Haryana violence: Flagged issue, police didn't act, say MLAs

Tribune News Service

Geetanjali Gayatri

Chandigarh, August 1

The clashes during a religious procession seem to have been triggered by two “inflammatory” videos by cow vigilantes Monu Manesar and Bittu Bajrangi announcing their intention to be a part of the procession and challenging the locals to be ready for them. Local MLAs, apprehending trouble since their release, had informed the police, but their concern was taken lightly.

Conspiracy to defame Mewat

I was in touch with the police and mentioned that provocative videos were causing unrest. No action was initiated despite my pointing out that the situation could get ugly. It seemed to be a conspiracy to defame Mewat.

Aftab Ahmed, Nuh MLA

Opposition MLAs Aftab Ahmed, Mamman Khan and Mohd Ilyas claimed that it indicated a conspiracy to defame Mewat and the community. “I was in touch with the police and even mentioned that the videos were causing unrest,” said the deputy leader of the Congress in the Vidhan Sabha and Nuh MLA, Aftab Ahmed.

Unaware of concerns

Nobody flagged the concerns of the MLAs to me. Once peace is restored, we will assess who faltered. Anybody found guilty of failing to discharge duty will not be spared.

Anil Vij, home minister

Stating that this was an attempt to polarise the state, Firozpur Jhirka MLA Mamman Khan said he had forwarded information to the police, including videos that showed that the shobha yatra had rogue elements carrying swords. “I had raised the issue, but the police did nothing. I asked how people had been allowed to carry swords, especially when the police had banned weapons. But there was no reply,” he claimed.

The police neither took the cow vigilantes into preventive custody nor pulled down their videos from social media, they claimed. They did not deploy more force along the route, despite knowing that the Nasir-Junaid lynching earlier this year was fresh in the minds of the Meos and Monu Manesar was named as an accused.

Punahana MLA Mohd Ilyas said the yatra was an annual feature and there was no history of any conflict. “However, these videos had been inciting the Meos for four days before the procession,” he alleged.

Though BJP leader Zakir Hussain, a former MLA from Nuh, agreed that it was a conspiracy to bring a bad name to Mewat, he said it was the handiwork of outsiders from both sides. “The administration had a peace meeting on July 27 and both communities agreed to let the procession proceed peacefully. It was when outsiders jumped in that the clashes took place,” he stated, adding that fringe elements were disturbed about the many announcements made by CM Manohar Lal Khattar recently and wanted to derail the development of the area.

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