Temple Graveyard dispute in Tripura, What's the whole matter?

The Muslim community of Nandannagar in Agartala protested on Tuesday against the alleged occupation of the cemetery. A large number of women from the Muslim community participated in the demonstration. They blocked the bypass road connecting GB Hospital and Khairpur.

Protesters allege that an organization called Hindu Yuva Vahini illegally built a Shiva temple on the cemetery grounds on Monday night.

Local Muslims said there has been a cemetery in that area for a long time. Hindus and Muslims have lived here in peace for decades, but some people try to disturb the harmony between them.

According to Muslims in the area, a Shiv Ling was installed at the site and a banner of the Hindu Yuva Vahini Tripura Pradesh was set up right in front of the temple. Locals claimed that the entire temple was set up overnight to fuel communal feelings.

Locals also showed the letters that were written from time to time to the state administration and the minister.

One of the protester, Noor Islam, claimed that it was an act of agrarian mafias active in the area who are interested in the land. “For years, they have tried every unfair means to seize the land. We have spoken with the Minister of Minority Welfare, Ratan Lal Nath, and sent delegations to concerned officials countless times since 2019. We were told that the cemetery would be demarcated soon, but all these guarantees never reached the implementation stage,” he said.

Another protester, Mohammad Ali, said that on Monday suddenly some people came and cleared the area with excavations and set up a Shiva temple in the area overnight.

Given the seriousness of the matter, the administration has deployed a large number of security forces.

Former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Chairman Chandrashekhar Kar, who visited the protest site, demanded that the police and district administration immediately clear the roadblock and settle the matter through talks.

Meanwhile, Deputy Collector Magistrate Sadar sub-division Aseem Saha has imposed Section 144 near the Thanda Kalibari area in Nandannagar until further orders. Under the order, the gathering of five or more people within 200 meters of the disputed area was prohibited.

“……a report has been received from the Sub-Divisional Police Officer of New Capital Complex regarding the prevalence of high tension and apprehension of breach of the peace at Nandanagar near the Thandha Kalibari area due to communal disharmony. It is apprehended that there is every possibility of further Law & Order ”, the order reads.

The order further urged the cops to enforce the orders with immediate effect to ensure no breach of peace. “…..based on the report, I am satisfied that there is an urgent need for the issue of Prohibitory Order to maintain public tranquillity otherwise there may be deterioration of Law & Order. The Order shall remain in force from 1100 Hrs. of 5th July till further order within the area specified above”, the order adds.

The first incident took place on the border of South Joynagar, where a Shiva temple was allegedly established occupying a part of the existing graveyard.

The second incident took place in South Ramnagar, where the minority reportedly refused to bury the bodies in the cemetery. The police maintained the status quo in both incidents and removed the squatters.

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