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Cow vigilantism continues with impunity in northern states of India

Every month incidents of cow vigilantism are reported from the northern parts of the country, guilty rarely punished

27 Mar 2023

Cow Vigilantes

Despite the twin murders in Rajasthan that shook the consciousness of the nation apart from striking terror in the Muslim community, cow vigilantism in barbaric forms continues with law enforcement agencies complicit in their failure to protect lives and property. Such incidents are on the rise in northern India.

There have been demands to enact a law making lynching an offence under the penal code, however there appears to be no legislative will around this demand. Instead, cow vigilante groups in states like Haryana get sanction from the government and the law enforcement alike, further encouraging them to harass, threaten, assault the marginalised and the minorities under the pretext of protecting cows.

As the month of March draws to an end,  we bring to you a low down on such  unrelenting incidents of cow vigilantims, who thrive mainly in the northern parts of the country. 

Here are the incidents of cow vigilantism, our team has gathered through meticulous monitoring, each day:

A video surfaced today, March 27, from Krishnapura area of Panipat, Haryana where Gau Raksha Dal members along with BJP councilor Ashok Chhabra went around putting the shutter down on meat shops during Navratri. The person recording the video also said that they were about to submit a memo to the Police to get meat shops closed during the nine days when Hindus are celebrating Navratri. They went around the area forcing all meat shops to shut shop. In some videos it was seen that they were even accompanied by minors. It is pertinent to note that these vigilantes proudly shoot such videos of threatening people to submit to their commands and brazenly put them up and share them on social media. They were telling these shopkeepers to pull the shutter during Navratri and on Tuesdays as well.

 

 

Such acts are a common occurrence  in Haryana where cow vigilantism related violence is quite rampant and where these gau rakshaks have been seemingly given a free hand. On March 5, too, a video of a truck driver allegedly smuggling cows surfaced and a picture of his bare body was seen along with it: it is clearly visible he was beaten black and blue, with various injury marks, on allegations of cow smuggling.

On March 7, 20 days back, a video surfaced with a ghastly image, of a man with a bloodied face, completely distraught. These ‘Gau Rakshaks’ raise slogans of ‘Jai Gomata ki’, ‘Jai Shree Ram’ as they threaten and assault truck drivers, van drivers, who are allegedly smuggling cows. It is never found eventually and neither do these gau rakshak goons care to find out for what reason these cows are being transported. They are usually seen in these videos chasing down trucks and vans carrying cows and releasing them and claiming that the cows were being smuggled. In this video the gau rakshaks even came together and raised slogan “Gai kaatne walo ke Haath kaat do saalo ke (Cut those hands which cut the cows)”

 

 

On March 7, at a toll plaza in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, a truck was stopped by some goons, while they recorded the video. The gang was seen beating up the truck driver mercilessly with sticks as he was trying to escape.

 

This virus of cow vigilantism appears to have spread to the capital as well as a video surfaced from Bhajanpura, New Delhi. On March 13, some cow vigilantes recorded a video of questioning a couple of young boys and slapping one of them. The fear is clearly visible on their faces and how intimidated they are by their interrogators. The boys were claiming that they were taking the cows to a dairy and they were then slapped and verbally abused while the other boy was weeping and pleading to them that they are both innocent.

 

 

midst incidents of cow vigilantism are also people that lend complete support to such violent acts. This Far right priest Swami Anand Swaroop is heard saying that if someone kills a cow and he gets lynched then its completely justified and says that Muslim community itself should prohibit and punish such acts.

 

 

Besides, organised mahapanchayats In support of cow vigilantes, are also organised with systematic design  by these Gau Raksha Dals and related organisations, spreading the message and justifying lynching in the name of cow protection and spreading hatred against the Muslim community among the youth.

Many such Mahapanchayats were also held across villages in Haryana in support of well known cow vigilante Monu Manesar when he was a suspect in the case where two Muslim boys (Junaid and Nasir) from Rajasthan were killed as their charred bodies were found in a burnt vehicle in Haryana.

 

 

In early March we gave a detailed account of such incidents that had taken place in February demonstrating the terror of cow vigilantes and the brazenness of those who support them as well.

Despite the frequency of such attacks, no action from the law enforcement or the state governments has been forthcoming to put a stop to such crimes that are carried out amidst much noise and many a times, with the knowledge of the police, or even with the help of the police.

Related:

Under the guise of cow protection: reports of assault, illegal restraint against Muslims

Worsening Spiral of Communal Hate: State’s role in rising violence against minorities

The threat and lawlessness of “Gau-Rakshaks” in North India

Muslim truck driver allegedly attacked by cow vigilantes in Palwal, Haryana

Cow vigilantism continues with impunity in northern states of India

Every month incidents of cow vigilantism are reported from the northern parts of the country, guilty rarely punished

27 Mar 2023

Cow Vigilantes

Despite the twin murders in Rajasthan that shook the consciousness of the nation apart from striking terror in the Muslim community, cow vigilantism in barbaric forms continues with law enforcement agencies complicit in their failure to protect lives and property. Such incidents are on the rise in northern India.

There have been demands to enact a law making lynching an offence under the penal code, however there appears to be no legislative will around this demand. Instead, cow vigilante groups in states like Haryana get sanction from the government and the law enforcement alike, further encouraging them to harass, threaten, assault the marginalised and the minorities under the pretext of protecting cows.

As the month of March draws to an end,  we bring to you a low down on such  unrelenting incidents of cow vigilantims, who thrive mainly in the northern parts of the country. 

Here are the incidents of cow vigilantism, our team has gathered through meticulous monitoring, each day:

A video surfaced today, March 27, from Krishnapura area of Panipat, Haryana where Gau Raksha Dal members along with BJP councilor Ashok Chhabra went around putting the shutter down on meat shops during Navratri. The person recording the video also said that they were about to submit a memo to the Police to get meat shops closed during the nine days when Hindus are celebrating Navratri. They went around the area forcing all meat shops to shut shop. In some videos it was seen that they were even accompanied by minors. It is pertinent to note that these vigilantes proudly shoot such videos of threatening people to submit to their commands and brazenly put them up and share them on social media. They were telling these shopkeepers to pull the shutter during Navratri and on Tuesdays as well.

 

 

Such acts are a common occurrence  in Haryana where cow vigilantism related violence is quite rampant and where these gau rakshaks have been seemingly given a free hand. On March 5, too, a video of a truck driver allegedly smuggling cows surfaced and a picture of his bare body was seen along with it: it is clearly visible he was beaten black and blue, with various injury marks, on allegations of cow smuggling.

On March 7, 20 days back, a video surfaced with a ghastly image, of a man with a bloodied face, completely distraught. These ‘Gau Rakshaks’ raise slogans of ‘Jai Gomata ki’, ‘Jai Shree Ram’ as they threaten and assault truck drivers, van drivers, who are allegedly smuggling cows. It is never found eventually and neither do these gau rakshak goons care to find out for what reason these cows are being transported. They are usually seen in these videos chasing down trucks and vans carrying cows and releasing them and claiming that the cows were being smuggled. In this video the gau rakshaks even came together and raised slogan “Gai kaatne walo ke Haath kaat do saalo ke (Cut those hands which cut the cows)”

 

 

On March 7, at a toll plaza in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, a truck was stopped by some goons, while they recorded the video. The gang was seen beating up the truck driver mercilessly with sticks as he was trying to escape.

 

This virus of cow vigilantism appears to have spread to the capital as well as a video surfaced from Bhajanpura, New Delhi. On March 13, some cow vigilantes recorded a video of questioning a couple of young boys and slapping one of them. The fear is clearly visible on their faces and how intimidated they are by their interrogators. The boys were claiming that they were taking the cows to a dairy and they were then slapped and verbally abused while the other boy was weeping and pleading to them that they are both innocent.

 

 

midst incidents of cow vigilantism are also people that lend complete support to such violent acts. This Far right priest Swami Anand Swaroop is heard saying that if someone kills a cow and he gets lynched then its completely justified and says that Muslim community itself should prohibit and punish such acts.

 

 

Besides, organised mahapanchayats In support of cow vigilantes, are also organised with systematic design  by these Gau Raksha Dals and related organisations, spreading the message and justifying lynching in the name of cow protection and spreading hatred against the Muslim community among the youth.

Many such Mahapanchayats were also held across villages in Haryana in support of well known cow vigilante Monu Manesar when he was a suspect in the case where two Muslim boys (Junaid and Nasir) from Rajasthan were killed as their charred bodies were found in a burnt vehicle in Haryana.

 

 

In early March we gave a detailed account of such incidents that had taken place in February demonstrating the terror of cow vigilantes and the brazenness of those who support them as well.

Despite the frequency of such attacks, no action from the law enforcement or the state governments has been forthcoming to put a stop to such crimes that are carried out amidst much noise and many a times, with the knowledge of the police, or even with the help of the police.

Related:

Under the guise of cow protection: reports of assault, illegal restraint against Muslims

Worsening Spiral of Communal Hate: State’s role in rising violence against minorities

The threat and lawlessness of “Gau-Rakshaks” in North India

Muslim truck driver allegedly attacked by cow vigilantes in Palwal, Haryana

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MP, UP: incidents of hate, intolerance and violence against Muslims reported from both states

Targeting of religious minorities continue, in one shocking incident the police reportedly beat up Muslim locals who had called them for help

27 Mar 2023

Indian MuslimsRepresentation Image / AFP


An old video of seven Muslims offering Namaaz in the open ground of Sanskriti University is being circulated on social media by the extremist Hindutva organisation All India Hindu Mahasabha, in an attempt to stir up controversy by falsely claiming that its Kashmiri students offer Namaaz in the open on the campus every day. The Hindu Mahasabha used a month-old video of seven Muslims offering Namaaz as part of a demonstration at the district collector’s office on Saturday and handed a memorandum to officials alleging the university was facilitating "Namaaz on the campus."

It is worth noting that the Yogi Adityanath government banned all religious activities in public places in Uttar Pradesh in 2021. As was provided by the Telegraph, the Mahasabha treasurer Dinesh Sharma, who was also a part of the demonstration, claimed that there are 82 Kashmiri students at Sanskriti University and they offer Namaaz in the open on the campus every day. They then issued a warning that “We want the district administration to stop this immediately or we will proceed to recite the Hanuman Chalisa there as well as at the Idgah mosque in the city,” as reported by the Telegraph. Referring to the open offering of Namaaz as an alarming and criminal incident, the Hindu Mahasabha members also said that the Sabha will purify the grounds with gangajal.

The video can be viewed here: 

As reported by the Telegraph, a senior administrative officer of the University provided that the Mahasabha are showing an old video in which seven students in the university uniform (white shirt and grey trousers) are seen offering Namaaz on an open ground on the campus. He added that “We are a reputable private university imparting education in engineering, medicine and the humanities in an excellent atmosphere. Some people are trying to derail our purely academic venture.”

Vivek Srivastava, another administrative officer of the Sanskriti University, said some students had indeed offered Namaaz in the open on the campus a month ago, as per the Telegraph. Pursuant to the incident, the administration had spoken to them and the issue was resolved amicably. The college administration had also informed the district administration about this through the local intelligence unit of the police at the time.

Vivek further said that “Some people are showing an old video and alleging that Namaaz is being offered here in the open every day. This is baseless and wrong.”

A separate incident of violence against Muslims was reported from the state of Madhya Pradesh, where an altercation between two groups of youth resulted in local Muslims being attacked and having stones thrown at them while praying in a mosque. A video of the incident, which occurred in Temikhurd, Khandwa, is making rounds on social media. In the video, a man is seen lying on a hospital bed with multiple injuries all over his body. The incident was described by a few people. According to them, some abusive messages were exchanged between the young members, as a result of which a crowd pelted stones at the Muslims while they were inside the mosque offering prayers. Some members were injured and taken to the hospital.

