If one wants to understand ‘secularism’ working in its shining glory in the country, then look no further than the Gurugram police. Recently, a video went viral on the realms of social media platforms where local Gurugram residents were seen pleading before the Gurugram police to remove a group of Muslims, hogging space on a public road and offering namaz. The locals sounded desperate, almost helpless, and tried to convince the police officers to take action, only to see them gingerly walking around, trying to evade the public.
One of the residents said, “We pray Hanuman Chalisa at the temples but these people gather around here like this, misbehaving with our daughters and sisters, we are scared of them”.
A baffling tweet from Gurugram police
While the police officers remained stoic at the spot, refusing to take any action, the Gurugram police on Monday (September 27) tweeted a baffling update to wash its hands off the controversy.
“The ‘Namaz’ spots at public places have been decided by both Hindu and Muslim communities after mutual understanding and this place is one among them. Maintaining communal harmony and peace is our utmost responsibility and we will ensure that. @PMOIndia @cmohry @police_haryana” the Gurugram Police tweeted, justifying the illegal encroachment.
Safe to say, the netizens weren’t impressed by the Police’s brazen attempt to protect a certain community in the garb of maintaining ‘communal harmony’.
Give in to the mob. Maintain "communal harmony" https://t.co/8ijsEzCLH0
— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) September 29, 2021
Meanwhile, some asked the Gurugram Police if it had any written proof or court order of the presumed ‘mutual understanding’ of the illegal occupation of the public road.
“Was any court order was issued over the mutual understanding between the two communities? Any documentation over the consent if you can provide. Communal harmony can be only maintained when both the parties are satisfied, Hope prompt action will be taken in the public interest.” tweeted one user.
Was any court order was issued over the mutual understanding between the two communities?
Any documentation over the consent if you can provide.
Communal harmony can be only maintained when both the parties are satisfied, Hope prompt action will be taken in the public interest. https://t.co/7pVZq35fqv— Hindu IT Cell (@HinduITCell) September 29, 2021
Other netizens remarked that public space cannot be owned by anybody, even the Hindus. So mutual understanding as a concept amounted to nothing in the situation.
“A public place is not owned by anyone including Hindus. So, nobody can give legally valid consent for its use by any community. That is the legal position.”
A public place is not owned by anyone including Hindus. So, nobody can give legally valid consent for its use by any community. That is the legal position. https://t.co/tMVQPSHik1
— Divya Kumar Soti (@DivyaSoti) September 29, 2021
Encroaching public roads – the modus operandi
The modus operandi of encroaching a public land is simple. First, a group of Muslim men starts offering Namaz on the public road. After a significant number of Muslim men routinely engage there — a structure resembling a Mazaar or a dargah is erected.
Fast forward a few months and it is claimed that the Dargah had been there for centuries and hence the land is registered in the name of religious institutions. And because the governments want to keep up with the charade of appeasement, an illegal property is quickly stamped a legal ‘religious’ property.
Mazaar built on Azadpur flyover
This is not the first time such an incident has transpired in the last few months. As reported by TFI, in August, a 26-year-old Hindu activist named Vijay Gadaria was shut down by the SHO, Adarsh Nagar for speaking out against an illegal Mazaar that had propped up on the Azadpur flyover.
While the conversation was civil, SHO Bhardwaj chimed in and through his elaborate English-speaking skills tried to superimpose himself on the situation. He started threatening the Hindu activist with legal action and later forced him out of the scene with his posse of Policemen.
“Who gave you the right to pressurize Indian citizens like this. If you want to take any action, take the legal recourse.” said the SHO before adding that as per the Supreme Court ruling, the Government of Delhi had enacted a religious committee to take action on such complaints. “If this gentleman has any problem, he should submit an application to the Delhi government.”
It is pertinent to note that when confronted about the Mazaar, Sikander, the alleged caretaker of the structure stated that the structure was in existence ever since the year 1982 when the Asian Games were held. He claimed that his ancestors who were long dead now had told them this. However, the Mazaar could not have been built in 1982 as the flyover didn’t exist at the time.
Gurugram Police is facing extreme backlash after its statements and hence it is high time that CM Manohar Lal Khattar intervenes and sets his police machinery right.
There is a BJP government in Haryana & a BJP government at the Centre – with a supposed Hindu strongman being the Home Minister ! 🙄 Then what explains this shameless impotence ?