A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) march, the participants of which allegedly brandished swords, guns and other weapons, in parts of Jammu on Thursday, drew flak in the Kashmir Valley on Friday.
“[Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad] Sayeed is allowing gun-wielding RSS people to march on the Jammu roads while disallowing devotees in the Valley from Muharram mourning,” said Nayeem Khan, a senior separatist leader associated with the Hurriyat faction led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
He accused the Chief Minister of “trying to please the RSS and other anti-Muslim forces”.
Members of the RSS, whose activities saw a spurt in the recent past in the Jammu and Ladakh region, allegedly brandished 12-bore guns during the procession in Jammu city.
Witnesses said RSS supporters were raising slogans such as Garr Hindustan Mein Rehna Hai To Vande Matram Kehna Hoga (If one has to stay in India, he has to say Vande Matram).”
The RSS in the past too used to take out processions and do “Shastra puja” (weapon worship) in Jammu, but this time the rally covered a large part of the region, even areas with a significant population of Muslims.
“Unlike the past, the rally sounded aggressive. Display of weapons is also something that is worrying us,” Arif Ahmad told The Hindu on phone from Jammu. The local administration feigned ignorance about the rally. Inspector-General of Police, Jammu Zone, Danish Rana and Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Simrandeep Singh said they were not aware of it.
“No such rally was taken out,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jammu, Uttam Chand told the local media.
Firebrand MLA Engineer Rashid lashed out at the Jammu administration “for allowing the RSS to carry out such provocative processions where arms were displayed and objectionable slogans raised.”
“[CM] Sayeed must merge his party with the RSS. Muslims are being barred from taking out Muharram processions but the Mufti and his Cabinet colleagues celebrate Dasara with the Sangh Parivar in the city,” Mr. Rashid alleged.