Ban on namaz: Panchayat, cops in damage-control mode

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, September 20

The Haryana Government’s intelligence wing has sent a detailed report to the top state authorities regarding the panchayat held at Titoli village in the district on Tuesday, which barred the Muslim residents of the village from offering namaz, sporting beard and selecting Muslim names for their children.

However, the local administrative and police authorities remained in a denial-cum-damage control mode over the issue on Thursday, maintaining that no such diktats were passed by any panchayat and a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere prevailed in the village.

Addressing a news conference here in the evening, DSP Narayan Chand maintained that representatives of the Titoli village panchayat as well as leaders of the Dhobi-Muslim community residing in the village had met the Deputy Commissioner on Thursday and maintained that the situation in the village was peaceful.

“Members of the Dhobi-Muslim community, led by Rajbir Singh, Titoli resident and president of the Rajak Samaj Sudhar Samiti, Haryana, said there was no resentment among the community members against any decision taken at the panchayat held on September 18. They said some vested interests had tried to vitiate the social harmony prevailing in the village but they will keep the brotherhood intact,” the DSP stated.

In a separate undertaking submitted to the district administration, a delegation of Titoli residents led by village sarpanch Pramila’s brother-in-law Suresh Kumar, who claims to be the sarpanch’s representative, maintained that no ban had been imposed on religious practices, lifestyle or customs of the Muslim community.

On being questioned about the intelligence report on unconstitutional diktats passed by the panchayat held at Titoli village, the DSP asserted that they were keeping a close watch on the situation in the village and no unconstitutional action would be allowed at any cost.