The Uttarakhand High Court has issued directions to the state government to ensure peace and prevent any loss of life or property amidst communal tensions in the hill town of Purola. The court's directives came during the hearing of a petition related to a mahapanchayat (grand assembly of village leaders) that Hindu organizations had called for in Purola. The court instructed the government to evaluate whether any public gathering or congregation has the potential to incite violence and disturb the peace before granting permission for such events. The court emphasized that it is the primary responsibility of the state to uphold law and order and safeguard the lives and property of its citizens.
The tensions in Purola originated on May 26 when two individuals, one Muslim and one Hindu, were accused of attempting to abduct a girl. The incident led to allegations of "love jihad," a term used by right-wing groups to describe an alleged conspiracy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women. Although the accused were arrested, right-wing organizations staged protests and attacked shops and houses belonging to Muslims in the area.
The high court's directions came after authorities denied permission for the mahapanchayat due to the presence of posters threatening Muslim traders to shut down their shops and leave the state by June 15. As a result, no mahapanchayat took place in Purola on the scheduled date, and right-wing activists instead held a symbolic protest.
The Association for Protection of Civil Rights, a non-governmental organization, moved the Supreme Court against the mahapanchayat organizers for not canceling the gathering despite the denial of permission. In response, Muslim organizations announced their own mahapanchayat in Dehradun on June 18.
The Supreme Court declined to conduct an urgent hearing on the NGO's petition, suggesting that the petitioner first approach the Uttarakhand High Court. The petitioner's representative referred to previous Supreme Court directives regarding hate speech and highlighted that the mahapanchayat was called with the demand that a particular community leave the area by June 15.
During the high court hearing, the petitioner's counsel urged the court to take action against the organizers of the mahapanchayat and those who issued threats to Muslims. The counsel mentioned a letter sent to the Tehri administration on June 5, in which signatories asked Muslims to leave, but no action had been taken against them. The counsel further stated that Muslims in the area were facing violence, fear, and social and economic boycott, and called for immediate redressal of the situation.
The advocate general of Uttarakhand informed the court that the first mahapanchayat had been called off, and Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which prohibits gatherings of more than four people, had been imposed in the area. The court decided against ordering the registration of an FIR (First Information Report) at that stage, stating that it was for the police to determine if a cognizable offense had been committed. However, the court emphasized the state's duty to maintain peace and law and order.
The court also issued a directive for those involved in the matter to abstain from participating in social media and TV debates. It further emphasized that the petitioner and other concerned parties should refrain from engaging in social media discussions to help normalize the situation.
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