What's more shocking and concerning is that local Muslims claim that when police arrived, they lathi-charged them. According to the locals in the video, the Muslims called the police to protect them, but the police began lathi charging them without even listening to their complaint. Locals claimed that they broke down their doors, dragged young Muslims from their homes, and beat them up. Thus, in addition to the mob pelting stones at the Muslims offering Namaaz inside the mosque, the police also abused them violently.

The video can be viewed here: 

Another incident of physical abuse was reported from Uttar Pradesh was reported. In the said incident, Dalit youth were mistaken to be Muslims and beaten up by extremists over allegations of cow slaughter in Bargaon Village of Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh. A video recording of the beating, shot by the goons themselves, was uploaded on social media, where a man can be seen beating another youth and saying “yogi ke raj mei yahi hoga musalmaano ka (this is exactly what will happen to Muslims while Yogi government is there)”

The same man then beats up three more young boys. The person recording the video can be heard instigating the abuser and saying that these Muslims should be beaten up more as they steal and slaughter cows.

The video can be viewed here:  

 

Related:

Bilkis Bano gang rape convict shares stage with BJP MP, MLA: Gujarat

Family of Momeen, arrested for posting whatsapp status for Aurangzeb, forced to leave village

Rising Intolerance in Maharashtra: 2 Muslim boys arrested for putting a status on Aurangzeb

Take action against hate speech in Mira-Bhayandar: Residents, Opposition parties to Commissioner of Police

Maharashtra: Vitriolic speaker from Gujarat calls for economic boycott of Muslims in Mira-Bhayandar

MP, UP: incidents of hate, intolerance and violence against Muslims reported from both states

Targeting of religious minorities continue, in one shocking incident the police reportedly beat up Muslim locals who had called them for help

27 Mar 2023

Indian MuslimsRepresentation Image / AFP


An old video of seven Muslims offering Namaaz in the open ground of Sanskriti University is being circulated on social media by the extremist Hindutva organisation All India Hindu Mahasabha, in an attempt to stir up controversy by falsely claiming that its Kashmiri students offer Namaaz in the open on the campus every day. The Hindu Mahasabha used a month-old video of seven Muslims offering Namaaz as part of a demonstration at the district collector’s office on Saturday and handed a memorandum to officials alleging the university was facilitating "Namaaz on the campus."

It is worth noting that the Yogi Adityanath government banned all religious activities in public places in Uttar Pradesh in 2021. As was provided by the Telegraph, the Mahasabha treasurer Dinesh Sharma, who was also a part of the demonstration, claimed that there are 82 Kashmiri students at Sanskriti University and they offer Namaaz in the open on the campus every day. They then issued a warning that “We want the district administration to stop this immediately or we will proceed to recite the Hanuman Chalisa there as well as at the Idgah mosque in the city,” as reported by the Telegraph. Referring to the open offering of Namaaz as an alarming and criminal incident, the Hindu Mahasabha members also said that the Sabha will purify the grounds with gangajal.

The video can be viewed here: 

As reported by the Telegraph, a senior administrative officer of the University provided that the Mahasabha are showing an old video in which seven students in the university uniform (white shirt and grey trousers) are seen offering Namaaz on an open ground on the campus. He added that “We are a reputable private university imparting education in engineering, medicine and the humanities in an excellent atmosphere. Some people are trying to derail our purely academic venture.”

Vivek Srivastava, another administrative officer of the Sanskriti University, said some students had indeed offered Namaaz in the open on the campus a month ago, as per the Telegraph. Pursuant to the incident, the administration had spoken to them and the issue was resolved amicably. The college administration had also informed the district administration about this through the local intelligence unit of the police at the time.

Vivek further said that “Some people are showing an old video and alleging that Namaaz is being offered here in the open every day. This is baseless and wrong.”

A separate incident of violence against Muslims was reported from the state of Madhya Pradesh, where an altercation between two groups of youth resulted in local Muslims being attacked and having stones thrown at them while praying in a mosque. A video of the incident, which occurred in Temikhurd, Khandwa, is making rounds on social media. In the video, a man is seen lying on a hospital bed with multiple injuries all over his body. The incident was described by a few people. According to them, some abusive messages were exchanged between the young members, as a result of which a crowd pelted stones at the Muslims while they were inside the mosque offering prayers. Some members were injured and taken to the hospital.

What's more shocking and concerning is that local Muslims claim that when police arrived, they lathi-charged them. According to the locals in the video, the Muslims called the police to protect them, but the police began lathi charging them without even listening to their complaint. Locals claimed that they broke down their doors, dragged young Muslims from their homes, and beat them up. Thus, in addition to the mob pelting stones at the Muslims offering Namaaz inside the mosque, the police also abused them violently.

The video can be viewed here: 

Another incident of physical abuse was reported from Uttar Pradesh was reported. In the said incident, Dalit youth were mistaken to be Muslims and beaten up by extremists over allegations of cow slaughter in Bargaon Village of Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh. A video recording of the beating, shot by the goons themselves, was uploaded on social media, where a man can be seen beating another youth and saying “yogi ke raj mei yahi hoga musalmaano ka (this is exactly what will happen to Muslims while Yogi government is there)”

The same man then beats up three more young boys. The person recording the video can be heard instigating the abuser and saying that these Muslims should be beaten up more as they steal and slaughter cows.

The video can be viewed here:  

 

Related:

Bilkis Bano gang rape convict shares stage with BJP MP, MLA: Gujarat

Family of Momeen, arrested for posting whatsapp status for Aurangzeb, forced to leave village

Rising Intolerance in Maharashtra: 2 Muslim boys arrested for putting a status on Aurangzeb

Take action against hate speech in Mira-Bhayandar: Residents, Opposition parties to Commissioner of Police

Maharashtra: Vitriolic speaker from Gujarat calls for economic boycott of Muslims in Mira-Bhayandar

Related Articles

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In Focus

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Campaigns

Theme

Campaigns

DECODING HATE

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Bilkis Bano gang rape convict shares stage with BJP MP, MLA: Gujarat

On the day before the Supreme Court of India is set to hear a batch of petitions challenging the premature release of all 11 convicts by the Gujarat government on March 27, an elected representative of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shares a stage with gang rape convict

27 Mar 2023

Bilkis Bano Convicts

The controversy erupts again on March 25/26, 2023 though it is not the first time. A controversy has erupted over two leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) including a Member of Parliament and a local legislature sharing stage with one of the 11 convicts of Bilkis Bano gang rape case in a government function held in Dahod district. Jaswantsinh Bhabhor, the BJP MP from Gujarat’s Dahod, and his brother Shaileshbhai Bhabhor, the BJP MLA from Limkheda, on Saturday (March 25) shared a stage with Shailesh Bhatt – one of the 11 men convicted for raping Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots and released on parole by the Gujarat government. Both the elected officials, Jaswantsinh and Shaileshbhai tweeted pictures of the launch of a Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB) project in Karmadi village in Singvad taluka of Dahod district, and Bilkis’s husband Yakub Rasool confirmed to The Quint that one of the men on stage was Bhatt, who is among the 11 convicts released prematurely by the state government. Bhatt is seen sitting in the front row during the ground breaking ceremony of Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board project at Karmadi village in Singvad taluka of Dahod district on Saturday. On the day after their release in 2022, August 16, eleven convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case, released from jail under the Gujarat government's remission policy, were greeted with garlands at the Vishwa Hindu Parishad office.

Available photographs and the videos of the event show Bhatt sitting between local BJP MP Jasvantsinh Bhabhor and his brother Shailesh Bhabhor, who is a BJP MLA of Limkheda. Despite repeated attempts both the BJP leaders couldn't be contacted for comments. These were reported by Deccan Herald, Indian Express and Times of India.

At the event hosted by the BJP-ruled state government, the BJP leaders performed rituals of the Rs. 101.88 crore project aimed at supplying potable water to 64 villages of Limkheda, Singvad and Jhalod talukas of the Dahod district. 

The fact that the state and central governments had wilfully effected the release of all convicts on remission after a judgement of the Supreme Court in May 2022 is well known. The release was finally ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, union of India, despite objections from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the presiding judge, Justice Salvi who had convicted them!

The fresh controversy of stamp of approval for the released convict comes a day before the Supreme Court is set to hear a batch of petitions challenging the premature release of all 11 convicts by the Gujarat government.  It was on India’s 75th Independence Day, that the macabre release on August 15, 2022 took place. This was based on recommendation of Jail Advisory Committee, whose members consisted of two BJP MLAs along with district collector, Panchmahal, among others, 11 people convicted to life imprisonment for gang rape of Bilkis and killing of 14 persons including her children and close relatives, were released from jail on remission.

The Indian Express reported that photographs of the event released by the Dahod District Information Department, Bhatt is seated in the front row, between Jaswantsinh and Kanta Damor, president of the Singvad taluka panchayat. “It (GWSSB) was a public event that I attended… I don’t have anything else to say,” Bhatt told the newspaper.

While Jaswantsinh refused to comment, Shaileshbhai reportedly said, “Being the MLA, I was so busy at the event that I did not see who else was sitting on the dais. I will check if he (Bhatt) was present at the event.” Pradeep Parmar, Deputy Engineer of the GWSSB, Dahod, denied knowledge of the person who had issued the invitation. “The invitations are not sent out by the water supply department even if the event is organised by us… The taluka panchayat members would have invited the guests. We do not know who decided the seating on the dais. It is possible that the local engineer of the GWSSB in Limkheda would have been privy to the list.”

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has reacted sharply to the incident, calling Bhatt a “monster” who should be put back in jail.

Supreme Court petitions

Bilkis Bano and others have file pleas in the Supreme Court against the early release of the 11 convicts. The court is supposed to hear the petitions on Monday.

In a shocking turn of events, eleven people convicted in the Bilkis Bano case have been freed from Godhra sub jail after a state government panel approved their application for remission of sentence. The men had been convicted for gang raping Bano and murdering 14 people including Bano’s two and a half-year-old daughter Saleha.

The convicts who have been freed are: Jaswant Nai, Govind Nai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radhyesham Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt and Ramesh Chandana.

Bilkis Bano’s husband Yakub told Deccan Herald, “We are shocked. We have no idea about this order. We don’t know what kind of justice system this is.”

The Indian Express quoted Gujarat Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Raj Kumar as saying, “The 11 convicts have served a 14-year sentence in total. According to law, a life term means a minimum period of 14 years after which the convict can apply for remission. It is then the decision of the government to consider the application. Based on eligibility, prisoners are granted remission after the recommendation of the prison advisory committee as well as district legal authorities.”

He went on to offer an explanation around why men were freed, he said, “Among the parameters considered are age, nature of the crime, behaviour in prison and so on…The convicts in this particular case were also considered eligible after considering all the factors since they had competed for 14 years of their life term.” The release has then, and now again, with this brazen support for the convicts, sparked outrage on social media.

August 2022: felicitating Rapists and Murderers in Gujarat

Bilkis bano

In August 2022, within days of their release, the freed men had been felicitated.

This brazen act of “welcoming convicts in Bilkis Bano case with garlands defamed Hinduism’, the former Judge UD Salvi who convicted them had told the media. Salvi had noted that while releasing them was in the power of the state, felicitating them was absolutely incorrect. He lashed out at a recent remark by a BJP MLA who claimed that 'Brahmin men (the convicts) are of good sanskar'. 

