Uttarakhand signboards row: Civil society group writes to CM over 'discrimination' against Muslims

In the wake of objectionable signboards appearing at the entrances to villages in several areas of Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag, a civil society group comprising several retired civil servants and academics on Monday wrote to chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami against alleged discrimination targeting Muslims.

Villagers in several areas of Rudraprayag district have put up signboards at the entrances of their villages, prohibiting the entry of outsiders. Signboards had been put up in villages such as Sirsi, Rampur-Nyalsu, and others. Initially, the boards stated a ban on "non-Hindus", but the phrasing was later changed to "ban on outsiders" following police intervention, according to villagers.

The police, however, later said objectionable signboards have been removed.

"The signboards put up at six places in Guptkashi police station area were objectionable and have been withdrawn," deputy superintendent of police Prabodh Kumar Ghildiyal said. People have been asked to maintain social harmony, he said.

In a letter to Dhami, Citizens for Fraternity said that as concerned citizens of the country they have watched with dismay, news coming out of various places in Uttarakhand of "discrimination against Muslims, many of whom have been residents for decades and owning businesses there".

The letter is signed by the likes of former chief election commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, former Delhi lieutenant-governor Najeeb Jung, former AMU vice-chancellor Zameer Uddin Shah, former MP Shahid Siddiqui and former IRS Syed Mahmood Akhter, among others.

The Constitution does not discriminate on religion, caste or region, the letter said. It encourages Indians and does not debar them to travel to other states and set up businesses, which provides employment opportunities to local people and contribute towards the economy, it said.

"It (putting up of signboards) depicts our country in poor light and offers an opportunity to those not amicable to us to criticise us. How can we aspire to be world leaders if such incidents continue and are not nipped in the bud. The perpetrators of hate, irrespective of religion, must to be booked and stringent action taken against them," the letter said.

"We believe that DMs and SPs in each district should be held accountable if no action is taken, the civil society group said.