Navigating turmoil in Haryana

In the wake of recent communal riots in Haryana, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar faces a crucial test of his leadership and governance abilities

For chief ministers, it is the nightmare they hope never to have. On July 31, a procession led by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal, through the Muslim Meo-dominated Nuh (headquarters of Mewat district) in Haryana, engulfed the most developed areas of the state like Gurugram and Palwal; and the most backward — Mewat — in mayhem and violence that many in the government allege was pre-planned. An imam in a mosque, a VHP volunteer, and two home guards were among the six killed. Nearly 200 were injured. When violence threatened to spread to nearby areas including