Roza Iftar on the bank of river Ganga sparks a row

Hardwar, Oct 15: Roza Iftar by some Muslim leaders at the VIP ghat on the bank of holy Ganga last evening is snowballing into a major controversy here. The leaders had come here to take part in the two-day National Executive Committee meeting.

The Shiv Sainiks and the Bajrang Dal activists staged a demonstration in the city, protesting the Roza Iftar on the bank of holy river. They clashed with the Samajwadi Party workers near the Shiv Murti Chowk.

According to sources, more than a dozen activists were injured from both sides. The police had to intervene to disperse the warring factions. The city SP, Jagat Ram Joshi told the UNI that twelve Shiv Sainiks had been rounded up.

While addressing a public rally in the city this afternoon, UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav justified Roza Iftar on the bank of Ganga. ''The holy river, like Taj Mahal, belongs to the people of all castes and communities'', he said.

He asked his Uttaranchal counter part, ND Tiwari to sack the District Magistrate R K Sudhanshu who had criticized Roza Iftar on the bank of Ganga.

On the contrary, the Sant community, the Congress and the BJP have termed Roza Iftar on the bank of Ganga as an affront to the Hindu sentiments and its justification by Mr Yadav as an example of blatant appeasement of the minorities.

UNI