scorecardresearch
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
Advertisement

Loudspeaker removed from devsthal: Jats threaten to leave Bijnor village in protest

The community has also threatened to sell off their houses if their demands were not met, as per police

Bijnor village, Bijnor village jats, Garvapur jats, Bijnor devsthal loudspeaker, Bijnor devsthal loudspeaker removed, Uttar Pradesh, India news, Indian Express news A group of people have been protesting since the loudspeaker was removed.

Authorities have deployed police in Bijnor district’s Garvapur amid tensions over a loudspeaker’s removal from a devsthal (place of deities) and Jat residents’ threats to leave the village in protest. The village’s Jats are demanding that a temple be allowed to be built at the site of the devsthal, which has stood on a piece of government land for 35 years.

Garvapur has a mixed population of Jats and Muslims. Nagina circle officer Mahesh Kumar said permission for loudspeaker use at the devsthal is given annually in August for three days for some religious gathering. “In February, a loudspeaker was placed there without permission. It was removed after a complaint was lodged,’’ he said.

“About 15 days ago, the loudspeaker was installed again and the police removed it a week ago.’’

Advertisement

Sub-divisional magistrate (Nagina) Gajendra Singh said the Jat community is demanding that they be allowed to use the loudspeaker throughout the year.

He said he has discussed the matter with senior officials and assured the people that a decision on the matter would be taken soon and conveyed to them by May 12.

Festive offer

Garvapur pradhan (village head) Shakeel Ahmed said the district administration had the loudspeaker removed following his complaint a week ago. “I had complained that a group of people were trying to grab a piece of land belonging to the gram sabha in the village on which the devsthal stands,’’ said Ahmed.

A group of people have been protesting since the loudspeaker was removed. “They are demanding permission to build a temple on the government land,” said Ahmed.  He said the Jats have threatened to sell off their houses and leave if their demands were not met.

Advertisement

“They have written ‘yeh ghar bikau hai (this house is on sale)’ on the main doors of their houses,’’ said Ahmed.

He said families of Ram Kumar, Man Singh and Mohit Kumar left the village on Tuesday and have started living in the tents outside the village in protest.

Repeated attempts to reach representatives of the Jat community for their comments were unsuccessful.

First uploaded on: 10-05-2018 at 05:17 IST
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
close