CRPF takes out flag march as Atali remains tense

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, July 3

The situation in communally sensitive Atali village of Ballabhgarh remained tense even as two companies of the CRPF were deployed at the village today.

A flag march was also carried out this noon. The police have registered a case in connection with spreading rumours about the incident through social media.

The authorities concerned are yet to come out with any formal move to resolve the dispute that resulted in violence on Wednesday for the second time in the past one-and-a-half months.

“The situation in the village continues to remain grim as nearly all families of the minority community have moved out of the village due to fear and threat by anti-social elements, who were responsible for vitiating the atmosphere,” claimed Ishaq, a village resident.

He said the authorities have failed to make sincere efforts to resolve the issue ever since the first incident took place on May 25 and the agreement that was reached on June 3.

“A majority of the families had agreed to shift back to the village on assurance given by the administration then, but the atmosphere failed to improve that made the minority families start migration even before the Wednesday incident,” he added.

However, according to Prahlad Singh, a local resident, the issue is being politicised unnecessarily as part of pressure tactics by the minority community, which he claimed had triggered the latest incident of violence.

He also claimed that several members of the community, who were present in the village, took part in the afternoon prayers at the disputed site of worship today. He added that there was no threat to anyone.

Meanwhile, President of the Tewatia Khap Laxman Singh met the authorities concerned today and offered mediation by the khap to resolve the matter. He suggested setting up a joint committee to start the talks.

A majority of the residents here belongs to Tewatia sub-caste. The police have also registered a case against Hitesh Kumar on the charge of spreading rumours by sending a clip of stone-throwing incident on Whatsapp. The video was not of Atali, it is claimed.

Kiran flays govt for communal flare-up 

Bhiwani: Leader of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party Kiran Choudhry has flayed the BJP government, led by Manohar Lal Khattar, for “allowing” communal situation in Atali village of Ballabhgarh, Faridabad, to flare up again resulting in fresh clashes and injuries to more than six persons. Communal violence in the village had forced members of a minority community to flee the village about a month ago. She demanded a firm action against the perpetrators of violence and adequate compensation for the victims. The flare-up in Atali, together with the attack on the Naya Bazaar church in Bhiwani, shows that the law and order situation has reached a new low in Haryana. — TNS