The Hindu : Curfew imposed in Dhar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 20, 2003

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Curfew imposed in Dhar

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL FEB. 19. An indefinite curfew was imposed today in Dhar, near Indore in Madhya Pradesh, following incidents of arson and clashes between the police and activists of the Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM).

The situation worsened in the afternoon when HJM activists tried to force their way into the controversial Bhojshala at Dhar. Police resorted to lathicharge, and then fired a few rounds in the air to disperse the mob, which went on the rampage through the streets of the town.

The Bhojshala is an ancient structure, where Muslims are permitted to offer prayers on Fridays and Hindus are allowed entry on `Basant Panchami'.

In the past 24 hours, police have arrested 177 persons, including 55 women. Even at Amjhera, near Dhar, police fired a few rounds in the air to disperse a mob.

BJP sources told The Hindu that four persons were injured, two of them seriously, in the firing. However, when contacted, the Collector of Dhar denied this, saying they had been hit by pellets fired from countrymade weapons and not by the .303-rifles used by police.

Hindu activists earlier in the day burnt two police vehicles, one at Amjhera and another on the Indore-Dhar road. A State Transport Corporation bus was also set on fire.

The Collector said the Manch had extended its agitation into interior areas. The administration was doing everything within its command to ensure that the "two main communities" did not come into a direct confrontation.

There was considerable tension in Dhar even on Tuesday, and the district authorities had to enforce prohibitory orders under Section 144 to prevent the Manch activists and others from entering the Bhojshala.

On February 6, coinciding with `Basant Panchami', the Manch had mobilised thousands of devotees for offering prayers here.

In a related development, the Assembly was twice adjourned today, once briefly and then up to the lunch recess, as the Opposition BJP members began demanding that the Chief Minister, Digvijay Singh, be present when the House took up for discussion an adjournment motion on the cow slaughter issue. Mr. Singh could not attend the House as he had gone to Betul along with the Leader of the Opposition, Babulal Gaur, for a first-hand assessment of damage caused by a massive storm on Monday that claimed several lives and caused damage to standing crops and property.

In the post-lunch session, the BJP member, Kailash Vijayvargiya, tried to raise the Dhar issue and his colleague, Sitasharan Sharma, raised the issue of cow slaughter but in the din that followed the Deputy Speaker, Ishwardas Rohani, adjourned the House till Thursday.

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