Hyderabad: The Village Development Committee in Balkonda, Nizamabad district that had declared social and commercial boycott of Muslims last week ended its illegal act following pressure from various groups and police intervention.
Siasat.com had carried a story on Wednesday giving details about how the Muslims in Balkonda are suffering owing to the boycott call given by the VDC following dispute with the local Mosque committee over the ownership of a graveyard. The local administration and public across India reacted strongly condemning the boycott. The local police which had not acted upon the complaint lodged by the Mosque committee on boycott earlier moved in and registered cases against those who were behind the illegal act.
To publicize the end of boycott, the police also helped the Mosque Committee in organizing an Iftar (breaking of fast) party wherein Muslims and Hindus demonstrated comradery.
The VDC had declared earlier it would levy heavy penalty on those who maintain any social or commercial relations with the Muslims in the village.
The VDC had said that any person who speaks with a Muslim will be penalized with Rs 5000 and if he or she drinks tea at a Muslim owned restaurant the penalty will be Rs. 20,000. Also, if a non-Muslim buys anything from a general store of a Muslim he would be levied with a fine of Rs 20,000. The non-Muslim will also be punished for travelling in auto-rickshaws driven by Muslims.
There is a Muslim burial ground in the village which some Hindus had tried to occupy illegally after destroying a few graves. Upset with this development the Muslims had lodged a complaint with the police and Revenue Department which took action against the accused. The VDC members were exerting pressure on the Muslims to withdraw cases registered against a few Hindus and hand over the graveyard to them.