Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in Haryana's Nuh and borders of the district have been sealed as the state government and Hindutva organisations appear set for a face-off today.
The Haryana government has denied the permission for the Brij Mandal Shobha Yatra on Monday, but the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has defied the rejection of permission and its repeated iteration and has said the yatra would be carried out nonetheless and would start at 11 am.
It is the same religious procession that could not be concluded on July 31 when it came under attack from a mob. On July 31, a religious procession organised by VHP came under attack in Nuh. Five people, including two Home Guard personnel, were killed. The violence then spread to nearby Gurugram district where mosques and shops were attacked and a Muslim cleric was killed.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday urged people to visit their nearby temples instead of taking out religious procession, but the VHP defied the government directive and said no permission is required for the "pilgrimage" and it would start at 11 am on Monday in Nuh.
In light of the VHP's defiance, security has been beefed in Nuh and internet and bulk SMS services hae been banned in the district.
Here are the latest updates related to the situation in Nuh and the VHP's defiance to carry out the rally.
VHP rejects denial of permission, says no permission needed for yatra
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has defied the Haryana government's directive to not hold the Brij Mandal Shobha Yatra on Monday and has announced that it would start at 11 am.
The VHP has also said that no permission is required for religious processions and that's why the procession would move forward.
This is the same yatra that could not be concluded on July 31 after coming under an attack from a mob with stones, sticks, and bullets. Around 2,500 people sheltered at a temple where they were stranded for several hours and were rescued by the police. Five people were killed in the attack on the procession in Nuh and one Muslim cleric was killed in Gurugram where mosques and shops were attacked.
VHP National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal said, "The Abhishek Yatra would be carried out on 28th, that is the last Monday of Shravan mass [a month in Hindu calendar]. Since this a pilgrimage, no permission is needed for it. It is a country of pilgrimage sites...There is no question for the denial of permission."
However, VHP said that no persons from outside the Mewat region would take part in the yatra. For those outside Mewat, VHP said they should do 'abhishek' ritual in temples in the localities.
"Instead of calling the Hindu community from outside of Mewat, VHP has announced one common programme for the entire state. The 'abhishek' programme would be organised in every part of the state and the Hindu community of the area would take part at 11 am in Shiv temples in their localities," said VHP in a statement in Hindi on Twitter.
The VHP also said that 'Sarva Hindu Samaj' is taking out the yatra and VHP is supporting it.
CM Khattar urges people to visit nearby temples instead of yatra
Separately, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar has reiterated that there is no permission for the procession.
Khattar also urged people to visit nearby temples instead of organising any procession.
He said, "Looking at the kind of incident that happened there (Nuh) at the beginning of the month, it is the government's duty to ensure that law and order in the area is maintained. Our police and administration have taken this decision that instead of carrying out a yatra (Braj Mandal Shobha Yatra), people should go to nearby temples and offer prayers. Permission for yatra is denied but people can go and offer prayers in temples as it is Sawan month."
Police, paramilitary presence boosted in Nuh, borders sealed, internet shut
Security has been beefed up in and around Nuh ahead of the expected religious procession on Monday. Borders of the district have been sealed and the district administration will not allow outsiders to enter the district.
"Multiple layers of barricades have been erected by police at various points and vehicles entering Nuh were thoroughly checked by security personnel," reported PTI, citing officials.
Several thousands of personnel from police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in the region and checkpoints have been set up in the region.
Internet and bulk SMS services have already been banned in Nuh from Saturday till Monday.
Nuh Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata on Sunday said that schools, colleges, and banks have also been ordered to remain closed on Monday.
Section 144 of CrPC has also been imposed in Nuh that disallows large public gatherings.
A police spokesperson said 1,900 Haryana Police personnel and 24 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed in the region, reported PTI, adding that the spokesperson also said that no outsider will be allowed to enter Nuh and all entry points to the district have been sealed and the road leading to the Malhar temple has also been closed.
Traffic on the KMP Expressway and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, however, will continue, the spokesperson added.
Police chief Kapur also presided over a meeting with senior officers of bordering states -- Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the Union Territory of Chandigarh -- through videoconferencing and called for coordinated efforts to effectively deal with any emerging situation, reported PTI.
Haryana Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur on Saturday said the government had denied permission for the yatra due to a meeting of the G20 Sherpa Group, scheduled to be held in Nuh from September 3 to 7, and to maintain law and order in the aftermath of the July 31 violence, reported PTI.
