Uttarakhand signboards row: Civil society group writes to CM over 'discrimination' against Muslims
New Delhi, Sep 9: In the wake of objectionable signboards appearing at the entrances of villages in several areas of Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag, a civil society group comprising several retired civil servants and academics on Monday wrote to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami against alleged discrimination targeting Muslims.
Villagers in several areas of Rudraprayag district have put up signboards at the entrances of their villages, prohibiting the entry of outsiders.
Signboards had been put up in villages such as Sirsi, Rampur-Nyalsu, and others. Initially, the boards stated a ban on "non-Hindus", but the phrasing was later changed to "ban on outsiders" following police intervention, according to villagers.
The police, however, later said objectionable signboards have been removed.
"The signboards put up at six places in Guptkashi police station area were objectionable and have been withdrawn," Deputy Superintendent of Police Prabodh Kumar Ghildiyal said. People have been asked to maintain social harmony, he said.
In a letter to Dhami, Citizens for Fraternity said that as concerned citizens of the country they have watched with dismay, news coming out of various places in Uttarakhand of "discrimination against Muslims, many of whom have been residents for decades and owning businesses there".
The letter is signed by the likes of former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi, former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, former AMU vice chancellor Zameer Uddin Shah, former MP Shahid Siddiqui and former IRS Syed Mahmood Akhter, among others.
The Constitution does not discriminate on religion, caste or region, the letter said.
It encourages Indians and does not debar them to travel to other states and set up businesses, which provides employment opportunities to local people and contribute towards the economy, the letter to Dhami said.
"It (putting up of signboards) depicts our country in poor light and offers an opportunity to those not amicable to us to criticise us. How can we aspire to be world leaders if such incidents continue and are not nipped in the bud. The perpetrators of hate, irrespective of religion, must to be booked and stringent action taken against them," the letter said.
"We believe that DMs and SPs in each district should be held accountable if no action is taken, the civil society group said.
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UP: BJP MLA falls on rail track while flagging off Vande Bharat train
Etawah (UP), Sep 16: BJP's Etawah MLA Sarita Bhadauriya fell onto the railway tracks while vying to wave the green flag for the Agra-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express here on Monday.
Purported videos of the incident surfaced on social media.
The incident occurred amidst a crowded platform as the train arrived around 6 pm. The 61-year-old second-term BJP lawmaker was among a host of people holding the green flag as they stood at the platform, the video showed.
Following the virtual inauguration of the Vande Bharat train by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the train, numbered 20175, was flagged off by the Rail Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu from Agra.
When contacted by PTI, BJP's Etawah unit treasurer Sanjeev Bhadauriya said, "The MLA was helped off the track and she then waited for some time at the platform for the flag-off event."
"Later she consulted doctors and is resting at her home now. She did not suffer any visible physical injuries. If there is any internal injury, it is yet to be confirmed," Bhadauriya said.
The train made stops at Tundla before arriving at Etawah station. Upon its arrival, a commotion ensued on the platform as various political figures, including Samajwadi Party MP Jitendra Douwhare, former BJP MP Ram Shankar, and current MLA Sarita Bhadauriya, gathered to participate in the flag-off, the videos showed.
As the train's horn signalled its departure, the platform became chaotic with supporters jostling for position. In the ensuing melee, the MLA was pushed off the platform and she fell onto the railway tracks in front of the train, it showed.
The train was stopped in time by bystanders, preventing a major accident. Bhadauriya was quickly rescued from the tracks by the police and taken to the hospital, according to eyewitnesses.
Talking about the operation date for the Vande Bharat Express, PRO Prashasti Srivastava from the Agra division of the railways said that the date will be announced soon.
The train will cover the distance between Agra and Varanasi in approximately seven hours. The return train will operate as number 20176 from Varanasi to Agra, while the Agra-Varanasi service will be number 20175.
Etawah, UP: The flag-off ceremony for the Agra-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express faced chaos due to heavy rush, and BJP's Etawah Sadar MLA, Sarita Bhadoria, fell in front of the train pic.twitter.com/p10CfbDIF0
— IANS (@ians_india) September 16, 2024
