Controversy Erupts Over White Screens Installed in Front of Mosques During Kanwar Yatra in Haridwar

In Haridwar, white screens were installed in front of mosques along the Kanwar Yatra route to avoid provocation. The move faced criticism from locals and pilgrims.

Key Points

• White screens were installed in front of mosques and a mazar along the Kanwar Yatra route in Haridwar.
• Uttarakhand minister Satpal Maharaj defended the move, citing prevention of provocation.
• Local Muslim leaders and residents were unaware of any administrative order for the screens.
• Many pilgrims and Hindu residents found the measure unnecessary and controversial.
• Authorities later removed the screens amid widespread criticism and confusion over their installation.

In Haridwar, the decision to install large white screens in front of mosques and mazars along the Kanwar Yatra route has generated controversy and confusion among locals and pilgrims. These screens, which are mounted on bamboo scaffolding, were placed in front of two mosques and a mazar in the Jwalapur area to prevent potential disruptions during the yatra, as stated by Uttarakhand cabinet minister Satpal Maharaj.

“This has been done so that there is no unnecessary excitement or provocation from any side and the yatra runs smoothly,” Maharaj explained. He acknowledged that this was a first-time measure and said the government would review feedback on the move.

However, the mosque’s maulana and the mazar’s caretakers told PTI that they were not aware of any administrative order regarding the screens and noted that such a step had never been taken before during the yatra. The action was met with criticism from several kanwariyas, who deemed it unnecessary. Many Hindu residents of Haridwar also questioned the initiative, with one local resident calling it “condemnable.”

Haridwar District Magistrate Dheeraj Singh Garbyal clarified that the district administration was not responsible for the decision. On Friday afternoon, as news of the screens spread, special police officers (SPOs) and volunteers were seen removing them from several locations. Danish, an SPO, said he was acting on instructions from the Jwalapur railway police post but did not disclose who had ordered the screening of the mosques and mazars.

Locals in the Muslim-majority area of Jwalapur noted that the screens were erected on July 22 at the Bhoore Shah mazar near Uncha Pul and a mosque in Islamnagar. The caretaker of the mazar and Anwar Ali, head of the mosque, stated that they had “no clue” about what prompted the authorities to take this measure.

A kanwariya from Uttar Pradesh told The Times of India, “Passing by mosques and mazars had not bothered us in the past and does not affect us this year as well.” Another local resident, Ratan Mani Dobhal, commented, “Such a thing should not have been done. Maybe some officials thought it necessary.” A senior police officer attributed the situation to “ignorance shown by some local officers.”

As the debate over the screens continues, authorities and locals are seeking further clarity and hoping for a smooth and peaceful pilgrimage without any further incidents.