Administration denies permission to resume Jalabhishek Yatra in Nuh

On Tuesday, August 22, the Nuh district administration denied permission to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to resume its Braj Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra on August 28 which was halted due to the violence unleashed by an Islamist mob on July 31st. The authorities in the Nuh district of Haryana rejected the application submitted by the VHP seeking permission to take out the Yatra on August 28 to conclude the interrupted procession.

This comes after a Hindu “maha panchayat” in Pondri village in Palwal resolved on August 13 to resume the Jalabhishek yatra from Nalhar temple in Nuh on August 28. 

Narender Bijarnia, the Nuh Superintendent of Police confirmed that the application for the procession’s permit had been turned down.

Reportedly, Nuh District Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata refused to grant permission to VHP for the Yatra citing various reasons including the G20 meeting scheduled to be held from September 3 in Tauru. The DC reportedly said that the dates of the G20 meeting and the Jalabhishek Yatra collided. Moreover, the permission has been denied in the wake of the prevailing situation in the Nuh district.

Originally, the yatra was to begin at Nuh’s Nalhar Mahadev Mandir, travel to Ferozepur Jhirka, and then stop in Singar in Punhana. However, it was halted and violence broke out about 3 km from the Nalhar temple.

Meanwhile, local VHP leader Devender Singh said he is not aware of the administration denying permission and asserted that there is “no need for any permission” for the Jalabhishek Yatra.

Vinod Bansal, the national spokesperson for the VHP, stated that they are still hopeful for the administration to approve the yatra. Bansal stated that rather than putting up barriers, the administration should offer support.

On July 31st, an Islamist mob attacked the Jalabhishek Yatra procession organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. The violent attacks claimed six lives. Vehicles were burnt and stones pelted at the VHP’s Jalabhishek Yatra as Islamists unleashed violence against the Hindus in the Muslim-dominated region of Nuh, Mewat in Haryana.