U’khand town back to normalcy after vandalism by right-wing groups

Satpuli town of Pauri Garhwal district, which witnessed ‘vandalism’ by right wing groups on Sunday, limped back to normalcy on Monday. Workers of Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had reportedly ransacked and burnt down shops belonging to members of the minority community in protest against an alleged defamatory Facebook update posted by a youth belonging to the same community on Sunday. Today, the shops reopened.

ABVP members also took out a procession in the town on Monday seeking action against the youth. The youth is already under police detention.

The right-wing groups charged that the youth allegedly posted ‘inflammatory’ material on his Facebook wall which also showed Kedarnath temple in the background. They burnt vegetable and fruit shops belonging to a few minority community members and raised slogans. They also created a ruckus in the local police station, seeking action against the accused.

Senior police and district officials rushed to the town and sent additional forces to control the situation. They also held discussions with both the parties to diffuse the situation. Interestingly, soon after the said controversial photos were uploaded on the account of the teenager, members of the right-wing groups descended on the shop belonging to the family of the youth and vandalised it before setting it on fire.

Jagat Ram Joshi, SSP, Pauri Garhwal, said that situation was under control and that the fruit and vegetable shops reopened on Monday. The police has detained the youth and was questioning him about the controversial post. The youth had used his own picture on a template of Uttarakhand state in which Kedarnath temple is also depicted. In the altered image, which was posted on Facebook, a slipper is imposed on the photo with a slogan “Not in My Name”.

Police officials claimed they were investigating the matter and would take action against the youth, who is in preventive custody, and also against those who vandalised the shops. A few Muslim families are living in Satpuli town for nearly half a century and are involved in selling fruits and vegetables.