As the Uttarakhand High Court is expected to hear a plea to prevent Hindu outfits from holding a 'mahapanchayat' against "love jihad" in Purola town, people on the way to the 'Mahapanchayat' in Purola were stopped in Naugaon.
The Uttarkashi administration has imposed Section 144 in Purola from June 14 to 19, banning any mass congregation in the town.
On Wednesday, the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights moved the court after the Supreme Court earlier in the day refused to entertain its plea against the mahapanchayat, but allowed the petitioner to approach the HC or any other authority.
The local trade bodies called for a bandh in Uttarkashi district, in which Purola falls, on Thursday in protest against the imposition of section 144, which bars assembly of people.
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The administration has not given permission for the mahapanchayat.
What is the controversy all about?
An alleged abduction of a Hindu girl on May 26 by two men, one of them Muslim, has triggered the communal tension in Purola and some other towns of Uttarkashi district.
It has been reported that the girl was rescued and the accused sent to judicial custody.
Local trade bodies and right wing Hindu outfits have run a sustained campaign against what they call were cases of "love jihad" in Purola and neighbouring towns, including Barkot, Chinyalisaur and Bhatwari.
Legal proceedings in Supreme Court
In the Supreme Court, a vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah earlier in the day asked advocate Shahrukh Alam, who appeared for an NGO, to avail remedy available in law and granted her liberty to approach the high court or any other authority concerned.
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In it's plea, the NGO's sought to prevent the ‘mahapanchayat’ and registration of an FIR against hate speeches allegedly targeting members of a particular community.
"We are not short circuiting the legal process. There is a high court and district administration, you can approach them. Maintaining law and order is the responsibility of the state government, why do you think no action will be taken if matter is brought to its notice. You should have faith in the high court," the bench said.
In its order, the bench recorded that Alam sought to withdraw the writ petition to enable the NGO to approach the High Court or any other authority. "Permission granted. The Writ Petition is dismissed as withdrawn with liberty as prayed for," the bench said.
Alam told the court that posters and letters have surfaced asking members of a particular community to leave Uttarkashi and no action has been taken despite their being a continuing mandamus in the matter of hate speeches that police have to register an FIR suo motu.
"The material suggests that FIR needs to be registered under UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act). A mahapanchayat is scheduled to be held on June 15 and they have given an ultimatum to district administration to remove members of a particular community by June 15," Alam said.
According to Purola Sub-Divisional Magistrate Devanand Sharma, prohibitory orders banning the assembly of four or more people under Section 144 will remain in force till June 19.
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Bajrang Dal's response
Bajrang Dal president Anuj Walia said steps being taken to prevent the mahapanchayat are part of a big conspiracy against Hindus.
"The mahapanchayat was to be held peacefully. The administration is protecting jihadis," Walia said, demanding the removal of Uttarkashi District Magistrate Abhishek Rohilla and Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi.
"The administration is acting under the pressure of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi," he said.
Section 144 will not deter Hindu organisations from going ahead with the mahapanchayat which can be held anytime after June 19, he said.
Among other right wing Hindu outfits that called for the mahapanchayat include the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan.