Justice UD Salvi, giving public reactions at the time of the release last year, also said that the 11 convicts, who were remitted in the Bilkis Bano rape case, should not have been released. Salvi, who convicted those 14 years ago, criticised the welcoming celebration of the men with sweets and garlands that "defamed" Hinduism, according to a report by NDTV. 

At the time, while speaking to NDTV, Salvi noted that while releasing them was in the power of the state, felicitating them was absolutely incorrect. He lashed out at a recent remark by a BJP MLA who claimed that 'Brahmin men (the convicts) are of good sanskar'.  "Whoever took this decision, should reconsider this, that's all I can say."

Commenting on the remission procedure, Salvi noted that the state government did not consult him under whom the case was heard. He further noted that when cases are transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the state government ought to seek advice from the central government.

MHA backs release: Gujarat Govt affidavit in SC

Thereafter, after a slew of petitions challenging the questionable release were filed, a submission made by the Gujarat government before the Supreme Court has revealed that it was the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that enabled the release of eleven men convicted in the Bilkis Bano case. The approval for their release was granted despite opposition from a special court and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

According to documents submitted before the Supreme Court, and reported in LiveLaw, the premature release application was first filed on February 23, 2021. In a letter dated March 11, 2021, the CBI, the Superintendent of Police, and the SCB, Mumbai advised against the release of the convicts. According to NDTV, the CBI said that the crime committed by the accused was "heinous, grave and serious" and so the "accused cannot be released prematurely and no leniency can be given to him".

While the matter was under consideration, in March 22, 2021, Special Judge (CBI), Anand L Yawalkar also opposed the release was quoted by NDTV in a letter writing in his objections to the Superintendent of the Godhra sub-jail: “In this case all convicted accused were found guilty for rape and murder of innocent people. That the accused had no enmity or any relation with the victim. The crime was committed only on the ground that the victims belongs to a particular religion. In this case even minor children and pregnant woman were not spared. This is worst form of hate crime and crime against the humanity.”

Yet the officers of the district administration concurred with the decision for the release. In a letter dated March 7, 2022, the Superintendent of Police Dahod, Gujarat, said that he had no objection to the premature release of the prisoners. The Collector and District Magistrate of Dahod also said he had no objection in another letter dated March 7, 2022. The Jail Superintendent of Godhra Sub-Jail also said he had no objection.

Finally, May 26, 2022, the Jail Advisory Committee unanimously recommended the premature release of the convicts. Following this the Additional Director General of Police, Prisons and Correctional Administration, Ahmedabad, wrote to the Gujarat Home Department on June 9, saying he too had no objection to the release. The Gujarat Home Department then wrote to the MHA on June 28, 2022, recommending the release and sought approval/suitable orders for the same. Just two weeks later, on July 11, the MHA wrote back to the Gujarat Home Department approving the release.  


Related:

Bilkis Bano case: Convicts set free with MHA’s approval, despite opposition from CBI and Special Court

Rectify this horrendously wrong decision: Ex-bureaucrats to SC on remission to convicts in Bilkis Bano case

 

Bilkis Bano gang rape convict shares stage with BJP MP, MLA: Gujarat

On the day before the Supreme Court of India is set to hear a batch of petitions challenging the premature release of all 11 convicts by the Gujarat government on March 27, an elected representative of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shares a stage with gang rape convict

27 Mar 2023

Bilkis Bano Convicts

The controversy erupts again on March 25/26, 2023 though it is not the first time. A controversy has erupted over two leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) including a Member of Parliament and a local legislature sharing stage with one of the 11 convicts of Bilkis Bano gang rape case in a government function held in Dahod district. Jaswantsinh Bhabhor, the BJP MP from Gujarat’s Dahod, and his brother Shaileshbhai Bhabhor, the BJP MLA from Limkheda, on Saturday (March 25) shared a stage with Shailesh Bhatt – one of the 11 men convicted for raping Bilkis Bano during the 2002 Gujarat riots and released on parole by the Gujarat government. Both the elected officials, Jaswantsinh and Shaileshbhai tweeted pictures of the launch of a Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB) project in Karmadi village in Singvad taluka of Dahod district, and Bilkis’s husband Yakub Rasool confirmed to The Quint that one of the men on stage was Bhatt, who is among the 11 convicts released prematurely by the state government. Bhatt is seen sitting in the front row during the ground breaking ceremony of Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board project at Karmadi village in Singvad taluka of Dahod district on Saturday. On the day after their release in 2022, August 16, eleven convicts in the Bilkis Bano rape case, released from jail under the Gujarat government's remission policy, were greeted with garlands at the Vishwa Hindu Parishad office.

Available photographs and the videos of the event show Bhatt sitting between local BJP MP Jasvantsinh Bhabhor and his brother Shailesh Bhabhor, who is a BJP MLA of Limkheda. Despite repeated attempts both the BJP leaders couldn't be contacted for comments. These were reported by Deccan Herald, Indian Express and Times of India.

At the event hosted by the BJP-ruled state government, the BJP leaders performed rituals of the Rs. 101.88 crore project aimed at supplying potable water to 64 villages of Limkheda, Singvad and Jhalod talukas of the Dahod district. 

The fact that the state and central governments had wilfully effected the release of all convicts on remission after a judgement of the Supreme Court in May 2022 is well known. The release was finally ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, union of India, despite objections from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the presiding judge, Justice Salvi who had convicted them!

The fresh controversy of stamp of approval for the released convict comes a day before the Supreme Court is set to hear a batch of petitions challenging the premature release of all 11 convicts by the Gujarat government.  It was on India’s 75th Independence Day, that the macabre release on August 15, 2022 took place. This was based on recommendation of Jail Advisory Committee, whose members consisted of two BJP MLAs along with district collector, Panchmahal, among others, 11 people convicted to life imprisonment for gang rape of Bilkis and killing of 14 persons including her children and close relatives, were released from jail on remission.

The Indian Express reported that photographs of the event released by the Dahod District Information Department, Bhatt is seated in the front row, between Jaswantsinh and Kanta Damor, president of the Singvad taluka panchayat. “It (GWSSB) was a public event that I attended… I don’t have anything else to say,” Bhatt told the newspaper.

While Jaswantsinh refused to comment, Shaileshbhai reportedly said, “Being the MLA, I was so busy at the event that I did not see who else was sitting on the dais. I will check if he (Bhatt) was present at the event.” Pradeep Parmar, Deputy Engineer of the GWSSB, Dahod, denied knowledge of the person who had issued the invitation. “The invitations are not sent out by the water supply department even if the event is organised by us… The taluka panchayat members would have invited the guests. We do not know who decided the seating on the dais. It is possible that the local engineer of the GWSSB in Limkheda would have been privy to the list.”

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has reacted sharply to the incident, calling Bhatt a “monster” who should be put back in jail.

Supreme Court petitions

Bilkis Bano and others have file pleas in the Supreme Court against the early release of the 11 convicts. The court is supposed to hear the petitions on Monday.

In a shocking turn of events, eleven people convicted in the Bilkis Bano case have been freed from Godhra sub jail after a state government panel approved their application for remission of sentence. The men had been convicted for gang raping Bano and murdering 14 people including Bano’s two and a half-year-old daughter Saleha.

The convicts who have been freed are: Jaswant Nai, Govind Nai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radhyesham Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt and Ramesh Chandana.

Bilkis Bano’s husband Yakub told Deccan Herald, “We are shocked. We have no idea about this order. We don’t know what kind of justice system this is.”

The Indian Express quoted Gujarat Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Raj Kumar as saying, “The 11 convicts have served a 14-year sentence in total. According to law, a life term means a minimum period of 14 years after which the convict can apply for remission. It is then the decision of the government to consider the application. Based on eligibility, prisoners are granted remission after the recommendation of the prison advisory committee as well as district legal authorities.”

He went on to offer an explanation around why men were freed, he said, “Among the parameters considered are age, nature of the crime, behaviour in prison and so on…The convicts in this particular case were also considered eligible after considering all the factors since they had competed for 14 years of their life term.” The release has then, and now again, with this brazen support for the convicts, sparked outrage on social media.

August 2022: felicitating Rapists and Murderers in Gujarat

Bilkis bano

In August 2022, within days of their release, the freed men had been felicitated.

This brazen act of “welcoming convicts in Bilkis Bano case with garlands defamed Hinduism’, the former Judge UD Salvi who convicted them had told the media. Salvi had noted that while releasing them was in the power of the state, felicitating them was absolutely incorrect. He lashed out at a recent remark by a BJP MLA who claimed that 'Brahmin men (the convicts) are of good sanskar'. 

Justice UD Salvi, giving public reactions at the time of the release last year, also said that the 11 convicts, who were remitted in the Bilkis Bano rape case, should not have been released. Salvi, who convicted those 14 years ago, criticised the welcoming celebration of the men with sweets and garlands that "defamed" Hinduism, according to a report by NDTV. 

At the time, while speaking to NDTV, Salvi noted that while releasing them was in the power of the state, felicitating them was absolutely incorrect. He lashed out at a recent remark by a BJP MLA who claimed that 'Brahmin men (the convicts) are of good sanskar'.  "Whoever took this decision, should reconsider this, that's all I can say."

Commenting on the remission procedure, Salvi noted that the state government did not consult him under whom the case was heard. He further noted that when cases are transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the state government ought to seek advice from the central government.

MHA backs release: Gujarat Govt affidavit in SC

Thereafter, after a slew of petitions challenging the questionable release were filed, a submission made by the Gujarat government before the Supreme Court has revealed that it was the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that enabled the release of eleven men convicted in the Bilkis Bano case. The approval for their release was granted despite opposition from a special court and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

According to documents submitted before the Supreme Court, and reported in LiveLaw, the premature release application was first filed on February 23, 2021. In a letter dated March 11, 2021, the CBI, the Superintendent of Police, and the SCB, Mumbai advised against the release of the convicts. According to NDTV, the CBI said that the crime committed by the accused was "heinous, grave and serious" and so the "accused cannot be released prematurely and no leniency can be given to him".

While the matter was under consideration, in March 22, 2021, Special Judge (CBI), Anand L Yawalkar also opposed the release was quoted by NDTV in a letter writing in his objections to the Superintendent of the Godhra sub-jail: “In this case all convicted accused were found guilty for rape and murder of innocent people. That the accused had no enmity or any relation with the victim. The crime was committed only on the ground that the victims belongs to a particular religion. In this case even minor children and pregnant woman were not spared. This is worst form of hate crime and crime against the humanity.”

Yet the officers of the district administration concurred with the decision for the release. In a letter dated March 7, 2022, the Superintendent of Police Dahod, Gujarat, said that he had no objection to the premature release of the prisoners. The Collector and District Magistrate of Dahod also said he had no objection in another letter dated March 7, 2022. The Jail Superintendent of Godhra Sub-Jail also said he had no objection.

Finally, May 26, 2022, the Jail Advisory Committee unanimously recommended the premature release of the convicts. Following this the Additional Director General of Police, Prisons and Correctional Administration, Ahmedabad, wrote to the Gujarat Home Department on June 9, saying he too had no objection to the release. The Gujarat Home Department then wrote to the MHA on June 28, 2022, recommending the release and sought approval/suitable orders for the same. Just two weeks later, on July 11, the MHA wrote back to the Gujarat Home Department approving the release.  


