Hindu organisations are up in arms in Haryana against the government's decision to create a new Muslim dominated district in the state. Haryana Chief Minister has announced creation of a new district, named "Satyamewapuram." It will come into existence from November 1 as the 20th district of the state.
The new district has been carved out of the Mewat region of Haryana which is a Muslim-dominated region. The announcement which has come just a few months ahead of the coming Assembly elections in the state is fast acquiring political overtones with Hindu organisations protesting the move. These include the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the RSS, the Arya Samaj, 'Sanatan Dharma Sabha' and the 'Haryana Gaushala Sangh.' T
hese organisations are planning elaborate awareness campaigns and protest marches, blockades and dharnas.
The VHP north zone chief, Kailashji has warned that the government move would create communal tension in the region. "It is unfortunate that the government is creating the new district on religious grounds. It is a dangerous precedent and might disturb communal harmony in the state," he added. A "maha panchayat" of the Hindu organisations last week had unanimously resolved to oppose the creation of the new district.
The VHP had organised state wide protests two weeks back against the move and had also handed over a memorandum to the Governor. Seeking to tide over the protests from Hindu bodies, the Chief Minister has shrewdly decided to name the new district as "Satyamewapuram." Announcing his decision at Nuh, which will be the headquarter of the new district, Chautala said the creation of the district would help in the speedy development of the backward Mewat region. He said the people of the Mewat region would no longer have to travel to far-off Gurgaon, within which the Mewat region falls, for any work.
The Congress has reacted in a subdued manner to the creation of the new district. The former HPCC chief, Birender Singh has termed the creation of the new district as the victory of the Congress' efforts to create a separate Mewat district. He said the party had been in favour of the new district as it had set up a Mewat district congress unit way back in 2001.
