Over 200 booked for hurling stones during hindutva outfit's protest in Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi (PTI): More than 200 people have been booked in connection with a stone pelting incident that occurred during a hindutva outfit’s protest demanding demolition of a mosque built allegedly on government land here.
According to Uttarkashi Kotwali SHO Amarjeet Singh, eight people have been named in the FIRs registered under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) are in force across the district, Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Amit Shrivastava said.
On Thursday, 27 people, including seven policemen, got injured in a lathi-charge by police during a protest by the Sanyukt Hindu Sangathan who demanded the demolition of a mosque in Barahat area alleging that it is built on government land.
The protesters sat on a dharna on the Gangotri National Highway and started reciting Hanuman Chalisa but when they tried to remove the barricading, a scuffle broke out between the protestors and the police.
Officials said that during this some people started huling stones, after which the police first fired tear gas shells at the protesters and later lathi-charged in which some protesters and policemen got injured.
Flag marches were also conducted in the town besides deployment of additional police personnel in sensitive areas, SP Shrivastava said.
District Magistrate Meharban Singh Bisht and the SP toured the district and asked officials concerned to maintain order.
The markets remained closed in response to a bandh call given by the outfit.
The SP said some of the rallyists of the Sangathan began hurling stones when they were stopped by the police from taking a route which was different from the one which was permitted for the rally.
Police had to resort to a mild lathicharge to control the protesters, he said.
Thursday's incident had left 27 people, including eight police personnel, injured, Shrivastava said.
The protesters have alleged that the mosque built in the Barahat area is an illegal construction on government land. However, the district administration has clarified that the mosque is old and built on the land of people of the Muslim community.
The Uttarkashi District Magistrate's Office clarified this in a notice, which cites a report of Bhatwadi's Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mukesh Chand Ramola.
Meanwhile, officials of the CPI District Council sent a memorandum to Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (retd) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami demanding action against attempts to spoil communal amity in Uttarkashi as well as other districts of the state.
An attempt was made by hindutva organisations in Uttarkashi to create an atmosphere of hatred against a particular community and similar efforts are being made in other districts of Uttarakhand, the memorandum said seeking immediate action against this.
Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat in Dehradun said he is worried about such incidents.
While talking to reporters, Rawat said the matter should be handled in a manner that is legally correct.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
