Mosques, mazar covered on Haridwar kanwar route; removed after flak

Facades of two mosques and a mazar along the kanwar yatra route in Uttarakhand's Haridwar city were on Friday covered with large sheets of white cloth to "prevent trouble" but were removed by the evening after objections from various quarters.

The sheets were hung on bamboo scaffoldings in front of two mosques and a mazar, all in the Jwalapur area.

The mosque's maulana and the mazar's caretakers said they were not aware of any administrative order in this regard and claimed this was for the first time that such a step had been taken during the yatra.

Though the Haridwar senior superintendent of police and district magistrate were not available for comment, Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj told reporters that it was done to maintain peace. "Any such thing is done only to prevent trouble," he said.

"It is not such a big thing. We also cover buildings when they are under construction," he said.

The sheets of cloth were removed by the district administration by the evening following objections, including by locals and politicians.

"We received orders from the railway police post to remove the curtains. That is why we have come to remove these," said Danish Ali, appointed as a special police officer by the administration for the yatra's management.

Congress leader and former minister Naeem Qureshi said he has never seen such a thing in his life.

"We Muslims always welcome Shiv bhakts (devotees) for the kanwar fair and arrange refreshments for them at various places. This has been an example of harmony between Hindus and Muslims in Haridwar, and there has never been a tradition of curtains," he said.

Qureshi said before the kanwar mela started, the administration had held a meeting and members from both the Hindu and Muslim communities were made SPOs.

One of the mazar's caretaker Shakeel Ahmad said no one spoke with the caretakers about this -- covering the religious structure.

Kanwariyas stopped under the shade of trees outside mosques and mazars to take rest, Ahmed said and added that this was the first time such a step was taken.

Congress leader and former district panchayat president Rao Afaque Ali said the administration's decision to cover mosques and mazars is surprising.

"It has never happened earlier. Some kanwariyas also go to mosques to pay obeisance. India is a country where everyone takes care of every religion and caste. Today mosques are being covered, what will happen if temples are covered in this manner tomorrow?" he asked.