Related:

Bilkis Bano case: Convicts set free with MHA’s approval, despite opposition from CBI and Special Court

Rectify this horrendously wrong decision: Ex-bureaucrats to SC on remission to convicts in Bilkis Bano case

 

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Weaponsing religious processions, demolishing minority homes, a nadir in breakdown of rule of law: Report

“Routes of Wrath: Weaponsiing Religious Processions (Communal Violence during Ram Navmi-april 2022) analyses the countrywide Ram Navmi-Hanuman Jayanti processions of April May 2022

25 Mar 2023

Cover

It is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its proxies and fellow travelers, such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Bajrang Dal, the Hindu Jagran Manch, and others have clearly played a direct and proximate role in all such states in spreading violence and stigmatizing and invisiblising the minority, states the report published by Chander Uday Singh, senior advocate in the Indian Supreme Court. The 178-page report released today has a foreword by Rohinton F Nariman former Justice in the Supreme Court and is an effort of the Citizens and Lawyers Initiative.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”— George Santayana

Closely examining the events like trishul dikhsa (trident distribution), armed processions around the “festival” of Ram Navmi and Navrati and Hanuman Jayanti, while also addressing the relatively new phenomenon of targeted administrative punishment of demolitions “pioneered” by BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Delhi, the report addresses the sequence of events, response of state actors, demolition drives and media portrayal, providing a thorough documented analysis of the seemingly disparate but carefully orchestrated “events” of 2022.

Gujarat (Himmatnagar, Khambhat),  Jharkand, (Lohardaga, Kodermo, Bokharo), Madhya Pradesh (Khargone

and Sendhwa), Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra (Mankhurd Malad in Mumbai and Amravati), Goa, West Bengal are extensively covered as is the Jehangirpuri demolition of Delhi, the capital. States that saw low grade violence like Karnataka Bihar Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are also featured. The last chapter “Insights” examines the Nature of Institgation, Tactics of Mobilisaing minority, Administrative response as collective punishment.

A sinister pattern in marginalizing the civil and political rights of minorities, including right to residence and citizenship can be observed in the the multiplying of places of Muslim concentration in the form of ‘resettlement colonies’ on the peripheries of towns and villages, in the aftermath of the Gujarat 2002 riots was termed migration by the state,922 observes the report.  “States Victims of the Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti violence, and the demolition drives that followed, face several layers of barriers to rehabilitation. It includes the loss of cash, documentation, and social support systems, threats to physical safety, and economic boycotts, but it is more than state apathy – in situations of communal violence, the Indian state has a history of disrupting Muslim families’ ability to rebuild and recover.

This is a precarity borne particularly by women, who bear the brunt of destabilizing the family and community. This is so visible post the violent religious processions as also in the ongoing citizenship, demolition crisis in Assam.

Distinct and Eerie Patterns

“There are distinct and eerie patterns amongst the Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti processions in April 2022 across all the States covered in this report. They all comprised of larger-than-usual gatherings of saffron-clad men drawing swords, waving trishuls and even (in some cases) firearms, taking deliberately mapped paths that crossed major mosques and Muslim-dominated neighbourhoods, and raising provocative slogans about the coming of a Hindu Rashtra, the conditions under which Muslims would be allowed to live in this Nation, and even justifying violence against Muslims. Many of these processions were accompanied by large flatbed trucks with concert-sized, high-decibel amplifiers and mega-speakers, on which DJs (disc jockeys) blasted hate-filled anti-Muslim music.

“While in some States such as in Goa or Maharashtra, the procession organisers appear to have been satisfied with mere intimidation of members of the minority community, in others – particularly in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand – they used the garb of religious festivities to openly target, attack, and even destroy Muslim shops, handcarts, businesses, livelihoods, and even homes. States that saw the most violence are also those where Hindutva groups and extremists enjoy the highest levels of political patronage. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its proxies and fellow travelers, such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Bajrang Dal, the Hindu Jagran Manch, and others have clearly played a direct and proximate role in all such states in spreading communal unrest.904

Fear Psychosis & Propaganda: Hindu Khatre Mein Hai

“Simultaneously, in continuity with the treatment given to other recent events of communal violence that disproportionately targeted and affected the Muslim community, the events of April 2022 have also been instrumentalised to lend credibility to the notion of “Hindu khatre mein hai” (Hindus are in danger). Therefore, it is important to document the seemingly coordinated nature of the provocation and abuse, the one-sided media portrayal of the genesis of the violence, and the erasures of losses incurred at the hands of both mob violence and the brutality of the State’s response.

The Media Echo Chamber of Propaganda

“Mainstream media, politicians and commentators from the Hindu Right kept up a stream of invective suggesting that the widespread, pan-India violence in April 2022 was instigated by Muslim communities that threw stones at the processions without provocation. It is clear that news media, and particularly the mainstream television channels, played a leading role in

904 Anwar T. (13 April 2022). Ram Navami Violence: Institutionalised bid to subvert democracy. NewsClick. Retrieved from https://www.newsclick.in/Ram-Navami-Violence-Institutionalised-Bid-Subvert-Democracy-Mobsters- Pave-Way-Hindu-Rashtra [09 July 2022]manufacturing fear amongst the Hindu majority, helping to galvanise public opinion against minority communities.

“This report, based entirely upon details collected and collated by compiling reportage and published materials from credible and recognised sources, demonstrates the fact that the processions themselves were the primary catalyst for the violence, in a multitude of ways.

Nature of instigation

“It is not insignificant that the occasions of the birth of Hindu Gods Ram and Hanuman, marked as ‘Ram Navami’ and ‘Hanuman Jayanti’, were used for such strident political mobilisation in April 2022: both days happened to fall in the holy month of Ramzan. The processions concertedly targeted places of worship by gathering in front of Mosques and chanting anti-Muslim slogans, either at the same time as namaz was being offered, or at the breaking of the fast after sunset, thereby ensuring that the confrontation would coincide with the largest possible number of Muslim people being present and vulnerable.

“The processions used offensive slogans and music that openly called for violence against non- Hindus and particularly the Muslim community. What are being attempted to be passed off as ‘simply religious slogans’ have in fact direct political messaging; they are calls that have accompanied mob lynchings and pogroms.

“An important part of the effort put into instigating violence, is the role of the provocative and extremist media that has changed the face of Hindu festivals and celebrations. Incendiary and anti- Muslim songs have been reported from every one of these processions, and have in general become a mainstay of Hindu religious processions in recent years.

“An investigation by Caravan magazine into the ‘Hindutva pop’ phenomenon and its role in galvanising Hindu youth against the Muslim community, found that in both Roorkee and Karauli, most people who took part in the Ram Navami rallies knew the provocative songs being played by heart.905 From young children to middle-aged men, they could all rattle off the names of their favourite songs and artists, which included Sandeep Acharya, Laxmi Dubey, Prem Krishnavanshi and Kanhiya Mittal.

“Songs by these artists are not only popular online – referring to their millions of views on YouTube – but are also often played at temples, political rallies and cultural functions. They mark a shift within Hindu devotional music towards taking on direct political messaging, with lyrics about cow slaughter, Ram Mandir construction, Krishna Janmabhoomi, the lack of unity in Hindus. Their circulation is openly facilitated by the BJP IT cell, even when their violent lyrics get flagged by social media platforms’ content moderation systems. “When my channel got suspended, the central government came to my rescue,” said Laxmi Dubey.906 One of her songs  905 Sakunia S. (01 July 2022). Hindu Rashtra OST: The Hindutva pop singers fuelling a politics of hate. The Caravan.

Retrieved [11 July 2022] from https://caravanmagazine.in/politics/hindutva-pop-hate

906 Ibid

has lyrics that translate to ““We are hardcore Hindus, we will create a new history / We will enter the homes of enemies, and will cut their heads […] / In every home the saffron flag will be seen, the rule of Ram will return / There is only one slogan, one name, victory to lord Ram, victory to lord Ram.”907

Hateful music inscribes religious bigotry into ‘culture’ as everyday life, and the presence of DJs at all of these processions contributes to this. The visuals of young men dancing to and spinning electronic music that blends the devotional and the political with liberal doses of hatred, shows the concerted nature of these strategies. The young men who participated in the Ram Navami procession in Raichur, Karnataka, for example, could have been merely participating in a festival. Yet the song they played in front of the Osmania Mosque in Raichur has a music video made up of footage of the Babri Masjid demolition.908

“In Karauli, Rajasthan where communal violence broke out from 2nd April onwards, organisers of the Nav Samvatsar Shobha Yatra played songs such as ‘Topi wala’ (skullcap wearer) by Sandeep Chaturvedi.909 Its lyrics translate as “The day the Hindus wake up, the consequence will be / That the skull-cap wearer will bow down and say victory to lord Ram./ The day my blood boils, I wish to show you your place / Then I will not speak, only my sword will.” In Karauli, where only 6% of the population is Muslim, many men had this song downloaded on their phones. According to one who participated in the procession, “When we listen to the song, we feel strengthened, we get the feeling that we want to kill every single Muslim around.”910 Others compared these songs to ‘Vande Mataram’ or the national song.

Tactics of mobilising the majority

The Ram Navami riots reflected the important role played by vigilante outfits and local branches of Hindu nationalist groups in building an ethnostate. Having sprouted fast across the country over recent years, it is apparent that several local Hindutva groups are focused on trying to homogenise the practices of Hinduism. These organisations and street gangs, loosely affiliated around religious preachers or local leaders, are perpetuating an atmosphere of constant, everyday terror – sometimes seemingly low-grade violence, and at other times far more destructive attacks. These processions are perhaps the most visible, visceral forms of such an assertion.

907 Iyer A. (11 April 2022). ‘The day my blood boils’: How songs incited hate at a Navratri rally in Rajasthan’s Karauli. Scroll. Retrieved from https://scroll.in/article/1021548/the-day-my-blood-boils-how-songs-incited-hate-at-a- navratri-rally-in-rajasthan-s-karauli [11 July 2022]

908 Prakash B. (25 April 2022). Why the toxic beats of ‘Disc Jockey Hindutva’ are so dangerous for India. Scroll. Retrieved from https://scroll.in/article/1022502/how-the-toxic-beats-of-disc-jockey-hindutva-are-inspiring- violence [11 July 2022]

909 Iyer A. (11 April 2022). ‘The day my blood boils’: How songs incited hate at a Navratri rally in Rajasthan’s Karauli. Scroll. Retrieved from https://scroll.in/article/1021548/the-day-my-blood-boils-how-songs-incited-hate-at-a- navratri-rally-in-rajasthan-s-karauli [11 July 2022]

910 Ibid

“In some areas, this might suggest that caste-based polarisation is being replaced by a religion- based one, by appealing to all caste groups to identify themselves as superior to non-Hindus, especially Muslims. A ground report from Jharkhand about the Ram Navami violence of 2022 states that “A section of Dalits already seem to have traded their Constitutional right to equality with feeling of superiority and power over the Muslims, but subject themselves to the traditional authority of those above them in the Hindu caste hierarchy. They control no resources save the feeling of authority over the Muslims.”911 In Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, the Hindutva cause represents a path to social mobility for younger generations among the lower-caste Bengali Hindus, a way to assert their credentials as part of a pan-Hindu identity against a common enemy: Muslims.912 Reports from Khargone in Madhya Pradesh reflect similar patterns and motivations. The Sakal Hindu Samaj, a collective created in 2021 to bring various caste groups under its fold to address issues concerning Hindus in Khargone, has tried to find ways to enforce the economic boycott of Muslim businesses in the district’s villages.913

“The Wire’s ground report from Khargone a few weeks after Ram Navami, details a set of changes the town went through that facilitated this rise of extremism. There has been a spike in the number of Hindu right-wing organisations – “Five years ago, only the Shiv Sena was active here,” said one local. “Today, we have the Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, Gau Raksha Dal, Karni Sena, VHP, Sakal Hindu Samaj…in all there are about eight or nine such sansthans.”914 Another important change has been a rise in economic boycotts since 2018, prior to which communal flares didn’t affect economic ties as strongly.915 The boycotts started with the town’s real estate boom, when these organisations began appealing to developers not to sell houses to Muslims. The rise of social media in disseminating hate speech and misinformation, has been well documented in terms of its capacity to generate offline violence.

