Gujarat government to enforce Disturbed Areas Act in Anand town

GANDHINAGAR/ ANAND: Gujarat government has decided to enforce the Disturbed Areas Act in several parts of Anand town to prevent distress sale of properties in the communally sensitive areas.
So far, not a single locality of Anand, which got a separate status after it was carved out from greater Kheda district in 1997, was covered under the Disturbed Areas Act.
The state government on Friday made the announcement to this effect to “maintain law-and-order” and claimed it to be in “larger public interest”. Chief minister Vijay Rupani approved implementation of the Act in Anand after considering a detailed representation received from Anand district collector.
As per the provisions of the Act, transfer of any immovable property cannot be done without prior approval from the collector.
The decision had received representations from right wing organisations and local leaders from BJP.
“This was necessitated to ensure communal peace and harmony in the specified areas where people belonging to different religions frequently visit several religious places located in these disturbed areas. These areas have witnessed communal tension in the past,” a statement issued by the state government stated.
The locations covered under the Act include Nani Khodiyar, Gangdev Nagar, Moti Khodiyar, Podar International School, Radha Swami Satsang, IRIS Hospital, Lambhvel Road, front portion of railway station, Gujarati chowk, post office, Anand Nagarpalika premises, Gamdivad, Kishore Plaza, Amul Dairy Road, Charotar Bank, Lakshmi Cinema, Mayfair Road, Nariman Complex near Juna Road and Jain Upashray.
The other areas include New bus stand area, C P College, 100-foot-road, Royal Plaza, Indira Statue, Grid circle, People Medicare Society, Baithak Mandir, Jain Society, Mahavir Park, front portion of Mahavir Society, Anand-Vidyanagar Road, town Hall, Panchal Hall, Gopi Cinema, Avkuda Road, Big Bazaar, 80-foot road, H M Patel statue, Motikaka chawl, Zydus Hospital and backyard of Himalaya township among others.
Since June this year, Hindu Jagruti Abhiyan Samiti had been running a campaign demanding enforcement of the Act in city limits. The issue got prominence when a property deal between a Hindu builder and a Muslim businessman on 100-foot road got mired in a controversy.
“After the massive rally on June 19, we had sent 800 online applications from social and religious organisations demanding implementation of the Act. Also, 29 BJP councillors of Anand Nagarpalika, Anand BJP MP Mitesh Patel, NCP’s former MLA Jayant Patel (Boskey) and other prominent leaders had supported our demand,” said Dr Shailesh Shah, treasurer of the samiti in which BJP councillor Himesh Mukhi is president.
“We had met CM and home minister Pradipsinh Jadeja who had assured us of all support,” said Shah claiming that over the years, all “entry and exit points” of Anand city have turned into minority-dominated pockets.