'Visit Nearby Temples Instead': Haryana CM Khattar Says 'Shobha Yatra' Permission Denied To Ensure Peace

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has said that the state administration denied permission to take out 'Shobha Yatra' on Monday to ensure peace in the region.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said that the administration has denied permission for 'Shobha Yatra' on Monday to ensure that law and order is maintained in the state. He said that it is the government's duty to ensure peace and hence police and administration have taken this decision that instead of carrying out a yatra, people should go to nearby temples. This comes after police denied permission to Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) to take out a Braj Mandal Shobha Yatra on the last Monday of Sawan month, i.e. August 28.

Meanwhile, CM Khattar said the decision was taken in view of what happened in the Nuh district in July.

"Looking at the kind of incident that happened there (Nuh) at the beginning of the month, it is the govt’s duty to ensure that law and order in the area is maintained. Our Police and administration have taken this decision that instead of carrying out a yatra(Braj Mandal Shobha Yatra), people should go to nearby temples and offer prayers. Permission for yatra is denied but people can go and offer prayers in temples as it is Sawan month...", Khattar told reporters.

However, the VHP on Saturday (August 26) declared its intention to hold a "shobha yatra" in Mewat on August 28, asserting that "obtaining permission from the administration for such religious events is unnecessary."

"Jal Abhishek Yatra will be taken out at 11 am tomorrow. Since it is a pilgrimage, there is no need to take permission for this," VHP leader Vinod Bansal as said.

Nuh Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata imposed Section 144 in the district after VHP made clear its intention. Despite denying permission for the yatra, Khadgata mentioned that "some groups" still intend to carry it out. He also announced the suspension of internet services from 12 AM on August 27 until 12 AM on August 29.

Notably, several died while a large number of properties were damaged in the violence that erupted in Nuh after communal clashes between two groups during a yatra in July. The incident even reached Gurugram forcing authorities to suspend internet in Nuh.