RAIGARH: Muslim vendors were being turned away from the villages in eastern MP’s Rajgarh district following a clash between groups of different communities at a Republic Day event.
“No Muslim vendor should enter Limboda village. If they do, we should not be held responsible. No Muslim should enter our village,” are lines are from one of the “many letters” received by local polic, as per reports pubished in The Indian Express.
According to media reports, a communal clash was triggered by “provocative remarks” in an item based on the Hindi movie “Gadar” during a R-Day event that was organised by the local body in which students from both private and government schools in the area assembled.
Some of the children injured in the clash and prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 were clamped in Khujner, which was a BJP stronghold for the last two decades.
Fifteen people from both sides, including a BJP corporator were booked after cross-complaints were lodged.
Following a memorandum submitted Monday by BJP leaders, a case has been registered and sedition charges imposed after six men identified as Samad Khan, Sakir Khan, Abrar Khan, Zakir Khan, Imtiaz Khan and Shameer Khan
Later, Sameer Khan got bail.
There is still a tense atmosphere in the village. People of Bhilkhedi village say, “Muslims should not come to our village, we do not promise their security. Our children are scared of the incident that day and are also refusing to go to school.”
A leader Aziz Maula says, “Muslims are being implicated, despite the claims of having the weapons of Muslims, neither did anybody present any evidence nor videos and photos. Our children also joined the program and the rest of the We have got such reports that Muslim vendors are being sent back from many villages.”
“Apart from the ‘panchnama’ (representation) from Limboda, we have received similar ultimatums from residents in a few other villages. Everybody is free to work anywhere and the Constitution does not allow such bans. No one can be prevented from engaging in business activity or entering any place on grounds of religion,” Rajkumar Raghuvanshi, in-charge, Khujner Police Station, was quoted as saying to Indian Express.