SC orders CCTVs in vulnerable places; Haryana govt seeks more central forces
VHP and Bajrang Dal supporters during a protest, in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, on Wednesday. Pics/PTI
With communal clashes claiming six lives in parts of Haryana, close to Delhi, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered enhanced deployment of security personnel in sensitive areas and a crackdown on hate speech. It refused to stop the rallies by VHP and Bajrang Dal in the NCR.
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A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and S V Bhatti also ordered installation of CCTV cameras in vulnerable places.
The top court passed the order after senior advocate C U Singh, appearing for journalist Shaheen Abdullah, said 23 demonstrations have been announced by Hindu right groups Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal in various parts of the National Capital Region.
Protest held in Delhi, MP...
VHP and Bajrang Dal members held protests over Nuh violence in Delhi, disrupting vehicular movement and causing traffic jams. Videos on social media showed Bajrang Dal supporters reciting the Hanuman Chalisa near the Metro station at Nirman Vihar. Later, they tried to block Vikas Marg, but were removed by the police. There were protests in Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh too.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday sought four additional companies of central forces. Twenty companies of central forces are already deployed in Haryana—14 in Nuh, three in Palwal, two in Gurugram and one in Faridabad.
Manesar’s role under probe
The CM and Home Minister Anil Vij have alleged conspiracy behind the violence, which erupted in Nuh on Monday and spread to adjoining Gurugram. Six people have died since, including two are home guards and four are civilians.
A viral video of Monu Manesar, a cow vigilante booked earlier by the Rajasthan police in connection with the killing of two Muslim men, is suspected to be the cause behind the stone pelting at Brij Mandal Jalabhishek procession in Nuh. In the video, it was said that Manesar would join the procession.
Asked about his deputy Dushyant Chautala saying the organisers of the procession did not give a proper estimation of the expected turnout, Khattar, at a press conference, said that it was not like that.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Anil Vij, when asked if that video could have instigated some people, said, “I have seen that video, nowhere is he instigating people to riot, he is asking people to join the yatra.”
Haryana Director General of Police P K Agrawal said the role of Manesar is also being probed and that if there was any conspiracy, that will be probed, too.
Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh said it is a matter of inquiry as to how members of both communities involved in the Nuh violence were in possession of weapons.
Alert in 3 UP districts
An alert has been sounded in Saharanpur, Shamli and Muzaffarnagar districts of Uttar Pradesh bordering Haryana.
6
No. of people killed in Haryana violence
116
No. of people arrested since Monday’s clashes in Nuh
90
No. of people detained since Monday’s clashes in Nuh
‘BJP indulges in riots ahead of polls’
Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav on Wednesday targeted the BJP over violence in Haryana and Manipur and said whenever elections are near the saffron party “indulges in conspiracy and gets riots done”.
Congress Committee president Brijlal Khabri also said that violence in both states was a conspiracy to influence the Lok Sabha elections.
“We have said this before and are saying it again that all this is somewhere a conspiracy to influence 2024 and it will go on increasing. To stop this, it is necessary to save the Constitution,” Khabri told reporters.
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