In different parts of Gujarat, the demographics are now changing due to the population imbalance. This simply means that in an area where people of one religious group used to live earlier, now the population of that religious group increases and decreases due to the uncontrolled property transaction, and the religious balance of the area is disturbed and friction increases. Therefore, a massive rally was held in Bhavnagar on Thursday 5th January 2023, under the leadership of Hindu organizations demanding the implementation of the Disturbed Areas Act.
It is worth mentioning that there has been a demand for the Act in Bhavnagar for the last 10 years, but it has not been accepted yet. There have also been several cases of religious clashes during this period. Accordingly, once again, the Hindu community has raised the demand for the imposition of the Disturbed Areas Act in Bhavnagar.
5,000 Hindus took to the streets
According to reports, more than 5,000 Hindus, including women and children chanting Jai Shri Ram, were seen at the rally from Jashunath Circle in Bhavnagar city to the collector’s office. However, due to a verbal clash with the Additional Collector, while sending the memorandum, the youth of the Hindu organization blocked the road of the Collector’s office for 30 minutes continuously and sang Ramdhun. The deputy collector finally accepted the memorandum and application letter for imposing the Disturbed Areas Act and went down from the office and calmed down the matter.
It is notable that requests have been made for decades to implement the Disturbed Areas Act in Bhavnagar, but with no relief of any kind, various Hindu organizations finally took to the streets.
The demand was conveyed to the Chief Minister and the Home Minister
According to locals, Hindus from many parts of Bhavnagar city are forced to sell their homes to non-Hindus and move to other places. As a result, the communal harmony of the city is decreasing. In such a situation, various Hindu organizations have written a letter to the Chief Minister, Minister of State for Home and Education Minister, demanding the implementation of the Disturbed Areas Act in Bhavnagar.
In the cities of the state including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot, the Disturbed Areas Act has been implemented in various areas and there has been a demand in Bhavnagar for a long time in this regard. People have demanded the government take a decision in this regard as early as possible.
For which particular areas did this demand arise?
The people in the rally demanded that if the Disturbed Areas Act is being implemented in various districts of Gujarat, then why not in Bhavnagar? The rally was joined by deputy mayors as well as BJP corporators. Property deals are currently taking place in areas including Crescent, Geeta Chowk, Meghani Circle, Ghogha Circle, and Ghogha Road in Bhavnagar city and in areas including major markets including Karchaliya Para. Concerns have been expressed by Hindu organizations about this.
In the cities of the state including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot, the Disturbed Areas Act has been implemented. Bhavnagar has also been demanding this for a very long time. It has been demanded to take a decision in this regard at the earliest. Apart from the organizations including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rupani Hindu Ekta Manch, eight different mandals including Setubandh Manekwadi Mitra Mandal, Tilaknagar, Bordi Gate, Bhaga Talav made a joint representation in this regard.
What is the Disturbed Areas Act?
The Disturbed Areas Act is a law that monitors the sale and purchase of properties in the area and prevents it if need be. This law is mostly applied in areas where one community is making changes in demography and thereby putting other communities at risk.
Certain restrictions are imposed on the sale and purchase of properties in areas where sections of this law have been imposed. The owner of the property has to inform the collector before selling it. At the same time, full information including the proper reason for selling the property and who is buying the property has to be given. After this, the local collector cross-checks this information. The collector approves the deal only if he finds this information appropriate and does not alter the demography of the area.
