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MUMBAI: On February 12, the Aarey police detained activists at the Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha organised by the Sakal Hindu Samaj against ‘land jihad’, as was informed by the police to the Times of India. However, no FIR wasregistered against the detained activists in this case.
The protest morcha wasbeing held against the alleged construction of a Muslim burial ground (kabrastan) near Ram Mandir. Any such reason is often foregrounded to build up local resentment against the minorities. Reportedly, about 950 to 1,000 people gathered at Aarey Colony and sloganeered.
“The protestors wanted to carry out a march from Ram Mandir near Aarey Colony to Marol. But we did not allow them to proceed,” said a police officer. Sources said the protestors resisted and were pushed back by police personnel. They were contained at one location where they carried out the protest and were not allowed to head out on to the road as they did not have the requisite permissions.
The controversial assembly, through their representatives, handed out a letter of their demands to the deputy police commissioner and to a BMC officer present at the location. “Hindus used this forum to raise their voice. The morcha was reportedly conducted peacefully following the rules.”
According to the scheduled programme, all Hindus gathered at Aarey Colony, Ram Mandir. At the gathering, speakers such as Shriraj Nair, Mohan Salekar elaborated on how they “are committed to stop the construction of the cemetery at any cost and appealed to Hindus to remain united,” a statement from the Sakal Hindu Samaj said.
Last month, January 2023, the Sakal Hindu Samaj had held a rally against conversions (‘love jihad’). The organisation has held several rallies across the state calling for laws against religious conversions and alleged ‘love jihad’, including one that was scheduled at Baramati on February 9.
On February 7, 2023, Citizens for Justice and Peace had sent preemptive emails to the DGP of Maharashtra, Superintendent of Police, Rural Pune and the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Baramati, Rural Pune. We had also sent the same to Ms. SupriyaSule, Member of Parliament. Through this memorandum, CJP had aimed to brought to the notice of the above-mentioned that hate offenders Kalicharan Maharaj and Shankar Gaikar had been invited to speak at the event planned and, considering the speeches given by them in the past, there was a high chance that these two speakers will again spew fresh venom against minorities, will give calls for violence and hurt religious sentiments of minorities through their speeches. Accordingly, CJP had urge the Maharashtra Police, especially the Baramati Police, to take preventive measures to stop this event from taking place and take any other action deemed necessary in this regard.
On January 12, CJP wrote to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, and the Superintendent of Police, Rural Jodhpur and had raised concerns over Trishul Diksha events being held in Jodhpur, where a long time RSS pracharak and district chief of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Ishwar Lal had delivered a speech exhorting Hindus to take up arms. Flagging the fact that Ishwar Lal is a repeat offender of hate speech, whose videos had been reported by CJP and taken down by Youtube in the past, CJP had urged the above-mentioned authorities to take immediate and stringent action against Ishwar Lal for organizing such events.
In the same complaint, CJP had also preemptively informed the police regarding the forth coming Trishul Diksha event, supposed to be held on January 15 in Lohavat, and had urged them to take all the necessary action to prevent the happening of the same event at all costs.
Citizens for Justice and Peace (cjp org in) has, since November-December 2022, tracking such hate rallies and petitioning the police well in advance to effect deterrents. CJP, among other things, has been a crusader against hate speech and runs a campaign to fight against hate-based crimes, by not just reporting such incidents but also reaching out to authorities seeking appropriate action.
On January 20, CJP had complained to the SDPO, Boisar and Addl SP, Palghar and DGP of Maharashtra to register a complaint against the hate speech given by Senior Vishwa Hindu Prasad, Shankar Gaikar. In the said speech, given at a Shaurya Path Sanchalan Event held at Boisar district of Maharashtra, he made derogatory statements and spewed hate against the Muslims by attacking their culture and history.
On February 6, CJP had complained to the DGP, Maharashtra and SP, Ahmednagar to register a complaint against the hate filled and Islamophobic speech delivered by notorious hate offender Suresh Chavhanke. In the said speech, at an event held at Nagar district of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, Chavhanke made derogatory and inciteful statements, and spewed hate against the Muslims by making spreading misinformation.
On December 28, CJP had also filed a complaint against BJP MP and terror accused, Pragya Singh Thakur to the SP of Shivamogga and DGP of Karnataka for her outrageous and inciteful speech, through which she had egged people on to take up arms against the minority community.
On February 11, a Joint representation addressed by 29 organisations to the DGPMaharshtra and Commissioner of Police, Navi Mumbai had alerted the authorities to the sabha planned by Hindu Janjagruti Samiti in Pavel on February 12, 2023. The memorandum had demanded that the same not be allowed to take place in light of the hate speech at consequent rallies held by the Sakal Hindu Samaj of which this organisation is part.
It is appalling that inspite of several letters being sent by citizens groups and civil society organisations, including our previous letters dated 7thFebruary 2023, and the supreme court directions dated 3rd February 2023, no steps are being taken by the police to stop these public events organised by the same groups promoting hate speech and inciting violence against minorities. It is pertinent that the police takes immediate action in respect of this event and any such future events and also launches criminal prosecution against the perpetrators indulging in hate speech and incitement to violence in Maharashtra.
Related:
CJP complains to police against the hate speech of Sudarshan TV’s Editor-in-Chief, Suresh Chavhanke
CJP complains to Karnataka Police against Pragya Thakur’s hate speech
CJP complaint to DGP, Maharashtra and NCM against Misleading and Islamophobic speech by Kalicharan
Maharashtra: Shankar Gaikar gives anti-Muslim speech at Shaurya Path Sanchalan event
CJP’s criminal complaint against Shankar Gaikar’s hate speech at ShauryaSanchalan
CJP seeks preventive action against Sakal Hindu Samaj proposed event in Baramati