Nuh procession to go ahead with or without permission, says VHP

The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) reiterated on Saturday that it will carry out a procession in Nuh, where a similar event on July 31 was at the heart of communal clashes that left six people dead over three days of religious clashes that spilled over to nearby districts, appearing to defy police restrictions that ban large gatherings.

- Abhishek Behl and Leena Dhankhar

In a press conference on Saturday, the right-wing Hindu group said the Braj Mandal Jal Abhishek yatra in Nuh was abandoned midway on July 31 and will be completed on Monday. “We don’t need permission for the yatra as it is a religious procession. The Hindus in Mewat and across the country were worried that the yatra on July 31 has remained incomplete and now we have decided to complete it. We appeal to the Muslims to uphold the values of peaceful coexistence as large numbers among them have offered support to the yatra,” said Surendra Kumar Jain, central joint secretary, VHP, adding that the district administration had been “informed”.

But, the outfit leader added, only Hindus from Nuh, Gurugram and Palwal will participate “in view of the upcoming G20 Summit”. They said the yatra will be taken out under the aegis of Sarva Hindu Samaj, and include prominent members of the Hindu community, including pals (community grouping).