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Uttrakhand: Facades of two mosques and a mazar along the Kanwar Yatra route in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, were reportedly covered with large sheets of white cloth on Friday to “prevent trouble”. However, the sheets were removed by the evening following objections from various quarters.
The sheets were hung on bamboo scaffoldings in front of the mosques and the mazar, all located in the Jwalapur area.
The mosque’s maulana and the mazar’s caretakers said they were unaware of any administrative order regarding this action and mentioned that this was the first time such a measure had been taken during the yatra.
While the Haridwar senior superintendent of police and district magistrate were unavailable for comment, Cabinet minister Satpal Maharaj told reporters that the action was taken to maintain peace. “Any such thing is done only to prevent trouble,” news agency PTI quoted the minister as saying.
“It is not such a big thing. We also cover buildings when they are under construction,” he added.
The district administration later removed the sheets of cloth following objections, including by locals and politicians.
“We received orders from the railway police post to remove the curtains. That is why we have come to remove these,” PTI quoted Danish Ali, appointed as a special police officer (SPO) by the administration for the yatra’s management, as saying.
Congress leader and former minister Naeem Qureshi said he has never seen such a thing in his life.
“We Muslims always welcome Shiv bhakts (devotees) for the kanwar fair and arrange refreshments for them at various places. This has been an example of harmony between Hindus and Muslims in Haridwar, and there has never been a tradition of curtains,” he said.
Qureshi said before the kanwar mela started, the administration had held a meeting and members from both the Hindu and Muslim communities were made SPOs.
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