Administration’s Response as Collective Punishment

“A fourth change is the nature of the administration’s response with bulldozers indiscriminately used as reprisals for purported obstruction of processions. This change has also allowed the numerous Hindutva groups to foment hate with more impunity.916

“Further, that the processions were all armed with swords, tridents, bricks and bats is testament to the politicisation of Hindu festivals and their takeover by paramilitary groups operating with impunity due to State support.

“Weapons distribution has also been more openly taking place in recent years, especially in BJP- ruled states. April 2022 also saw mass events for distributing swords and tridents organised by Antarashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP) in both Gujarat and Assam, where they also announced

911 Engineer I. (19 April 2022). Koderma: What actually happened on Ram Navami? Sabrang. Retrieved from https://sabrangindia.in/article/koderma-what-actually-happened-ram-navami [07 July 2022]

912 Pandey T. (26 April 2022). Desire for pan-Hindu identity, hatred for Bangladeshis. The Print. Retrieved from https://theprint.in/features/shakha-taught-us-to-be-brave-how-children-were-drawn-into-jahangirpuri- violence/930389/

913 Lalwani V. (29 April 2022). In A Riot-Torn MP Town, Hindus Organise an Economic Boycott of Muslims. Article 14. Retrieved from https://article-14.com/post/in-a-riot-torn-mp-town-hindus-organise-an-economic-boycott- of-muslims-626b0b188f64b [09 July 2022]

914 Rajshekhar M. (08 July 2022). More Hindu Right Groups, Polarising with Impunity: How Communal Tensions Intensified in Khargone. The Wire. Retrieved from https://thewire.in/communalism/khargone-madhya- pradesh-communal-tensions-boycott [11 July 2022]

915 Ibid

916 ibid

further such drives.917 Calls for mass violence against Muslims in general have been taking place, with tacit endorsement from the authorities, in the form of Dharma Sansads and Hindu Mahapanchayats in Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.918

“It is clear that incendiary processions have been used to play a multi-functional role in majoritarian consolidation. They are also masquerading as a popular but extremely dangerous mode of religious expression. Although this report is focused on the processions for Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti in April 2022, and the events surrounding them, the same strategies are being invoked on smaller scales almost every month. On April 2nd, the beginning of Navratri, Uttar Pradesh’s Gahmar village saw a procession called the Ram Kalash Yatra, where young Hindu men played the same inflammatory songs and planted a saffron flag on the local mosque.919 Muslim residents are now in fear of going to the mosque but have not responded in any way, perhaps due to being a very small minority in the area.

Administrative response as collective punishment

“While there have been earlier phases of communal violence in India, which entrenched cycles of violence, segregation and generated lasting barriers to socioeconomic mobility for Indian Muslims in particular, they did not undermine State control over society or its authority over institutions in the manner that is being seen today.

“Coordination between Hindutva outfits, and the police and district administration, means combining an extreme ideological entity with the civil service. What can be observed from the 2022 Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti series of events is that the relationship between them has become institutionalised in many parts, sustaining a violently undemocratic model of governance that is anathema to the rule of law.920

In Khargone and Sendhwa in Madhya Pradesh, Jahangirpuri in Delhi, Himmatnagar and Khambhat in Gujarat, the district administrations and local police carried out demolition drives in the immediate aftermath of the violence, i.e., the day after Ram Navami and the day after Hanuman Jayanti. As the chapters of this Report have examined in detail, their punitive motivations were frankly admitted by either the district officials or State ministers, who made no bones about their motivations.

917 SabrangIndia. (25 April 2022). How is the Assam gov’t allowing Pravin Togadia’s trishul distribution? Sabrang. Retrieved from    https://sabrangindia.in/article/how-assam-govt-allowing-pravin-togadias-trishul- distribution [11 July 2022]

918 Jha DK. (01 March 2022). Unholy Orders: The Haridwar dharma sansad is a reflection of the RSS’s new strategy with sadhus. The Caravan. Retrieved from https://caravanmagazine.in/commentary/haridwar-dharma-sansad- vhp-rss-hate-speech [11 July 2022]

919 Iyer A. (06 May). CCTVs recorded violence against mosques during Navratri. But are the police watching the footage? Scroll. Retrieved from https://scroll.in/article/1023257/cctvs-recorded-violence-against-mosques- during-navratri-but-are-the-police-watching-it [11 July 2022]

920 Ibid

“Widely recognised by lawyers, human rights defenders and experts to be arbitrary and unconstitutional, the demolition drives break the three cardinal principles of the Indian Constitution, i.e., presumption of innocence, rule of law, and separation of powers between the three wings of the government.

“The demolitions mark a set of important developments in the ongoing dismantling of rule of law and religious freedom in India. One conspicuous feature has been the largely passive role of the court. Most worrisome are the long-term implications of the illegality being ascribed to Muslim settlements. In the immediate sense, the fallout is that loss of housing and livelihood has a cascading effect on all other human rights. However, through these post-procession demolition drives, the occupation of space by the Muslim community is being tagged as encroachment in the concerned States, when the major part of Indian urbanisation comprises of unauthorised construction.

“Particular characteristics of Indian urbanisation, such as unclear systems of land ownership and planned illegalities, have led to a majority of homes in cities like Delhi being technically illegal or unauthorised constructions, even though they exist with tacit approval of the state.921 People settle in unoccupied parts, governments and administrations don’t do anything for years and, most often, regularise them. Many of the residents who lost their homes and livelihoods in these drives testified to receiving entitlements such as electricity or water, and many had documents determining the legitimacy of their residence.

“Historically, the displacement and dispossession of minorities in India tends to be rewritten as resettlement and ‘migration’. For e.g., the multiplying of places of Muslim concentration in the form of ‘resettlement colonies’ on the peripheries of towns and villages, in the aftermath of the Gujarat 2002 riots was termed migration by the state.922

Victims of the Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti violence, and the demolition drives that followed, face several layers of barriers to rehabilitation. It includes the loss of cash, documentation, and social support systems, threats to physical safety, and economic boycotts, but it is more than state apathy – in situations of communal violence, the Indian state has a history of disrupting Muslim families’ ability to rebuild and recover. This is a precarity borne particularly by women, who bear the brunt of destabilizing the family and community.

“The absence of mandatory rehabilitation plans alongside the now-frequent demolitions in BJP- ruled states must be seen in the context of the fate of people displaced due to communal or ethnic violence in India constituting a major information gap, particularly for those who do not live in formal camps or resettlement areas.923

In conclusion, the available evidence corroborates statements by civil society groups, lawyers, academics and activists, that India has reached a stage of perpetual violence. In an open letter to

921 Banerjee, C. (2022, May 18). Why cities create ghettos & politics sends bulldozers. The Times of India. Retrieved from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/why-cities-create-ghettos-politics-sends- bulldozers/articleshow/91611194.cms [09 July 2020]

922 Badigar, S. (2012). A “Normal” Anomaly: Displacement due to Communal Violence in Gujarat. Economic and Political Weekly, 47(3), 42–47. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41419740 [11 July 2022]

923 New Internationalist. (04 January 2021). Displaced by a riot. Retrieved from https://newint.org/features/2021/01/04/displaced-riot [11 July 2022]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, more than a hundred retired senior civil servants stated that the administration of law has become the means by which the minorities, particularly the Muslim community, can be kept in a state of perpetual fear.924 Facilitation and support for communal frenzy is being provided at all levels of the administration – from local police and administrative officials to the highest political levels in state and central governments. The letter states, “While the actual commission of violence may be outsourced to fringe groups, there is little doubt as to how the ground for their operations is made fertile, how each of them follows a master script and shares a common ‘tool kit’ and how the propaganda machinery of a party as well as the state is made available to them to defend their actions.”925

The entire report may be read here.

Related:

Violence breaks out after controversial route of a procession passes Mosque in Karnataka's Haveri, 15 detained

CJP’s PIL seeking directions for established law & procedure on religious processions: A Factsheet

Weaponsing religious processions, demolishing minority homes, a nadir in breakdown of rule of law: Report

“Routes of Wrath: Weaponsiing Religious Processions (Communal Violence during Ram Navmi-april 2022) analyses the countrywide Ram Navmi-Hanuman Jayanti processions of April May 2022

25 Mar 2023

Cover

It is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its proxies and fellow travelers, such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Bajrang Dal, the Hindu Jagran Manch, and others have clearly played a direct and proximate role in all such states in spreading violence and stigmatizing and invisiblising the minority, states the report published by Chander Uday Singh, senior advocate in the Indian Supreme Court. The 178-page report released today has a foreword by Rohinton F Nariman former Justice in the Supreme Court and is an effort of the Citizens and Lawyers Initiative.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”— George Santayana

Closely examining the events like trishul dikhsa (trident distribution), armed processions around the “festival” of Ram Navmi and Navrati and Hanuman Jayanti, while also addressing the relatively new phenomenon of targeted administrative punishment of demolitions “pioneered” by BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Delhi, the report addresses the sequence of events, response of state actors, demolition drives and media portrayal, providing a thorough documented analysis of the seemingly disparate but carefully orchestrated “events” of 2022.

Gujarat (Himmatnagar, Khambhat),  Jharkand, (Lohardaga, Kodermo, Bokharo), Madhya Pradesh (Khargone

and Sendhwa), Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra (Mankhurd Malad in Mumbai and Amravati), Goa, West Bengal are extensively covered as is the Jehangirpuri demolition of Delhi, the capital. States that saw low grade violence like Karnataka Bihar Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are also featured. The last chapter “Insights” examines the Nature of Institgation, Tactics of Mobilisaing minority, Administrative response as collective punishment.

A sinister pattern in marginalizing the civil and political rights of minorities, including right to residence and citizenship can be observed in the the multiplying of places of Muslim concentration in the form of ‘resettlement colonies’ on the peripheries of towns and villages, in the aftermath of the Gujarat 2002 riots was termed migration by the state,922 observes the report.  “States Victims of the Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti violence, and the demolition drives that followed, face several layers of barriers to rehabilitation. It includes the loss of cash, documentation, and social support systems, threats to physical safety, and economic boycotts, but it is more than state apathy – in situations of communal violence, the Indian state has a history of disrupting Muslim families’ ability to rebuild and recover.

This is a precarity borne particularly by women, who bear the brunt of destabilizing the family and community. This is so visible post the violent religious processions as also in the ongoing citizenship, demolition crisis in Assam.

Distinct and Eerie Patterns

“There are distinct and eerie patterns amongst the Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti processions in April 2022 across all the States covered in this report. They all comprised of larger-than-usual gatherings of saffron-clad men drawing swords, waving trishuls and even (in some cases) firearms, taking deliberately mapped paths that crossed major mosques and Muslim-dominated neighbourhoods, and raising provocative slogans about the coming of a Hindu Rashtra, the conditions under which Muslims would be allowed to live in this Nation, and even justifying violence against Muslims. Many of these processions were accompanied by large flatbed trucks with concert-sized, high-decibel amplifiers and mega-speakers, on which DJs (disc jockeys) blasted hate-filled anti-Muslim music.

