Indore HC sends notice to MP Govt on Digvijay Singh's plea on violence during fundraising for Ram temple

The Indore High Court on Monday issued notice to the Madhya Pradesh government on its alleged negligence to stop the violence in Indore, Ujjain and Mandsaur during the donation campaign for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and sought its reply in six weeks.

A bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafique and Justice Sujoy Paul was hearing a petition filed by Rajya Sabha MP and former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh seeking directions to the Madhya Pradesh government to implement the Supreme Court's ruling in the case of mob violence, communal violence and mob lynching.

The bench issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police (DGP), collectors and Superintendents of Police of three districts and sought reply in six weeks. "In the communal violence in Indore, Ujjain and Mandsaur during the collection of donations for the Ram temple, houses of the Muslim community were vandalised, they were beaten up, the case was not registered the way it should have been," Digvijay Singh's lawyer Ravinder Singh Chhabra told ANI.

He further stated that the state government has been asked to provide compensation to the families who have been harmed. The matter should be investigated and action should be taken against the concerned collectors, police officers, he added.

"The petition was filed in April, the authorities were already informed about the violence in Mandsaur through social media but despite this, no action was taken," said Chhabra.

Speaking further, he said, "The petition referred to the plea filed by Tehseen Poonawalla in the Supreme Court, under which the guidelines issued by the apex court were not followed."

State Additional Advocate General Pushyamitra Bhargava has been given six weeks time to file a reply to the petition.

Chhabra said, "The petitioner supports the pious task of construction of Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, however, the collection of funds/donations should be voluntary and members of the minority community should be allowed to do so. People should not be forced or threatened to give charity for a holy purpose."

The petition states that from December 2020, some organisations started fundraising campaign across Madhya Pradesh for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Under this guise, these organisations indulged in communal violence and disturbed the communal harmony in the state, it said.

(ANI)

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