Communal flareup in Fatehpur as Hindu groups vandalise historical tomb
Communal flareup in Fatehpur as Hindu groups vandalise historical tomb
M.U.H
11/08/202557
LUCKNOW: Fatehpur district in central Uttar Pradesh came to the brink of communal conflagration on Monday when members of some Hindu organisations vandalised a tomb in Abu Nagar, Rediya locality of Sadar tehsil, claiming that the structure was built on a temple bringing both the communities face-to-face.
However, the district administration rushed with the deployment of heavy police and PAC contingents across the area, erecting barricades around the disputed site to prevent further flare-ups. As per local sources, at around 10 on Monday morning, over 2,000 people belonging to various Hindu outfits thronged the tomb on the premises of Eidgah, where the police were deployed in advance.
The controversy centred around the structure, officially registered under Khasra number 753 in government records as Maqbara Mangi (National Property). It became a flashpoint after members of the Math Mandir Sanrakshan Sangharsh Samiti, Bajrang Dal, Hindu Mahasabha and other groups, declared it to be a temple dedicated to Thakurji (Lord Krsihna) and Lord Shiva, allegedly over a thousand years old.
A massive crowd with people carrying saffron flags, chanting 'Jai Shree Ram' surrounded the tomb. The sources claimed that the members of the Math Mandir Sangharsh Samiti had given a memorandum to Fatehpur District Magistrate Ravindra Singh on Friday, claiming that the said tomb was originally a temple.
They had demanded the administration to remove the tomb while announcing that they would perform a puja on the site on August 11. Following their demands, the district administration had deployed the forces in advance.
The controversy erupted after the district president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Mukhlal Pal, who was at the forefront of the movement, alleged that the tomb of Nawab Abdus Samad was not a tomb but over a thousand-year-old temple of Thakur ji and Lord Shiva, citing the presence of a lotus flower and a trident within the structure as evidence.
Following the claim, members of Hindu organisations entered the tomb premises and vandalised the area outside the mausoleum. The sources said that the members of the Hindu group had plans to perform a pooja at the site, escalating the situation further.
Even some of the trouble makers took to the roof of the tomb and put a saffron flag over there. "The form of our temple has been converted into a mosque. We Sanatan Hindus will not tolerate this. There are clear signs like lotus flowers and tridents. We will offer prayers at the temple at any cost," Mukhlal Pal said while calling upon Sanatanis to gather at Puri Thakur Dak Bungalow at 9 am on Monday to march and perform pooja.
He claimed that the state government was warned that if prevented from worshipping, it would be held responsible. "We are peaceful people, but if we have to fight for our religion, we are ready in every way," he added.
Fatehpur District Co-convenor of Bajrang Dal, Dharmendra Singh, also vowed to perform puja at the tomb, saying, "We will offer prayers here at noon. The administration will not be able to stop us." Virendra Pandey, State Vice President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), also claimed the site to be a temple of Lord Bholenath and Shri Krishna. "The structure is not a tomb. There are religious symbols, Parikrama Marg, and a temple well. We want to clean it for Janmashtami celebrations on August 16. We had informed the administration 10 days ago, but they are not taking it seriously," Pandey said.
He called the site a central place of faith for Hindus and vowed to reclaim it. Meanwhile, local sources also claimed that a group of around 300 Hindu group activists even entered the tomb and started puja, after which they did the ‘Shankhnaad’.
In the meantime, a group of over 1500 members from the other community also thronged the site, further escalating the situation as both the communities indulged in heavy stone pelting.
The sources added that initially, the district police authorities tried to placate both the communities, but when they failed, they applied force to ward off the troublemakers. Eventually, police force from 10 police stations was called in to disperse the members of both communities.
Taking note of the situation, the district administration imposed strict security measures with police forces patrolling around. The administration continued to maintain that the land was recorded as a national property tomb, and officials, including ADG Prayagraj zone Sanjeev Gupta, reached the site to keep a vigil on the situation.
The police flag march was conducted in the area, and the ADG ordered to deploy drone to monitor the situation closely to prevent escalation. Half a dozen ASPs of the adjoining districts like Chitrakoot, Banda, Hamirpur, Kaushambi, Pratapgarh and Kanpur Dehat were rushed to the site.
UP deputy CM Brajesh pathak said, "We will maintain law and order in Fatehpur at any cost. No one is allowed to break the law."
According to Fatehpur SP Anoop Singh, the police force was deployed around the site in advance, but some troublemakers still managed to enter the tomb and were driven away. "Now only police personnel are present on the site and the saffron flag has also been removed," he added.
Meanwhile, the members of the Hindu organisations blocked traffic at Daak Bangla crossing, which is around 500 metres from the tomb and started doing Hanuman Chalisa on the road.
The Shahar Qazi, Saidul Islam Abdullah, urged the members of the Muslim community to maintain peace. He claimed that a few troublemakers were trying to disturb the peace and harmony of the city but the Muslims would have to let the administration do its duty.