“While in some States such as in Goa or Maharashtra, the procession organisers appear to have been satisfied with mere intimidation of members of the minority community, in others – particularly in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand – they used the garb of religious festivities to openly target, attack, and even destroy Muslim shops, handcarts, businesses, livelihoods, and even homes. States that saw the most violence are also those where Hindutva groups and extremists enjoy the highest levels of political patronage. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its proxies and fellow travelers, such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Bajrang Dal, the Hindu Jagran Manch, and others have clearly played a direct and proximate role in all such states in spreading communal unrest.904

Fear Psychosis & Propaganda: Hindu Khatre Mein Hai

“Simultaneously, in continuity with the treatment given to other recent events of communal violence that disproportionately targeted and affected the Muslim community, the events of April 2022 have also been instrumentalised to lend credibility to the notion of “Hindu khatre mein hai” (Hindus are in danger). Therefore, it is important to document the seemingly coordinated nature of the provocation and abuse, the one-sided media portrayal of the genesis of the violence, and the erasures of losses incurred at the hands of both mob violence and the brutality of the State’s response.

The Media Echo Chamber of Propaganda

“Mainstream media, politicians and commentators from the Hindu Right kept up a stream of invective suggesting that the widespread, pan-India violence in April 2022 was instigated by Muslim communities that threw stones at the processions without provocation. It is clear that news media, and particularly the mainstream television channels, played a leading role in

904 Anwar T. (13 April 2022). Ram Navami Violence: Institutionalised bid to subvert democracy. NewsClick. Retrieved from https://www.newsclick.in/Ram-Navami-Violence-Institutionalised-Bid-Subvert-Democracy-Mobsters- Pave-Way-Hindu-Rashtra [09 July 2022]manufacturing fear amongst the Hindu majority, helping to galvanise public opinion against minority communities.

“This report, based entirely upon details collected and collated by compiling reportage and published materials from credible and recognised sources, demonstrates the fact that the processions themselves were the primary catalyst for the violence, in a multitude of ways.

Nature of instigation

“It is not insignificant that the occasions of the birth of Hindu Gods Ram and Hanuman, marked as ‘Ram Navami’ and ‘Hanuman Jayanti’, were used for such strident political mobilisation in April 2022: both days happened to fall in the holy month of Ramzan. The processions concertedly targeted places of worship by gathering in front of Mosques and chanting anti-Muslim slogans, either at the same time as namaz was being offered, or at the breaking of the fast after sunset, thereby ensuring that the confrontation would coincide with the largest possible number of Muslim people being present and vulnerable.

“The processions used offensive slogans and music that openly called for violence against non- Hindus and particularly the Muslim community. What are being attempted to be passed off as ‘simply religious slogans’ have in fact direct political messaging; they are calls that have accompanied mob lynchings and pogroms.

“An important part of the effort put into instigating violence, is the role of the provocative and extremist media that has changed the face of Hindu festivals and celebrations. Incendiary and anti- Muslim songs have been reported from every one of these processions, and have in general become a mainstay of Hindu religious processions in recent years.

“An investigation by Caravan magazine into the ‘Hindutva pop’ phenomenon and its role in galvanising Hindu youth against the Muslim community, found that in both Roorkee and Karauli, most people who took part in the Ram Navami rallies knew the provocative songs being played by heart.905 From young children to middle-aged men, they could all rattle off the names of their favourite songs and artists, which included Sandeep Acharya, Laxmi Dubey, Prem Krishnavanshi and Kanhiya Mittal.

“Songs by these artists are not only popular online – referring to their millions of views on YouTube – but are also often played at temples, political rallies and cultural functions. They mark a shift within Hindu devotional music towards taking on direct political messaging, with lyrics about cow slaughter, Ram Mandir construction, Krishna Janmabhoomi, the lack of unity in Hindus. Their circulation is openly facilitated by the BJP IT cell, even when their violent lyrics get flagged by social media platforms’ content moderation systems. “When my channel got suspended, the central government came to my rescue,” said Laxmi Dubey.906 One of her songs  905 Sakunia S. (01 July 2022). Hindu Rashtra OST: The Hindutva pop singers fuelling a politics of hate. The Caravan.

Retrieved [11 July 2022] from https://caravanmagazine.in/politics/hindutva-pop-hate

906 Ibid

has lyrics that translate to ““We are hardcore Hindus, we will create a new history / We will enter the homes of enemies, and will cut their heads […] / In every home the saffron flag will be seen, the rule of Ram will return / There is only one slogan, one name, victory to lord Ram, victory to lord Ram.”907

Hateful music inscribes religious bigotry into ‘culture’ as everyday life, and the presence of DJs at all of these processions contributes to this. The visuals of young men dancing to and spinning electronic music that blends the devotional and the political with liberal doses of hatred, shows the concerted nature of these strategies. The young men who participated in the Ram Navami procession in Raichur, Karnataka, for example, could have been merely participating in a festival. Yet the song they played in front of the Osmania Mosque in Raichur has a music video made up of footage of the Babri Masjid demolition.908

“In Karauli, Rajasthan where communal violence broke out from 2nd April onwards, organisers of the Nav Samvatsar Shobha Yatra played songs such as ‘Topi wala’ (skullcap wearer) by Sandeep Chaturvedi.909 Its lyrics translate as “The day the Hindus wake up, the consequence will be / That the skull-cap wearer will bow down and say victory to lord Ram./ The day my blood boils, I wish to show you your place / Then I will not speak, only my sword will.” In Karauli, where only 6% of the population is Muslim, many men had this song downloaded on their phones. According to one who participated in the procession, “When we listen to the song, we feel strengthened, we get the feeling that we want to kill every single Muslim around.”910 Others compared these songs to ‘Vande Mataram’ or the national song.

Tactics of mobilising the majority

The Ram Navami riots reflected the important role played by vigilante outfits and local branches of Hindu nationalist groups in building an ethnostate. Having sprouted fast across the country over recent years, it is apparent that several local Hindutva groups are focused on trying to homogenise the practices of Hinduism. These organisations and street gangs, loosely affiliated around religious preachers or local leaders, are perpetuating an atmosphere of constant, everyday terror – sometimes seemingly low-grade violence, and at other times far more destructive attacks. These processions are perhaps the most visible, visceral forms of such an assertion.

907 Iyer A. (11 April 2022). ‘The day my blood boils’: How songs incited hate at a Navratri rally in Rajasthan’s Karauli. Scroll. Retrieved from https://scroll.in/article/1021548/the-day-my-blood-boils-how-songs-incited-hate-at-a- navratri-rally-in-rajasthan-s-karauli [11 July 2022]

908 Prakash B. (25 April 2022). Why the toxic beats of ‘Disc Jockey Hindutva’ are so dangerous for India. Scroll. Retrieved from https://scroll.in/article/1022502/how-the-toxic-beats-of-disc-jockey-hindutva-are-inspiring- violence [11 July 2022]

909 Iyer A. (11 April 2022). ‘The day my blood boils’: How songs incited hate at a Navratri rally in Rajasthan’s Karauli. Scroll. Retrieved from https://scroll.in/article/1021548/the-day-my-blood-boils-how-songs-incited-hate-at-a- navratri-rally-in-rajasthan-s-karauli [11 July 2022]

910 Ibid

“In some areas, this might suggest that caste-based polarisation is being replaced by a religion- based one, by appealing to all caste groups to identify themselves as superior to non-Hindus, especially Muslims. A ground report from Jharkhand about the Ram Navami violence of 2022 states that “A section of Dalits already seem to have traded their Constitutional right to equality with feeling of superiority and power over the Muslims, but subject themselves to the traditional authority of those above them in the Hindu caste hierarchy. They control no resources save the feeling of authority over the Muslims.”911 In Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, the Hindutva cause represents a path to social mobility for younger generations among the lower-caste Bengali Hindus, a way to assert their credentials as part of a pan-Hindu identity against a common enemy: Muslims.912 Reports from Khargone in Madhya Pradesh reflect similar patterns and motivations. The Sakal Hindu Samaj, a collective created in 2021 to bring various caste groups under its fold to address issues concerning Hindus in Khargone, has tried to find ways to enforce the economic boycott of Muslim businesses in the district’s villages.913

“The Wire’s ground report from Khargone a few weeks after Ram Navami, details a set of changes the town went through that facilitated this rise of extremism. There has been a spike in the number of Hindu right-wing organisations – “Five years ago, only the Shiv Sena was active here,” said one local. “Today, we have the Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, Gau Raksha Dal, Karni Sena, VHP, Sakal Hindu Samaj…in all there are about eight or nine such sansthans.”914 Another important change has been a rise in economic boycotts since 2018, prior to which communal flares didn’t affect economic ties as strongly.915 The boycotts started with the town’s real estate boom, when these organisations began appealing to developers not to sell houses to Muslims. The rise of social media in disseminating hate speech and misinformation, has been well documented in terms of its capacity to generate offline violence.

Administration’s Response as Collective Punishment

“A fourth change is the nature of the administration’s response with bulldozers indiscriminately used as reprisals for purported obstruction of processions. This change has also allowed the numerous Hindutva groups to foment hate with more impunity.916

“Further, that the processions were all armed with swords, tridents, bricks and bats is testament to the politicisation of Hindu festivals and their takeover by paramilitary groups operating with impunity due to State support.

“Weapons distribution has also been more openly taking place in recent years, especially in BJP- ruled states. April 2022 also saw mass events for distributing swords and tridents organised by Antarashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP) in both Gujarat and Assam, where they also announced

911 Engineer I. (19 April 2022). Koderma: What actually happened on Ram Navami? Sabrang. Retrieved from https://sabrangindia.in/article/koderma-what-actually-happened-ram-navami [07 July 2022]

912 Pandey T. (26 April 2022). Desire for pan-Hindu identity, hatred for Bangladeshis. The Print. Retrieved from https://theprint.in/features/shakha-taught-us-to-be-brave-how-children-were-drawn-into-jahangirpuri- violence/930389/

913 Lalwani V. (29 April 2022). In A Riot-Torn MP Town, Hindus Organise an Economic Boycott of Muslims. Article 14. Retrieved from https://article-14.com/post/in-a-riot-torn-mp-town-hindus-organise-an-economic-boycott- of-muslims-626b0b188f64b [09 July 2022]

914 Rajshekhar M. (08 July 2022). More Hindu Right Groups, Polarising with Impunity: How Communal Tensions Intensified in Khargone. The Wire. Retrieved from https://thewire.in/communalism/khargone-madhya- pradesh-communal-tensions-boycott [11 July 2022]

915 Ibid

916 ibid

further such drives.917 Calls for mass violence against Muslims in general have been taking place, with tacit endorsement from the authorities, in the form of Dharma Sansads and Hindu Mahapanchayats in Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.918

“It is clear that incendiary processions have been used to play a multi-functional role in majoritarian consolidation. They are also masquerading as a popular but extremely dangerous mode of religious expression. Although this report is focused on the processions for Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti in April 2022, and the events surrounding them, the same strategies are being invoked on smaller scales almost every month. On April 2nd, the beginning of Navratri, Uttar Pradesh’s Gahmar village saw a procession called the Ram Kalash Yatra, where young Hindu men played the same inflammatory songs and planted a saffron flag on the local mosque.919 Muslim residents are now in fear of going to the mosque but have not responded in any way, perhaps due to being a very small minority in the area.

Administrative response as collective punishment

“While there have been earlier phases of communal violence in India, which entrenched cycles of violence, segregation and generated lasting barriers to socioeconomic mobility for Indian Muslims in particular, they did not undermine State control over society or its authority over institutions in the manner that is being seen today.

