JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje laid the foundation stone for a Haj House at Ramsinghpura village, near here, on Wednesday amid violent protests by hundreds of local residents and Sangh Parivar activists. The police fired 11 rounds of rubber bullets in the air to disperse the crowd trying to disrupt the ceremony.

People in nearby Sanganer town, led by local leaders of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, blocked the Jaipur-Kota highway and hurled stones on vehicles before the function started. The heavy police force deployed on the spot had a tough time controlling the situation as they themselves became the target of public fury.

The police initially resorted to lathi charge and lobbed teargas shells as the roads were blocked for four hours, a large number of vehicles were damaged and the crowd turned violent. With the situation going out of control, the police resorted to firing of rubber bullets in the air to drive away the mob.

Nearly 70 persons were detained in Sanganer town in connection with the violence till late in the evening. Despite the foundation stone having been laid, the Sanganer Bachao Sangharsh Samiti vowed not to allow construction of the Haj House at the 12,300 sq. metre land allotted by the State Government to the Muslim community.

As the incidents of conflict between police and protesters were mostly scattered -- taking place on the highway, in the Sanganer town and at some distance from the venue of the high-security function at Ramsinghpura -- the number of those injured could not be confirmed. Ms. Raje took a different route to arrive at the venue. The Sangh constituents have demanded cancellation of the allotment of land, saying the location of the Haj House would disturb communal harmony in Sanganer where Muslims comprise only 4 per cent of the population. Besides, they claim that the land allotment was done in violation of rules as the plot formed part of a vast pasture land.

State Education Minister Ghanshyam Tiwari, who represents Sanganer in the State Assembly, has extended his support to the demand for cancellation of allotment. Even though he was specially invited by the State Haj Committee, Mr. Tiwari stayed away from the foundation-stone laying ceremony.

Ms. Raje laid the foundation stone in the presence of thousands of people belonging to the Muslim community from different parts of the State. Among others, Rajya Sabha MP Najma Heptullah and Chairman of the Central Haj Committee, Tanvir Ahmed, attended the ceremony.

Ms. Raje, addressing the gathering, refrained from making any remark on the violent opposition to the Haj House and affirmed that her Government had made the best possible efforts to bring all communities together for the progress of the State.

Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, considered close to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, was one of the significant Bharatiya Janata Party leaders to attend the function. Other Cabinet members who were present included Rajendra Rathore, Laxminarain Dave, Mohammed Yunus Khan and Gajendra Singh.

The ruling BJP has landed itself in a perplexing situation on the Haj House issue in the wake of the agitation by its sister organisations in the Sangh Parivar. It has seemingly decided to go ahead with the construction of Haj House to placate its Muslim members who have been trying hard to win over the Muslim community for expanding the party's support base.

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