Haryana: 250 Shanties On "Illegally Occupied" Land Bulldozed In Nuh

Last evening, the Haryana government carried out the demolition of shanties belonging to immigrants living in Tauru, located about 20 km from violence-hit Nuh. The action was taken as the shanties were found to be encroaching on government land.

However, the bulldozer operation is also being viewed as a response to the alleged involvement of immigrants in the recent clashes, as both the district administration and the Chief Minister had earlier accused them of participating in the violence. Sources suggest that the Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, ordered the demolition.

These "illegal" immigrants, who had previously resided in Assam, were said to have established shanties on Haryana Urban Authority land in ward number one along Mohammadpur road in Tauru town, Nuh district. Reportedly, over 250 shanties were erected on approximately one acre of land, and they had been living there for the past four years, reported NDTV.

The bulldozer operation was carried out under heavy police and paramilitary presence, anticipating potential disturbances. Officers from various government departments were also present during the action. The police and administration have claimed that "outsiders," including alleged infiltrators, were involved in the attack on a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) procession.

The Chief Minister had earlier hinted at taking bulldozer action in Haryana, following a similar approach adopted by Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

In addition to the shanty demolition, an attempt was made to vandalize two mosques in Tauru late at night on Wednesday. As a precautionary measure, Friday prayers (jumma namaz) will not be offered in Gurugram mosques this week. Muslim religious leaders have urged people to pray from their homes.

The Nuh Superintendent of Police, Varun Singla, who was on pre-approved leave during the communal clashes, has been transferred to another district. IPS officer Narendra Bijarniya, who previously headed the police force in the district from February 2020 to October 2021, has been appointed in his place.

The clashes in Nuh, triggered by an attempt to halt a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession, have resulted in six deaths, including two home guards and a cleric. The unrest has also spread to Gurugram over the past few days, with unruly mobs setting several vehicles, food joints, and shops on fire.

As a response to the violence, the authorities have arrested 176 people and detained over 90 individuals in the state. Forty-one cases have been registered.

Mobile internet and SMS services, which were suspended in Nuh district since 4 pm on Monday, will be restored from 12 pm to 3 pm today to enable people to purchase essentials.

Furthermore, the police have filed seven First Information Reports (FIRs) for incendiary social media posts and are examining 2,300 videos related to the incidents. They have identified three accounts that posted inflammatory content on the day of the clashes.

Nuh Violence- What Happened So Far?

The communal clashes first broke out during a Hindu religious procession in Nuh district, after rumours spread that the absconding cow vigilante Monu Maneser, a key accused in Bhiwani killings, would also attend the event.

Bhiwani case is linked to the death of two cousins Junaid and Nasir, whose charred bodies were found inside a four-wheeler in Haryana's Bhiwani district in February. Communal violence in parts of Haryana, particularly in the Nuh district, has led the state government to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The clashes between a group of young men and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad during a religious procession resulted in six deaths and left more than 20 police personnel injured.

Attacking the Opposition,Congress MP Randeep Surjewala said, "What was the government doing when these violent clashes broke out in Gurugram, Nuh, Sohna...This was the malice of the government (Haryana govt)."

BSP chief Mayawati said that Nuh violence proves the failure of law and order in Haryana just like in Manipur. “In Haryana, the incitement of riots, its spread into parts of Gurugram without any constraint, triggering of violence and huge loss of public property and religious places prove the failure of law and order in Haryana just like Manipur," Mayawati said.

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