“Coordination between Hindutva outfits, and the police and district administration, means combining an extreme ideological entity with the civil service. What can be observed from the 2022 Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti series of events is that the relationship between them has become institutionalised in many parts, sustaining a violently undemocratic model of governance that is anathema to the rule of law.920

In Khargone and Sendhwa in Madhya Pradesh, Jahangirpuri in Delhi, Himmatnagar and Khambhat in Gujarat, the district administrations and local police carried out demolition drives in the immediate aftermath of the violence, i.e., the day after Ram Navami and the day after Hanuman Jayanti. As the chapters of this Report have examined in detail, their punitive motivations were frankly admitted by either the district officials or State ministers, who made no bones about their motivations.

917 SabrangIndia. (25 April 2022). How is the Assam gov’t allowing Pravin Togadia’s trishul distribution? Sabrang. Retrieved from    https://sabrangindia.in/article/how-assam-govt-allowing-pravin-togadias-trishul- distribution [11 July 2022]

918 Jha DK. (01 March 2022). Unholy Orders: The Haridwar dharma sansad is a reflection of the RSS’s new strategy with sadhus. The Caravan. Retrieved from https://caravanmagazine.in/commentary/haridwar-dharma-sansad- vhp-rss-hate-speech [11 July 2022]

919 Iyer A. (06 May). CCTVs recorded violence against mosques during Navratri. But are the police watching the footage? Scroll. Retrieved from https://scroll.in/article/1023257/cctvs-recorded-violence-against-mosques- during-navratri-but-are-the-police-watching-it [11 July 2022]

920 Ibid

“Widely recognised by lawyers, human rights defenders and experts to be arbitrary and unconstitutional, the demolition drives break the three cardinal principles of the Indian Constitution, i.e., presumption of innocence, rule of law, and separation of powers between the three wings of the government.

“The demolitions mark a set of important developments in the ongoing dismantling of rule of law and religious freedom in India. One conspicuous feature has been the largely passive role of the court. Most worrisome are the long-term implications of the illegality being ascribed to Muslim settlements. In the immediate sense, the fallout is that loss of housing and livelihood has a cascading effect on all other human rights. However, through these post-procession demolition drives, the occupation of space by the Muslim community is being tagged as encroachment in the concerned States, when the major part of Indian urbanisation comprises of unauthorised construction.

“Particular characteristics of Indian urbanisation, such as unclear systems of land ownership and planned illegalities, have led to a majority of homes in cities like Delhi being technically illegal or unauthorised constructions, even though they exist with tacit approval of the state.921 People settle in unoccupied parts, governments and administrations don’t do anything for years and, most often, regularise them. Many of the residents who lost their homes and livelihoods in these drives testified to receiving entitlements such as electricity or water, and many had documents determining the legitimacy of their residence.

“Historically, the displacement and dispossession of minorities in India tends to be rewritten as resettlement and ‘migration’. For e.g., the multiplying of places of Muslim concentration in the form of ‘resettlement colonies’ on the peripheries of towns and villages, in the aftermath of the Gujarat 2002 riots was termed migration by the state.922

Victims of the Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti violence, and the demolition drives that followed, face several layers of barriers to rehabilitation. It includes the loss of cash, documentation, and social support systems, threats to physical safety, and economic boycotts, but it is more than state apathy – in situations of communal violence, the Indian state has a history of disrupting Muslim families’ ability to rebuild and recover. This is a precarity borne particularly by women, who bear the brunt of destabilizing the family and community.

“The absence of mandatory rehabilitation plans alongside the now-frequent demolitions in BJP- ruled states must be seen in the context of the fate of people displaced due to communal or ethnic violence in India constituting a major information gap, particularly for those who do not live in formal camps or resettlement areas.923

In conclusion, the available evidence corroborates statements by civil society groups, lawyers, academics and activists, that India has reached a stage of perpetual violence. In an open letter to

921 Banerjee, C. (2022, May 18). Why cities create ghettos & politics sends bulldozers. The Times of India. Retrieved from https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/why-cities-create-ghettos-politics-sends- bulldozers/articleshow/91611194.cms [09 July 2020]

922 Badigar, S. (2012). A “Normal” Anomaly: Displacement due to Communal Violence in Gujarat. Economic and Political Weekly, 47(3), 42–47. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41419740 [11 July 2022]

923 New Internationalist. (04 January 2021). Displaced by a riot. Retrieved from https://newint.org/features/2021/01/04/displaced-riot [11 July 2022]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, more than a hundred retired senior civil servants stated that the administration of law has become the means by which the minorities, particularly the Muslim community, can be kept in a state of perpetual fear.924 Facilitation and support for communal frenzy is being provided at all levels of the administration – from local police and administrative officials to the highest political levels in state and central governments. The letter states, “While the actual commission of violence may be outsourced to fringe groups, there is little doubt as to how the ground for their operations is made fertile, how each of them follows a master script and shares a common ‘tool kit’ and how the propaganda machinery of a party as well as the state is made available to them to defend their actions.”925

The entire report may be read here.

Related:

Violence breaks out after controversial route of a procession passes Mosque in Karnataka's Haveri, 15 detained

CJP’s PIL seeking directions for established law & procedure on religious processions: A Factsheet

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Family of Momeen, arrested for posting whatsapp status for Aurangzeb, forced to leave village

Till now, three complaints have been filed by people with far-right ideologies and belonging to Hindtuva groups

25 Mar 2023

whatsapp

Amid the growing attempts towards distorting the history of places and spaces by changing their names, it is being reported two families have been forced to leave their homes in Hatkanangale tehsil of Maharashtra's Kolhapur district over the last week due to pressure from local residents and Hindutva activists over WhatsApp statuses praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Last month, an uproar had occurred when the name of the Aurangabad city had been changed to Sambhaji Nagar. This decision has led to two different reaction, with one group peacefully protesting the said change, while the other group, led by Hindutva outifts, took it upon themselves to force this decision down the throats of those who did not agree with it.

Earlier this week, it had been reported that two FIRs have been filed against those who posted these status, and a third complaint has be referred. The accused in one case, namely Mohammad Momeen, is in custody, while the accused in the second case is untraceable. Momeen, a 19-year-old resident from Savarde village who sells jute bardana bags, was booked under IPC sections 298 and 505, has been in custody at Kolhapur sub-jail since his arrest. 

As reported by Newslaundary, the status put by him read, “Tum naam toh badal loge, lekin itihaas naa badal paaoge. Woh pahaad aaj bhi gawah hai, iss shahr ka badshah kaun tha aur kaun hai; Aurangzeb Aalamgeer. (You can change a name but you will not be able to change history. The hills stand witness to who was and is the king of this city; Aurangzeb Aalamgeer.)”

As was previously reported, the day after Momeen had put up this status, on March 17, the Hindutva groups has assembled at Momin’s house and caused havoc, setting fire to Sugar Sack Warehouse and a tempo owned by the family. They had also attacked and assaulted Momin’s father. Even though assault on property and human bodies is held to be offences in India, it was Momeen who was arrested. Now, it has been reported that Momeen’s family were also forced to leave the village.

According to the report by Newslaundry, the complainant, Parshuram Chavhan, associated with the BJP and the Sambhaji Bhide-led Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, said “Police arrested him and his family left the village. Although they have been seeking forgiveness…we want to set an example. We will discuss the matter among our people and then take a final decision. Without our permission they cannot enter the village.” The Newslaundry report had further provided that Vadgaon police senior inspector, Bhairu Talekar, had said that Momeen was arrested “because his WhatsApp status was not correct and could have led to a riot-like situation in the area”. Both the police and the Savarde sarpanch Amol Kamble refused to have any knowledge regarding the family of the accused being forced out.

The second FIR, also filed on March 17, was against Faizan Saudagar, a 23-year-old tempo driver from Minche village, over his WhatsApp status, which read, “Namumkin ko mumkin banaanewala badshah sultan Aurangzeb Alamgir (Aurangzeb Alamgir, the emperor who made the impossible possible.)”

This FIR, filed under IPC sections 298, 295A, and 505(2), also alleged that the status was posted with the intent to offend Hindu religious sentiments. Vaibhav Hirawe, a member of Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, had filed the complaint.

The third FIR, filed on March 21, was against Kudrat Jamadar, a 21-year-old resident of Khochi village, over his WhatsApp status. His status read, “Aurangabad Aurangzeb ka hee rahega (Aurangabad will remain Aurangzeb’s). It was also accompanied with an audio remarking that “it doesn’t matter who the forest belongs to, the hunt will be the tiger’s – Aurangzeb Alamgir”.

 

Related:

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Maharashtra: The new breeding ground for hate, oaths of allegiance to the Constitution brutally violated

Family of Momeen, arrested for posting whatsapp status for Aurangzeb, forced to leave village

Till now, three complaints have been filed by people with far-right ideologies and belonging to Hindtuva groups

25 Mar 2023

whatsapp

Amid the growing attempts towards distorting the history of places and spaces by changing their names, it is being reported two families have been forced to leave their homes in Hatkanangale tehsil of Maharashtra's Kolhapur district over the last week due to pressure from local residents and Hindutva activists over WhatsApp statuses praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Last month, an uproar had occurred when the name of the Aurangabad city had been changed to Sambhaji Nagar. This decision has led to two different reaction, with one group peacefully protesting the said change, while the other group, led by Hindutva outifts, took it upon themselves to force this decision down the throats of those who did not agree with it.

Earlier this week, it had been reported that two FIRs have been filed against those who posted these status, and a third complaint has be referred. The accused in one case, namely Mohammad Momeen, is in custody, while the accused in the second case is untraceable. Momeen, a 19-year-old resident from Savarde village who sells jute bardana bags, was booked under IPC sections 298 and 505, has been in custody at Kolhapur sub-jail since his arrest. 

As reported by Newslaundary, the status put by him read, “Tum naam toh badal loge, lekin itihaas naa badal paaoge. Woh pahaad aaj bhi gawah hai, iss shahr ka badshah kaun tha aur kaun hai; Aurangzeb Aalamgeer. (You can change a name but you will not be able to change history. The hills stand witness to who was and is the king of this city; Aurangzeb Aalamgeer.)”

As was previously reported, the day after Momeen had put up this status, on March 17, the Hindutva groups has assembled at Momin’s house and caused havoc, setting fire to Sugar Sack Warehouse and a tempo owned by the family. They had also attacked and assaulted Momin’s father. Even though assault on property and human bodies is held to be offences in India, it was Momeen who was arrested. Now, it has been reported that Momeen’s family were also forced to leave the village.

According to the report by Newslaundry, the complainant, Parshuram Chavhan, associated with the BJP and the Sambhaji Bhide-led Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, said “Police arrested him and his family left the village. Although they have been seeking forgiveness…we want to set an example. We will discuss the matter among our people and then take a final decision. Without our permission they cannot enter the village.” The Newslaundry report had further provided that Vadgaon police senior inspector, Bhairu Talekar, had said that Momeen was arrested “because his WhatsApp status was not correct and could have led to a riot-like situation in the area”. Both the police and the Savarde sarpanch Amol Kamble refused to have any knowledge regarding the family of the accused being forced out.

The second FIR, also filed on March 17, was against Faizan Saudagar, a 23-year-old tempo driver from Minche village, over his WhatsApp status, which read, “Namumkin ko mumkin banaanewala badshah sultan Aurangzeb Alamgir (Aurangzeb Alamgir, the emperor who made the impossible possible.)”

This FIR, filed under IPC sections 298, 295A, and 505(2), also alleged that the status was posted with the intent to offend Hindu religious sentiments. Vaibhav Hirawe, a member of Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, had filed the complaint.

The third FIR, filed on March 21, was against Kudrat Jamadar, a 21-year-old resident of Khochi village, over his WhatsApp status. His status read, “Aurangabad Aurangzeb ka hee rahega (Aurangabad will remain Aurangzeb’s). It was also accompanied with an audio remarking that “it doesn’t matter who the forest belongs to, the hunt will be the tiger’s – Aurangzeb Alamgir”.

