Boards barring 'non-Hindus’ appear; Muslim group meets Uttarakhand DGP

Dehradun: Two Muslim delegations said they met Uttarakhand Director General of Police Abhinav Kumar on Thursday in response to concerns that public signs prohibiting the admission of non-Hindus and Rohingya Muslims were appearing at several locations.

Speaking to The Indian Express, state president of All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Nayyer Kazmi, stated that the organisation met with the DGP and informed him of the harm that recent instances involving suspected targeting of minorities are causing to humanity, harmony among people, and Uttarakhand's reputation.

“It is known that the unpleasant incident that happened in Nandghat of Chamoli district due to a mere allegation is shocking and condemnable. The majority of local and extremist groups created an atmosphere by giving hate speeches against the local minority Muslims, in the heat of which local people targeted shops, houses and places of worship of the Muslims looted them, and pelted stones,” said Kazmi in a letter to the DGP, Indian Express reported.

He said that due to the terror and the warning signs that have been placed throughout the state, many Muslims have left the area and are scared to come back to Nandghat for their livelihood. A group of people in Chamoli's Nandanagar neighbourhood vandalised about twelve Muslim-owned stores earlier this month on the suspicion that a 25-year-old member of the community had made obscene gestures towards a minor girl. FIR has been filed by the police at that point against 300 unidentified persons.

“Such incidents which happened some time back at different places in our state are harming humanity, mutual harmony and the image of Uttarakhand, hence it is expected from you that in the present incident, the affected Muslims will be rehabilitated and strict and fair legal action will be taken against the persons involved and mischievous elements so that the victims can get individual and collective justice,” said Kazmi in the letter.

Kazmi stated that he had pictures of signs that had been placed up in the Rudraprayag area, warning non-Hindus and Rohingya Muslims of severe and legal repercussions should they be discovered wandering or conducting business in their villages.