After days of violence and trouble, Rajouri district Friday returned to normalcy after curfew was lifted following a meeting between leaders of both the communities who “resolved all issues amicably”.
DIG Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch range Ashok Arti told KNS the communal harmony has returned to Rajouri and the town is back to normalcy. “Leaders of both communities resolved the issue amicably, with representatives of majority community seeking apology for unintentionally burning a flag bearing Quranic inscriptions, and minority community accepting their apology wholeheartedly,” he said.
“After the meeting, leaders of both communities in separate press conference appealed people to maintain calm and peace. Now the fact that no untoward incident happened when curfew was lifted means the issue is fully resolved and people are happy with return of normalcy,” he added.
The DIG said all the business establishments and markets opened in the district with traffic resumed on roads.
Arti said that on the demands of people from both communities all the 18 youth arrested for creating trouble were also released.
Appealing people, Molvi Ghulam Rasool Khateeb of Rajouri who was part of the joint communities meet, said that leaders of the other community sought apology for the fact that those who burnt the flags never knew that what was written on it would hurt the sentiments of Muslims. He asked people from Pir Panjal, Chenab Valley and Kashmir region to maintain calm and move ahead as the “issue has been resolved”.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelHe thanked all those who supported Rajouri Muslims in their protest against hurting the religious sentiment.
Earlier in the day, Minister for CA&PD and Tribal Affairs Chowdhry Zulfkar Ali held joint meeting of all communities following which magisterial probe was ordered into the incident.
He also held separate meetings with civil and police administration of the district. Zulfkar later ordered Magisterial Inquiry and instructed Additional Deputy Commissioner Rajouri to submit report within 15 days. Magistrate has been directed to probe all events right from burning of objectionable flag and also stone pelting and afterward incidents.
The Minister appealed all communities to identify the trouble mongers’ miscreants and handover them to police for long lasting peace and development in the area.
Zulfikar added that the communal harmony was restored in Rajouri and now there is no need to go for any hartal or protest. He appealed people to maintain peace and thanked people for their support in restoring peace.
The Minister said that to ensure peace remains intact in Rajouri, a peace community, comprising civil society members representing all religious, politics and business groups, was set up. “The peace community will play a key role in maintaining communal harmony in the town and ensure that peace is never vitiated there,” he said.