Mahmood Madani dashes off letter to Amit Shah to halt Mahapanchayat in Uttarakhand

In view of the communal chasm in Uttarakhand, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani shot off letters to Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami urging "them to take strict action against those spreading division and to protect the lives and property of the citizens of the country."

New Delhi:Expressing deep concern over the open threat of expulsion of the Muslim community in Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani in a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami urged "them to take strict action against those spreading division and to protect the lives and property of the citizens of the country."

In his letter, he said, “I request you to halt the event (Mahapnachayat) scheduled to be held on June 15, which may lead to a communal conflict in the state and further increase the divide between Hindu and Muslim communities." "I not only request you to personally intervene and issue the necessary order, but also to take strict action against divisive forces, besides instructing the law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and security of every citizen irrespective of their religion and ethnic background," the letter stated

Blaming the inaction of the government and its agencies, Madani said this has only "aggravated the communal situation." He recalled that this was the land of Uttarakhand where some communal elements threatened to massacre Muslims by holding ‘Dharma Sansad’. Last year in Uttarakhand, a huge gathering of religious leaders, right-wing activists, hardliners and Hindutva organisations took place.

"The people, who organised these programmess a year ago, were not only beyond the reach of the law, but they were also among the hatemongers and intimidators in this current incident," Madani said. He further said, "They were openly putting up posters and releasing videos and unfortunately, local police remained mute spectators. The increasing communalism in the state was further dividing society and eroding communal harmony."

It is pertinent to note here that disturbing videos of hate speeches and instances of vigilantism have emerged from the holy land of Uttarakhand in the backdrop of the recent campaign by Hindutva activists to drive out supposedly 'illegal' Muslim shopkeepers and vendors from the state.