A call for a Hindu Mahapanchayat in the Muslim-majority Nuh district against alleged cow slaughter has been given by three right-wing Hindu organisations Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and Gau Raksha Dal Haryana on Sunday.
The proposed Hindutva event will be held at Sangel Gaushala in Ujjina, a Hindu-majority village located on Hodal-Nuh road, 11 kilometres away from sub-district headquarter in Nuh.
Gau Raksha Dal Haryana is an organisation of cow vigilantes working in Haryana with 21 teams across the state.
Maktoob accessed several messages inviting “Hindu lovers” and “cow protectors” of the area to join the event.
“Accepting the challenge given by the MLAs of Mewat to the Gau Rakshaks, ‘If you come to Mewat this time and go back alive, then who will call us Mewati’, a huge mahapanchayat will be organized at Sangel Gaushala,” read one of the invitations.
The invitation requested “Hindus” to join in huge numbers and “make the people of jihadi mentality feel their power.”
Another poster accessed by the Maktoob, reads: “Mission Mewat… cow slaughter is heinous crime… mahapanchayat.” The poster further says that the event is organised by Hindu organisations involved with cow protection.
Speaking to Maktoob on the Mahapanchayat event, Mohit alias Monu Manesar (27), convenor of the Manesar unit of Bajrang Dal, said: “This Mahapanchayat will be held at Sangel Gaushala in Mewat and the call is given by Vishva Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Gau Raksha Dal Haryana.”
“No cow killing should happen in Nuh. This is the agenda,” he said.
Speaking on the alleged threats given by MLAs of Nuh district, Manesar told that the MLAs said in a speech that no anti-social elements will be allowed to enter Nuh and disturb the peace.
Monu Manesar has been an active member of Bajrang Dal and a cow vigilante since 2016 and in October 2019 was shot in the chest while chasing alleged cow smugglers in Gurugram. He has shared photos with several high ranking officials in Haryana Police and Information and Broadcasting Minister, Anurag Thakur.
Manesar confirmed to Maktoob that he will be present at the Hindu Mahapanchayat event in Nuh tomorrow.
On the morning of 23 and 24 April, at around 6 AM, cow vigilantes from Manesar and Badshahpur near Gurugram and local Bajrang Dal members brandishing pistols entered Sheikhpur and Rawli villages in Nuh district, fired multiple shots, terrorised villagers, chanted ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans and abducted three Muslim man, Sahib Hussain (26) from Sheikhpur village and Hakmuddin (45) and Raees (24) from Rawli village.
The Nuh Police booked Hussain and others under sections 13(1) and 13(3) of the Haryana Gauvansh Sanrakshan and Gausamvardhan Act, 2015 and arrested them for alleged cow smuggling. The three Muslim men are currently lodged in District Jail, Gurugram.
The Jamia shooter and Hindutva poster boy Ram Bhakt Gopal posted two videos of abduction of Sahib Hussain and others from his Instagram account. After the videos went viral and activists began calling for his arrest, he deleted his Instagram account.
According to several eyewitnesses in these two villages, Manesar was present during the kidnapping incidents on April 23 and 24.
Maktoob also reached out to the head (Pradhan) of Gau Raksha Dal Haryana, Acharya Yogendra Arya.
Speaking about the event, he said, “People involved in the cow slaughtering business in Mewat are challenging us that they will slaughter the cows. They are saying this country is theirs also and slaughtering and eating cows is their right.”
He further added that, “Everyday’s cows are being slaughtered.”
Maktoob inquired Arya if members of his organization caught (abducted) the three Muslim men from Sheikhpur and Rawli villages on April 23 and 24, he confirmed the involvement of his organization in the said incidents.
When inquired if permission for the event has been granted, Arya said, “That place is our religious space. We can organise the event there.” He later clarified that permission has been granted for the event.
Arya also confirmed that the event has been called by Vishwa Hindu Parishad along with Bajrang Dal and Gau Raksha Dal Haryana.
The website of Gau Raksha Dal Haryana mentions in its patron message that “vedas say that if a wicked kills a cow, then fry him with bullets. Jai Gaumata.”
Varun Singla, Superintendent of Police for Nuh said to Maktoob that the organisers are applying for the permission.
When inquired if the authorities will grant permission for the event, he said, “We will discuss about this. DC sir will take the final call.”
This reporter told Singla that event like this lead to law and order situation. To this, he said, “We will check all the facts and circumstances and only then grant the permission.”
Mubarik Khan, a local activist told Maktoob that two Muslim men were attacked in Ujjina village yesterday evening where the Hindu Mahapanchayat is being organised.
He alleged that the assaulters pulled the beard of one of the Muslim men. “MLCs have been done,” added Khan.
We tried reaching out to the Muslim men who were allegedly assaulted but received no response. This story will be updated when we receive a response.
Several local Muslims who do not wish to be named fearing reprisal from the authorities and cow vigilantes told Maktoob that the Hindu Mahapanchayat will take place as the organisers have the backing of the authorities.
Tensions remain high in the Mewat belt as Muslims demand that the event should be cancelled as this could create communal tensions in the region.
Arbab Ali is an Independent Journalist based in Delhi.
