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NDTV
04-07-2025
- NDTV
"They Pulled Down My Pants": UP Dhaba Staff On Kanwar Yatra Crackdown
New Delhi: A controversy has erupted in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Kanwar Yatra, after a Muslim man named Tajammul was found working under the assumed identity of "Gopal" at a roadside dhaba to protect himself from Hindu groups. The incident took place at the Pandit Ji Vaishno Dhaba located on National Highway 58 in Muzaffarnagar. The dhaba has since been shut down following protests. Tajammul admitted that he adopted a Hindu identity out of fear and under instruction. "My name is Tajammul," he told NDTV. "I was asked to go by 'Gopal' so I could work at the dhaba without creating trouble. Sharma ji (dhaba owner) told me to do so." Tajammul said that he was told to conceal his Muslim identity and present himself as Hindu in order to avoid backlash from Hindu organisations that have begun conducting identity checks of food vendors along the Kanwar Yatra route. "They told me to wear a kada," Tajammul said. "I wore it for three months so I wouldn't be recognised." Tajammul described being intimidated and assaulted after members of a Hindu group entered the premises and began questioning the religious identities of the staff. "They pulled my pants down. They beat me and I was crying," he said. The incident occurred on June 28 when a religious figure called Swami Yashveer Ji Maharaj and several of his associates visited the dhaba as part of what they called an "identification campaign." These campaigns are intended to ensure that pilgrims receive food from Hindu-owned establishments, according to the Swami Yashveer's supporters. During the confrontation, Tajammul introduced himself as Gopal. When asked to produce identification, he claimed his Aadhaar card was missing and his phone was broken. The group did not accept the explanation, and video footage later showed physical manhandling. The Muzaffarnagar police have since summoned six individuals linked to the incident: Sumit Bahraghi, Rohit, Vivek, Sumit, Sunny, and Rakesh, all associated with Swami Yashveer's Yoga Sadhana Ashram in Baghra. The controversy comes against the backdrop of an earlier directive issued by the Uttar Pradesh government that all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route must display food licenses and owner details, including religious identity where applicable. While the state government claims this is a matter of transparency, opposition parties allege that the move is decidedly communal in nature.
Hindustan Times
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Court slams accused in 2020 Delhi riots case for trying to delay trial
A Delhi court has criticised attempts to delay the trial in a 2020 Delhi riots case, observing that the matter is at an advanced stage and cannot be needlessly prolonged. The court noted that despite the trial having gone on for more than a year and only two witnesses remaining, a fresh application was moved seeking re-examination of a prosecution witness. The order was passed on June 4 by additional sessions judge (ASJ) Praveen Singh of Karkardooma Court, who took over the case recently following a reshuffle of judicial officers by the Delhi high court. The court was hearing an application filed by advocate Mehmood Pracha, counsel for accused Sonu Saifi, seeking to recall a witness for further cross-examination. Pracha argued that he was unable to adequately question the witness during an earlier hearing due to lack of time and that the witness's testimony was materially significant to the case. Rejecting the plea, the judge noted: 'Around 26 witnesses have been examined and it is only after a passage of one year that this application has been moved — at a stage when the matter is in its final leg with only two witnesses left.' The court underscored that a lawyer's delay in realising the need for further cross-examination could not justify prolonging a near-concluded trial. 'This application has been moved at the time and convenience of the counsel. A witness cannot be recalled merely because the counsel realised it after one year,' the court observed. The prosecution opposed the application, terming it a deliberate attempt to stall proceedings. It argued that the witness had been sufficiently cross-examined in May 2023 and that no new grounds were presented to justify re-examination. The case arose out of an FIR registered at Dayalpur police station involving charges of arson, attempt to murder, and criminal conspiracy during the February 2020 violence in northeast Delhi. Nineteen people are named as accused, including Faisal Farooq, owner of Rajdhani Public School. According to the prosecution, Farooq allegedly instigated a mob that torched DRP Convent School and nearby properties near Shiv Vihar Tiraha on February 24, 2020. It was further alleged that Farooq's Rajdhani Public School served as a launchpad for hurling petrol bombs and stones at Hindu-owned properties. Charges against all accused were framed in March 2023. Judge Singh replaced ASJ Pulastya Pramachala as part of a broader judicial reshuffle and is now presiding over several high-profile Delhi riots trials. His recent order sends a clear message on the judiciary's reluctance to entertain delay tactics, especially in cases nearing conclusion.
