Panchayat heads issue letters ‘banning’ Muslim traders

Letters purportedly written by some panchayat heads in Haryana’s Mahendergarh, Rewari, and Jhajjar districts “banning” Muslim traders from their villages have surfaced online amid communal tension in parts of the state. The almost identical letters, supposedly written by some sarpanches in these districts in recent days, cite the violence in Nuh district on July 31, when mobs attacked a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession. District authorities said they have taken note of the letters online and are investigating the matter.
The purported letters by sarpanches of some villages said the panchayats have decided not to give “permission” to the Muslim community and miscreants to conduct any business. It specifies hawkers, cattle traders, and those seeking alms. However, when contacted, many sarpanches in Mahendergarh and Rewari denied having issued any such letters making a reference to a particular community.
Mahendergarh Deputy Commissioner Monika Gupta said no such letters have been submitted to government officials. “Social media is perhaps claiming that these have been submitted (by the village sarpanches) to their respective sub-divisional magistrates. However, no such matter has reached SDMs to date, as far as we know. So, nothing has been submitted to any administrative officer by any sarpanch,” Gupta said over the phone. However, given what is going on in the media, we have taken suo motu cognisance of that and are inquiring into the matter,” she added.
Jhajjar Deputy Commissioner, Capt. Shakti Singh, when asked about the letters going viral on social media, said some mischievous elements might have used the letter head of any panchayat and circulated that. He said they were investigating it. Singh, however, said no such letter has been submitted to officials. He said no gramme panchayat or anybody else will be allowed to do anything that is unconstitutional or illegal.
Meanwhile, a total of 57 FIRs have been registered in connection with the Nuh violence, and 188 people have been arrested so far, according to officials. They said an FIR was also lodged against 11 people for spreading rumours on social media about the violence. Opposition parties in Haryana have alleged that the violence in Nuh was the result of the “failure” of the BJP-JJP government.