Haryana Government Takes Action Against Gram Panchayats Restricting Muslim Entry, Showcause Notices Issued

The Haryana government has initiated the process of sending showcause notices to gram panchayats and sarpanches who have passed resolutions or sent letters restricting the entry of Muslims into their villages subsequent to the communal violence on July 31 in Nuh. Officials have revealed that various gram panchayats and sarpanches have been issued these showcause notices by their respective district authorities under Section 51 of the Haryana Gram Panchayati Raj Act, which pertains to the suspension and removal of a sarpanch or panch.

Deputy Commissioner of Rewari, Mohd. Imran Raza, confirmed the administrative action and stated that showcause notices have been issued to the concerned gram panchayats and their sarpanches. These entities are expected to provide their responses, which will be evaluated before further action is taken based on their submissions.

While there are unverified reports suggesting that First Information Reports (FIRs) have been lodged against certain gram panchayats and sarpanches in Rewari district, Raza indicated that decisions on registering FIRs or pursuing legal measures fall under the jurisdiction of the Superintendent of Police.

Rewari's Superintendent of Police, Deepak Saharan, deferred to the Deputy Commissioner regarding this sensitive matter. The Director General of Police, P K Agrawal, was unavailable for comment; however, state government officials asserted that appropriate actions would be taken against anyone attempting to disturb communal harmony.

The sarpanches of these villages had previously stated that the primary intention behind enacting such resolutions was to scrutinize the backgrounds of street vendors, largely from the Muslim community, in order to curb instances of animal theft and prevent potential confrontations amid the situation in Nuh.