Police on tight vigil as RSS, minority group clash over use of park in east Delhi

New Delhi: Police on Sunday said they were maintaning a tight vigil in North East Delhi’s Sri Ram Colony following tension between two communities in the area over use of a park by RSS to hold its meetings. A clash between RSS volunteers and boys from a minority community took place on June 28 over the use of the park in colony, sparking tension in the area. [caption id=“attachment_2327980” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. AFP[/caption] While a section of locals claimed that RSS vounteers were trying to take over the park for their ‘Shakha’ (meeting of local members), the RSS alleged that they have been using the park for many years and that some persons were trying to create problem by stopping them access to the ground. A group of women approached the police on Sunday expressing apprehension over safety in the area and seeking their help for maintenance of law and order. “We met a group of women from the colony who wanted our assurance that peace prevails in the area and no disturbance is caused by anybody,” said a senior officer of East Delhi police. “Police is maintaining vigil in the area with regular patrolling and deployment of plainclothesme and so far no reports of any tension has been reported,” he said. A group of young boys from the minority community were playing badminton at the park when some RSS volunteers had gone there to hold the Shakha on 28 June. Later, an FIR was lodged by a volunteer at Khajuri Khas police station, reporting a clash when the boys refused to vacate the park for RSS to hold the programme. Jt Commissioner of Police, Eastern Range said that the incident was nothing but a dispute over sharing of a public space in the colony which was congested. The locals including minority community members, however, claimed that the park was used by everyone and even Namaz was offered there on Eid. Hindus also organised their programmes there. “But for some time, RSS volunteers were trying to take over the park for their uses. They hold ‘shakha’ there and a platform was constructed there for Ram Lila,” said a local. “When the colony was coming up, there were two large open spaces, one for a graveyard and one for Ramlila ground,” said a local RSS volunteer claiming that the park was a Ramlila Maidan. “There is lack of space in the colony. People come to the park for functions. Half of the park has already been encroached while the remaining portion is in use,” he added. RSS Spokesman Rajiv Tuli said that “the ground was being used for many years for holding Shakha and Ramlila”. “But some persons were trying to create problem by stopping us from it. Two of our volunteers were injured and hospitalised when they were returning after holding Shakha recently,” he claimed. PTI