Uttarakhand news: A communal row surfaced in Uttarakhand's Rudrapryag district where signboards banning entry of "non-Hindus, Rohingya Muslims and hawkers" were put up in several villages. The signboards installed at the entry points of the Uttarakhand villages prohibited these communities from carrying out business activities in the areas and warned of "punitive action" against those who refused to heed to the warning. The boards were taken down after the Muslim community registered their protest with the Rudraprayag Police.

The signboards read: "Warning: Non-Hindus/ Rohingya Muslims and hawkers are prohibited from roaming in the village and doing business. If caught anywhere in the village, punitive and legal action will be taken."

According to a local, cited by news agency PTI, the signboards were put up after the villages reported growing instances of theft at temples and homes. The villages where the boards came up included Sirsi, Maikhanda, Rampur-Nyalsu, Triyuginarayan, Badasu, Ariya, Ravigram, Jamu, Gaurikund and Sonprayag.

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Talking about the reasons behind signboards banning and imposing penalties on outsiders, Uttarakhand DGP Abhinav Kumar on Monday said, "We were getting reports that some hilly villages in the state are witnessing demographic change and suspicious people are trying to settle there. There have been incidents where outsiders have taken away the daughters of locals. The locals are worried and angry on this issue."

Muslim Community Flags 'Anti-Minority' Activities In Uttarakhand Villages

While the boards have been in place for over 20-25 days, concerns over the communal messaging were raised only last week when members of two Muslim groups met Uttarakhand DGP Abhinav Kumar. On September 5, Muslim Seva Sangathan and AIMIM highlighted the growing "anti-minority" activities and discrimination in the region.

The DGP on Monday apprised the media of the action taken by the police and said, "We got information that that some boards were put up and local administration was alerted about not using such messages. We urge locals to exercise restraint and follow the law." He said that the Rudraprayag Superintendent of Police has been directed to probe the matter in the villages of Kedar Valley of the district.

The police, which swung into action against the "religiously-biased" signboards, ordered their removal. "As soon as the police were made aware, we took necessary action and had these signboards removed. If such incidents occur again, we will act. No religiously-biased signboards will be permitted,” PTI quoted Rudraprayag Deputy Superintendent of Police Prabodh Ghildiyal as saying. The senior police official also issued a warning that no one will be allowed to disrupt harmony.

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New Signboards Seek Ban On 'Outsiders And Hawkers' 

Following police action, the signboards were changed from "non-Hindu and Rohingya Muslim" to "outsider and hawkers". Local pro-Hindutva organisations, mainly Bhairav Sena, was reportedly behind the signboards. District president of the right-wing group, Ashok Semwal, expressed regret over the choice of words and said will re-install the boards with the changed wordings, according to a report by the Indian Express. "We will also put pressure on the administration to make sure shopkeepers and vendors put their names outside their shops,” he was quoted as saying.

Communal tensions flared in Nandnagar area of Chamoli district earlier this month after a minor girl alleged that a man from another community made lewd gestures at her. The accused, a barber, was identified as Muslim, leading to protests attempts to target shops of the other community.