DEHRADUN: Amid the continuing communal tension, the Uttarakhand government has denied permission to Hindus to hold a Mahapanchayat in Purola town of Uttarkashi on June 15.

Meanwhile, the administration has imposed restrictions on movement under Section 144 of CrPC in Purola to prevent any untoward incident, as per Uttarkashi district magistrate Abhishek Rohilla.

The denial of permission for the mahapanchayat follows discussions held between the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Purola, Devanand Sharma, and the organisers, Purola Pradhan Sangathan.

The tensions in Purola began on May 26 when a Muslim and a Hindu man were accused of attempting to abduct a 14-year-old Hindu girl. Local residents alleged the incident was an instance of ‘love jihad,’ a term used by right-wing groups to describe an alleged conspiracy by Muslim men to seduce Hindu women.

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Muslims have called a separate mahapanchayat in Dehradun to highlight discrimination and harassment.

While Hindu and Muslim organisations reiterated their call for the mahapanchayat, Ankit Rawat, president of the Block Pradhan Sangathan, said that the decision to hold the event would be determined by the stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday. Rawat stated that the mahapanchayat aims to send a message that illegal activities by a specific community will not be tolerated in the peaceful town of Purola.

The additional director general of police (law and order), V Murugesan, emphasized the importance of maintaining law and order in the region, leaving the decision to permit the mahapanchayat to the local administration. Murugesan warned that individuals attempting to take the law into their own hands would face appropriate action.

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As communal tensions escalate, several Muslim shopkeepers have closed their businesses and left Purola, with at least eight such desertions reported. Shakil and Sons, a prominent garment shop that had been operating in Purola for over four decades, recently made the decision to relocate to Dehradun.

Locals have alleged that Muslims indulging in roadside businesses have adversely impacted their businesses. In response, the police have conducted verification drive

The police have engaged in discussions with both communities, urging peace and emphasizing the importance of maintaining law and order. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also appealed for calm and warned against any disruptions to the state’s law and order.

The protests have now expanded to the Gangotri region, where locals have pledged not to allow shops owned or rented by non-local individuals to operate until police verification has been conducted.

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