance given by the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to the Nainital High Court against the holding of such a gathering.
Addressing the Hindu Mahapanchayat, convened on the call given by Devbhoomi Vichar Manch and supported by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang dal and other affiliated organisations of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), T Raja, BJP legislator from Hyderabad known for his hate speeches in the past, said he had come to Uttarakhand to “awaken Hindus in the state”. He called upon them to get united.
Addressing the gathering, Raja advised the Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to hold a dialogue with neighbouring Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over a cup and tea and get a cue on “how to tackle the issue of illegal mosques and mazaars”. Darshan Bharati, another hate monger from Uttarakhand, was also present during the mahapanchayat, as per media reports.
Suresh Chauhan, a ruling BJP legislator from Gangtori, said efforts should be made to declare Uttarkashi as a Hindu religious town since many revered Hindu shrine and temples were located in the district. He also called for complete ban on selling of meat, eggs and non-vegetarian food in the district.
On the issue of the Uttarakashi mosque, Chauhan said a re-inquiry, as ordered by the Uttarakhand Chief Minister, would be held and if any illegality was found, the mosque would be demolished. He also made a strong pitch against “outsiders” coming into Uttarkashi and getting involved in small businesses. Without naming Muslims, he warned locals against renting out their houses to “outsiders”.
This story was originally published in newsclick.in. Read the full story here.