Chandigarh: Haryana's development and panchayat minister Devender Singh Babli said that strict action will be taken against gram panchayats signing resolutions to 'boycott' members of Muslims community from entering their villages. “I am aware of this issue. At a few places, some people passed these kind of resolutions. But I have given clear instructions to the district administrations to take strict action against people indulging in such activities,' Babli said.
Meanhile, Kulbhushan Bhardwaj, a lawyer who was booked for hate speech at a panchayat in Gurgaon’s Tigra village on August 6 and one of the organisers of another such meet in Palwal dared the administration to lodge a second FIR against him and exhorted youths to take out another Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra on August 28, “come what may”.
Panchayat minister Babli said that instructions were issued by some panchayats to boycott the minorities in the wake of communal clashes in Nuh on July 31. Vikas Yadav, the sarpanch of Sehatpur village in Ateli block of Rewari district, said, “Out of 43 panchayats of Ateli block, 30-35 panchayats have signed similar resolutions. There was immense resentment among people of our villages; we did not want any confrontation or disruption of communal harmony.”
“Our main aim behind signing these resolutions is that outsiders who come and do business or stay in our villages should be verified. There could be some anti-social elements among them who create law and order disruption. Otherwise, there are four-five villages in Ateli block that are dominated by the Muslim community and they have been staying here for the last 40-50 years. Nobody has any problem with them. But our main issue is with street vendors and increased incidents of animal thefts, which is why we signed such resolutions. Until the atmosphere in Nuh does not get back to normal, we are avoiding entry of any such persons in our villages to avoid any confrontation,” he said.