Disturbing posters, demanding that Muslims leave a slum area, have appeared on the walls of several shops in Sector 69 of Gurugram, sparking outrage and concerns about communal tensions. The posters threatened consequences if Muslims did not vacate the area by Monday, PTI reported.
These hateful posters emerged just one day before a scheduled ‘shobha yatra’ organized by groups affiliated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Nuh, Haryana, with the aim of resuming the Brij Mandal Shobha Yatra that had been disrupted by communal clashes in July.
The posters, written in Hindi, were primarily directed at residents of the slum, a significant number of whom are migrant laborers originally from West Bengal. While some of the laborers were unable to read the contents of the posters, they were informed by their employers that they contained threats.
One resident, Mojed, filed a complaint regarding the posters. He reported that he discovered one such poster on the wall of his tea shop on Sunday morning. According to Mojed, the poster carried the names of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal and instructed all Muslims to vacate the area by Monday or face severe consequences, including death threats.
Furthermore, these posters, purportedly bearing the signatures of the VHP and Bajrang Dal, included chilling threats of sexual violence against Muslim women and the burning down of their shanties.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), however, promptly denied any involvement with the posters and called for action against those responsible for trying to defame the organization.
In response to this alarming development, the police have taken action by deploying forces in the area to ensure the maintenance of peace and security. An FIR has also been registered against the culprits under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 294 (abusing), 188 (disobedience of an order duly promulgated by a public servant), 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Regarding the complaint filed by Mojed, who hails from West Bengal and now resides in the slum area opposite Tulip White Society in Sector 69, he expressed suspicions that Asif, another individual named in the complaint, may have been involved in distributing the pamphlets containing the names of VHP and Bajrang Dal. Asif, who operates a scrap shop in Sector 69, had reportedly threatened and used casteist slurs against Mojed a few days prior to the emergence of the posters.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Charan Singh, the investigating officer, stated that they are currently verifying the role of the accused Asif, and assured that he would be apprehended soon. The incident has raised concerns about the need for communal harmony and prompt action against hate speech to maintain peace in the region.
