Haj house stir in Dwarka turns vitriolic, police book organiser
New Delhi: "Ek hi naara ek hi naam, Jai Shree Ram, Jai Shree Ram...ye bhoomi humari hai, iska faisla hum krenge," protestors chanted in unison, as they staged a dharna outside the Dwarka Sector 22 Metro Station on Friday, demanding that the DDA's order to develop a Haj House be cancelled as its construction will affect the "communal harmony" of Dwarka and adjoining villages and the "Muslim community will then have a say on whatever they want".
At the protest site, brimming with hundreds, including several saffron-clad Hindu groups and associations and leaders of 360 village khap panchayats, a stage had been set up since around 10 am and the protest event continued till 1 pm when the agitators dispersed.
Dozens of police personnel deployed around the site stood by as the gathering increased.
A senior police officer said that the protestors didn't take prior permission for carrying out the dharna, contrary to what RWA officials claimed.
DCP (Dwarka) Santosh Kumar Meena said that an FIR has been registered pertaining to the protest under sections 188, 269 of IPC and the Epidemic Disease Act against the organisers. "We will thereon see who has adhered to safety protocols or not and then name individuals in the FIR," he added.
"We will not let the Haj House be built at any cost...if the Delhi govt. goes ahead with its plan then all of us Hindu brothers will unite and give them a befitting reply," one of the leaders chanted from the dias.
Akhil Deswal, one of the agitators, was under the impression that the Haj House was somehow a "jihad Muslims were waging". "First, they'll ask for a Haj House, then they will say we need a Madrassa….and like this they will gradually capture our whole land...we have already seen a trailer during the Delhi riots...Hindus will have to unite," he said.
Another protestor said, "If they (Muslims) are asking for a Haj House then we also want a temple, and if not, then they should build a university here which will help everyone...if you can't build us a temple then we will also not let you build a Haj House, this is a fight for Hindutva," he claimed.
"We will now have to be aggressive and not defensive...we will have to pick up our weapons now," another protestor said.
Delhi BJP President Adesh Gupta too joined the agitation and told reporters that he opposes the construction of a Haj House and that he will stand with the protestors to not let the DDA build the same in the area.
Advocate BP Vaishnav, Secretary of the All Dwarka Residents Federation, which had earlier written to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, demanding cancellation of the land allotted for the Haj House in the area in "national interest", said that the Delhi government cannot use the taxpayers' money for their votebank politics and a particular community cannot be appeased at the cost of public welfare.
"The 5,000 square metres land that has been allotted to the said house is located at a very prime location in the area and it will unnecessarily create a bad impression when these Muslim persons will come and stay there...not only in India but internationally also as it is near the Airport," he said, adding that a Haj House had already been built in other places and there is no need for another one. "They should rather build something for our welfare like a sports stadium or a college," he continued.
"Dwarka and its adjoining parts mostly boast Hindus and there is hardly any Muslim population here, so this move doesn't make sense...we will not let the construction happen and will carry the bricks used for the same in our pockets if they go ahead with it," said Ajeet Nandal, Vice-President of the federation.
Apart from the LG, the federation has also written to the PMO and Home Ministry, if the house is built.
