Amid growing tensions over the demolition of a wall of an under-construction mosque in Bisrakh, the District Administration of Gautam Budh Nagar on Friday imposed Section 144 in the entire district till August 15. However, the officials have claimed that the decision was taken in view of the Hindu, Muslim festivals.
A senior official says, the decision is a routine exercise and it should not be correlated with the demolition of the mosque. “With the commencement of Ramzan and Kanwarias, it is necessary to take appropriate security measures to maintain harmony in the region. This move will ensure the celebration of both the festivals peacefully,” said the official.
Preetinder Singh, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Gautam Budh Nagar, said that the move will help in maintaining law and order. “We have taken appropriate security measures after the recent crisis,” he said.In another development, Narendra Bhati, Cabinet Minister in UP Government, has backtracked with his statement that he played a major role in the suspension of sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Durga Shakti Nagpal.
Bhati said that the media misinterpreted his statement given on July 28. It was the Government who took the decision of her suspension to avoid communal violence.