Palwal: Renewed push to boycott minorities gains traction, sparks controversy.

Lawyer Organizes Another Hate Speech Panchayat in Palwal

A lawyer who had been booked for hate speech at a panchayat in Gurgaon’s Tigra village on August 6 was one of the organizers of another such meet in Palwal on Sunday. Kulbhushan Bhardwaj, a district court lawyer, dared the administration to lodge a second FIR against him and exhorted youths to take out another Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra on August 28.

First Procession Attacked, Second Panchayat Held

The first procession had to be cancelled after it was attacked in Nuh on July 31. Like in Tigra, Bhardwaj again targeted members of a particular community and called for their social and economic boycott. “We don’t need anybody’s permission to bring out this yatra. We will do whatever is needed to protect our religion. Come what may,” he told the gathering of over 1,000 villagers in Palwal.

Legal Action Taken Against Bhardwaj

Bhardwaj was booked along with another member of a right-wing outfit, Babita Karhana, after the Tigra panchayat. An FIR was registered against them under sections 153A, 153B, 188, and 505 of the IPC. Babita did not attend the meet this Sunday.

Yatra to Follow Usual Route

The panchayat was organized in Palwal after the authorities denied permission for the event in Nuh, where a curfew is in force. Bhardwaj said the yatra, in its third year, would follow its usual route. It will start from Gurgaon, pass through the Nalhar Shiv temple in Nuh, and culminate at the Shringaar temple in the district.

Call for Security and Compensation

Azad Shashtri, an acharya of Gau Rakshak Dal, asked youths to not let FIRs deter them. Arun Jaildaar, the head of sarpanches of 52 villages, sought a Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of the youths who died in the violence earlier this month. Ratan Singh Saorot, the national secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Union, called for a permanent unit of the central forces in Nuh.

Opposition Slams BJP-JJP Coalition

The opposition criticized the BJP-JJP coalition in the state for allowing such panchayats to take place. Udai Bhan Singh, the Congress president in Haryana, said, “All they want to do is spread hatred and ruin the spirit of brotherhood that is still prevalent in the state.”

Police Response and Conclusion

Nuh SP Narendra Bijarniya did not respond to repeated calls and messages on whether the police would allow the August 28 yatra. The lawyer and organizers remain defiant, stating that the yatra will proceed regardless of any opposition.