NEW DEHLI: The residents of Titoli village in Haryana’s Rohtak district have adopted an oral resolution at a meeting asking the Muslim population to keep Hindu names and to not offer namaz in the open or display visible identity markers such as skull caps and long beards, among others. Half-a-dozen police personnel from the Titoli police post were present at the time of the meeting on Tuesday.
A mob had attacked the house of a Muslim family in the village on August 22 accusing them of killing a calf. Two persons were arrested in this connection under the Indian Penal Code and The Punjab Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Rohtak, Rakesh Kumar told The Hindu over the phone that the matter came to his knowledge on Wednesday evening and a probe would be conducted into it. “It is unconstitutional. I will speak to the village sarpanch in this connection,” said Mr Kumar.
Rohtak Tehsil Nambardars’ Association president Suresh Nambardar, who was present at the meeting, said it was held on Tuesday evening and the members of all castes and religious communities from the village were present. He said apart from the strictures, it was also decided that the Waqf Board land measuring over an acre in the middle of the village would be taken over by the panchayat and a plot given to the Muslims outside the village for burial.
Mr Suresh said Hindus and Muslims had been living in harmony in the village for several decades, but some new settlers from Uttar Pradesh have disturbed the peace of the village.
It was also decided in the meeting that Yameen, who faces cow slaughter charges and whose house was attacked in August, would not be allowed to enter the village.
Rajbir, a local Muslim leader, said the community accepted the decisions to maintain harmony. “Anyway, we have been keeping Hindu names since the Partition and do not wear skullcaps or keep beards. Since there is no mosque in the village, we travel around 8-10 km to Rohtak city to offer namaz on Fridays and other occasions,” said Mr Rajbir.
He said he also donated ₹11,000 to the village gaushala on behalf of his community at the meeting.
