04-10-2005, 05:22 PM
Hindus denied Holi celebration
By Ravindra Saini
It sounds incredible, but it is true. Can anyone believe that there
may be some villages in India specially in Uttaranchal where Hindus
are not allowed to celebrate their most favourite festival, Holi.
Yes, there are about 10 such villages in Haridwar district, which is
called the holiest place of Uttaranchal.
Talking to Organiser Shri Matbar Singh Kandari, Leader of Opposition
in Uttaranchal assembly, said that villagers in more than 10 villages
of Haridwar district had not been allowed to celebrate Holi for
several years. Shri Kandari said that this year he, as a chief guest,
was invited to celebrate Holi in a village named Ghissu Pura by a BJP
worker who himself is a Muslim. "When I was going to the village to
attend the festival, the police stopped me in the way," he said. The
village Pradhan Moh. Shamshad had invited him to celebrate Holi. He
was also invited to visit a madarsa after the celebration. When the
police stopped him without any reason, he told the police that he was
going to celebrate Holi with the villagers of Ghissu Pura and it
would be celebrated peacefully. But the police did not allow him to
enter the village.
Then Shri Kandari appealed to the police to come with him to the
village but the police tried to take him into custody. When he asked
the police about his offence and the reason why he was not being
allowed to enter the village, the police were unable to advance any
reason. When the police started dragging Kandari, he lay on the road
and told the police that he would continue lying on the road till he
was allowed to go to the village. He expressed his determination that
he would go to the village and not to the rest house at any cost.
This news spread like fire and activists of BJP, Bajrang Dal,
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and a local BJP MLA, Madan Kaushik and a
huge crowd of villagers reached the spot. Witnessing the increasing
crowd, the police and PAC fired about 100 rounds in the air. The
crowd in reaction started pelting stones. This resulted into wounds
and injuries to about 100 people. The police then arrested Shri
Kandari and other agitators and kept them in Shri Ram Ashram. Shri
Kandari remained on hunger strike in protest against the illegal and
undemocratic action of the police.
Talking to Organiser Shri Kandari expressed intense resentment and
regret for not being allowed the Hindus to burn Holi according to
their traditions. He said that there was not any law in the country
that prevents Hindus from celebrating their festivals. He said that
atrocities on Hindus were increasing day by day under the misrule of
the Congress government. He asserted that this issue would be raised
in the state Assembly and the Chief Minister would be asked why Hindu
could not celebrate their festivals.
The police also beat up women activists who were staging a dharna
near the heap of Holika, demanding the permission of burning it
according to Hindu tradition. Several women were wounded due to
lathicharge by the police.
Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, state BJP president, has condemned the
action of the police and warned of a statewide massive agitation
against the state government. He said that preventing Hindus from
celebrating Holi was an insult.
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By Ravindra Saini
It sounds incredible, but it is true. Can anyone believe that there
may be some villages in India specially in Uttaranchal where Hindus
are not allowed to celebrate their most favourite festival, Holi.
Yes, there are about 10 such villages in Haridwar district, which is
called the holiest place of Uttaranchal.
Talking to Organiser Shri Matbar Singh Kandari, Leader of Opposition
in Uttaranchal assembly, said that villagers in more than 10 villages
of Haridwar district had not been allowed to celebrate Holi for
several years. Shri Kandari said that this year he, as a chief guest,
was invited to celebrate Holi in a village named Ghissu Pura by a BJP
worker who himself is a Muslim. "When I was going to the village to
attend the festival, the police stopped me in the way," he said. The
village Pradhan Moh. Shamshad had invited him to celebrate Holi. He
was also invited to visit a madarsa after the celebration. When the
police stopped him without any reason, he told the police that he was
going to celebrate Holi with the villagers of Ghissu Pura and it
would be celebrated peacefully. But the police did not allow him to
enter the village.
Then Shri Kandari appealed to the police to come with him to the
village but the police tried to take him into custody. When he asked
the police about his offence and the reason why he was not being
allowed to enter the village, the police were unable to advance any
reason. When the police started dragging Kandari, he lay on the road
and told the police that he would continue lying on the road till he
was allowed to go to the village. He expressed his determination that
he would go to the village and not to the rest house at any cost.
This news spread like fire and activists of BJP, Bajrang Dal,
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and a local BJP MLA, Madan Kaushik and a
huge crowd of villagers reached the spot. Witnessing the increasing
crowd, the police and PAC fired about 100 rounds in the air. The
crowd in reaction started pelting stones. This resulted into wounds
and injuries to about 100 people. The police then arrested Shri
Kandari and other agitators and kept them in Shri Ram Ashram. Shri
Kandari remained on hunger strike in protest against the illegal and
undemocratic action of the police.
Talking to Organiser Shri Kandari expressed intense resentment and
regret for not being allowed the Hindus to burn Holi according to
their traditions. He said that there was not any law in the country
that prevents Hindus from celebrating their festivals. He said that
atrocities on Hindus were increasing day by day under the misrule of
the Congress government. He asserted that this issue would be raised
in the state Assembly and the Chief Minister would be asked why Hindu
could not celebrate their festivals.
The police also beat up women activists who were staging a dharna
near the heap of Holika, demanding the permission of burning it
according to Hindu tradition. Several women were wounded due to
lathicharge by the police.
Shri Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, state BJP president, has condemned the
action of the police and warned of a statewide massive agitation
against the state government. He said that preventing Hindus from
celebrating Holi was an insult.
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?
name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=72&page=32