 

Related:

Rising Intolerance in Maharashtra: 2 Muslim boys arrested for putting a status on Aurangzeb

Take action against hate speech in Mira-Bhayandar: Residents, Opposition parties to Commissioner of Police

Maharashtra: Vitriolic speaker from Gujarat calls for economic boycott of Muslims in Mira-Bhayandar

A roundup of the CJP's efforts to curb hate speeches by Hindu Janajagruiti Samaj, from filing preemptive complaints to following up with officers

Memo seeking preventive action against Hindu Janajagruti Samiti event sent to authorities

Citizens’ attempts to prevent hate speech event ignored, Hate Event allowed by Ratnagiri Police

Maharashtra: The new breeding ground for hate, oaths of allegiance to the Constitution brutally violated

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Beaten on suspicion of car theft in Etawah, UP, Muslim youth Amjad joins a list of such victims

Over the past three years, incidents of these kinds have surfaced and repeated in several parts of the state with impunity

24 Mar 2023

Killing

Five days back , at Etawah, Uttar Pradesh (UP), on March 19, a Muslim youth named Amjad was reportedly brutally beaten over the suspicion of car theft. In what is turning out to be a singular pattern in the state, the young man later died due to severe injuries to his lungs.

This is not the first time that mob violence has targeted minorities there. On September 2, 2022 (incident reported by The Wire on October 2022, a 50-year-old Muslim man named Dawood Ali Tyagi was reported to have been attacked by a mob in Vinaipur in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district. At the time, around 20 men reportedly charged at Tyagi with sticks and sharp objects late at night, inflicting fatal injuries upon him. While the police claimed that four arrests have been made in the case, five months down little progress appears to have been made in the case. While the authorities contested the claim, Tyagi’s family had claimed that the attack was not random and that it was, in fact, a targeted crime aimed at instilling fear in Muslims. The police claim otherwise.

Tyagi, a farmer, lived in Vinaipur with his wife and daughter while his three sons lived and studied in Delhi. Speaking to The Wire about what transpired, one of his sons, Shahrukh, said, “My father was sitting on the porch of the house chatting with our relatives. At around 10 pm, a group of 22 men on about seven or eight bikes arrived.”

“He was attacked with sharp weapons; chain sockets latched onto sticks,” Shahrukh continued. “They attacked my father on his head and he also suffered three separate injuries on his hand. They fired on my cousins too, however, since they were much younger, my cousins escaped.” “As they attacked him, they were raising the slogan of ‘Jai Shri Ram’,” Shahrukh said. 

Related:

2nd week, four mob lynchings: Bihar government remains mum

Calcutta cook lynched in Bihar weeks before marriage

Curb on internet, SMS in Nuh as protests demanding justice for Junaid-Nasir escalate

Noida cops suspended for inaction in 2 yr-old hate crime against elderly Muslim man

Beaten on suspicion of car theft in Etawah, UP, Muslim youth Amjad joins a list of such victims

Over the past three years, incidents of these kinds have surfaced and repeated in several parts of the state with impunity

24 Mar 2023

Killing

Five days back , at Etawah, Uttar Pradesh (UP), on March 19, a Muslim youth named Amjad was reportedly brutally beaten over the suspicion of car theft. In what is turning out to be a singular pattern in the state, the young man later died due to severe injuries to his lungs.

This is not the first time that mob violence has targeted minorities there. On September 2, 2022 (incident reported by The Wire on October 2022, a 50-year-old Muslim man named Dawood Ali Tyagi was reported to have been attacked by a mob in Vinaipur in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district. At the time, around 20 men reportedly charged at Tyagi with sticks and sharp objects late at night, inflicting fatal injuries upon him. While the police claimed that four arrests have been made in the case, five months down little progress appears to have been made in the case. While the authorities contested the claim, Tyagi’s family had claimed that the attack was not random and that it was, in fact, a targeted crime aimed at instilling fear in Muslims. The police claim otherwise.

Tyagi, a farmer, lived in Vinaipur with his wife and daughter while his three sons lived and studied in Delhi. Speaking to The Wire about what transpired, one of his sons, Shahrukh, said, “My father was sitting on the porch of the house chatting with our relatives. At around 10 pm, a group of 22 men on about seven or eight bikes arrived.”

“He was attacked with sharp weapons; chain sockets latched onto sticks,” Shahrukh continued. “They attacked my father on his head and he also suffered three separate injuries on his hand. They fired on my cousins too, however, since they were much younger, my cousins escaped.” “As they attacked him, they were raising the slogan of ‘Jai Shri Ram’,” Shahrukh said. 

Related:

2nd week, four mob lynchings: Bihar government remains mum

Calcutta cook lynched in Bihar weeks before marriage

Curb on internet, SMS in Nuh as protests demanding justice for Junaid-Nasir escalate

Noida cops suspended for inaction in 2 yr-old hate crime against elderly Muslim man

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Saffron Bigotry threatens Muslim existence in India

Brazen mobilizations by hate driven outfits, unchecked by law enforcement and the state have generated fear in the Muslim community, a fear that has turned inwards into more restrictions for Muslim women

24 Mar 2023

Hindutva

A New India spews Islamophobic hate today. We see a new India calling for death to Muslims. We see a saffron Mumbai marching toward genocide. We see the saffron army marching towards “cleansing” Maharashtra of “jihadis”. We see involuntary celibate, saffron-adorning men wanting to go to ‘Taj nagar’ to violate a ‘burqe wali’ (woman wearing a burqa). A skull cap-wearing man is a jihadi for them, who allegedly drugs their impotency.  They fear impotency as it may reduce ‘their’ numbers, and to avoid this, they hope to reduce ‘our’ numbers. They other us, call us invaders, a threat to their saffron land, they perceive us as pests infesting the country. They want a pesticide to make the country pest-free, Muslim-free. 

For the last eight years, India has displayed an evident abhorrence for minorities. The anti-Muslim sentiment spreads throughout the country in various forms. This hate is characterised by the mob lynching of Muslims in the 2020 East Delhi pogroms, cow vigilantes targeting Muslim dairy producers, the economic boycott of Muslim traders, pushing for surveillance of inter-faith couples, and the auctioning of vocal Muslim women in the public sphere through apps such as “Bulli Bai” and “Sulli Deals”. The vitriol brews in this saffron atmosphere. Its aim is amply clear - establishing a “Hindu Rashtra”. 

During the Covid - 19 pandemic, Muslims in India faced communal violence due to selective stigmatisation of the Tabhlighi Jamaat’s congregation in 2020. Several Muslims from different countries were stranded in India as all modes of transport were canceled. The pandemic witnessed an economic boycott of Muslims as they were blamed for the spread of the virus. Muslims faced dual isolation, as the quarantine was regulated harsher in Muslim areas by the state, and Muslim traders were also discriminated against due to communal hostility. This exacerbated economic issues for the community, deeply affecting their incomes and pushing them to impoverishment.

Muslim women specifically have been targeted to cause “shame” and dis-honour the community.  The Hijab row in Karnataka attacks their freedom to practice religion. The online trolling, doxing, and cyber harassment faced by vocal Muslim women is traumatising, it pushes them to self-censor their opinions. As a result, families tend to take a protective stance towards them. This hinders their mobility in both domestic and public settings. The slogans for the abduction and rape of Muslim women are vulgar, despicable strategies to sexualise Muslim women, to “unveil and unravel” is an open to support rape culture wrapped in saffron.

Festivals and rituals have also been targeted and condemned for being “disruptive of public order.” There were efforts last year to curb Eid celebrations, the morning prayer – azaan –from (koudspeakers on) mosques was considered as “too loud”. This is ironic in a country like India, where most festivals are practiced with a lot of sound display, loudly. The Navratri celebrations, Ganesh Chaturthi, the bursting of crackers and fireworks during Diwali, Indian weddings, and the baraat (wedding) proceeding, the bursting of fireworks to celebrate cricket victories, all disrupt public order. Singling out Eid and Ramzan is a deliberate attempt to curb the minorities’ display of religion and rituals. It is to stop any kind of public visibility and congregation of Muslim communities in India.

Around 50 Hindu Janaakrosh Morchas have been organized in the past four months in Maharashtra. Such mobilisations give calls for Hindus to unite and boycott Muslims in three ways, love - jihad, land jihad, and economic boycott. On February 26, the meeting at Mira Bhayandar witnessed Kajal Hindustani calling for Hindus to unite and boycott Muslim vendors and traders. The land on which mosques and cemeteries are built are allegedly “illegal” constructions. She also mentioned how Mira Bhayandar no longer remains a Hindu-dominated area. Geeta Jain, the Independent-elected then BJP-turned MLA of Mira Bhayandar, also supported Jan Aakrosh Morcha. Despite Supreme Court’s order against hate speech, people chanted slogans against Muslims openly.

The collective memory of Muslims today is tainted in saffron; saffron posters, slogans, banners, and speeches. The hate-filled air causes nausea, and loud death calls instill fear. Such vitriol harms the Muslim identity at different levels. The Muslim identity is feared, othered, and now subjected to genocidal intent. These saffron demonstrations intimidate Muslim communities and also deride them of hope. The state-funded vitriolic atmosphere is a direct attack on the citizenship rights of Muslims. It causes deep insecurity in the Muslim psyche and leaves lasting trauma. Muslim folks are specifically being targeted by such mobs, and open calls to attack Muslim women reveal the state's misogynistic character. Moreover, the early release of Bilkis Bano’s convicts and the garlanding of these men as they are Brahmins who brought honour to their community is an awful disregard for justice and a failure of the state. This hate is perpetuated at individual level by right wing Bhakts (devotees of the regime) who post Islamophobic slogans, statuses, and tweets online. It contributes to the larger agenda of associations like Hindu Sakal Samaj to continue hate-mongering as it is being mimicked by people.

This insurmountable impact of bigotry and hate on Muslims is immeasurable, it cannot be quantified, but the effects can be observed in the code of conduct and ethos of Muslims. Such treatment has had a tangible impact on people’s livelihoods. The barring of students from wearing Hijab to college increased the dropout rates amongst Muslim girls. Their right to education, social mobility, and their right to lead a life with dignity is all under threat. Moreover, it is a bigoted approach to relegate the constitutional rights of Muslims to simplified identity politics. Hindu liberals who support the Hijab believing this are ignorant of the larger narrative here. Through Hijab, the bodies of Muslim women become a site of regulation by the State and religious groups trying to impose modesty on women. Muslim women’s bodily autonomy has been token-ised, controversial-ised and problemat-ised by the State, media and the community. The hyper-masculine expression of adorning saffron scarves, spitting on Muslim women are beastly tactics to intimidate Muslim women. The bias while hiring professionals from Muslim communities affects the social and economic aspirations of both the individual and the larger demographic of Muslims. Muslim communities then resort to coping mechanisms like an overt expression of identity through clothes, preaching Islam emphatically, becoming more insular, and being sceptical of any interaction with non-Islamic groups.

The state expects Muslims to remain “good minorities, "silent and passive people who should not fight. The citizenship rights of Muslims are under threat. The lack of adherence to Supreme Court orders and verdicts shows the failure and disregard of state institutions. It is disheartening and threatening more when it’s closer to home. In Mumbai, the Jan Aakrosh Morchas put public peace and harmony in jeopardy. Muslims are vulnerable even while claiming space in the public sphere. Women wearing burqas face bigoted stares from co-passengers on trains and the metro. There’s a hateful tone in any kind of interaction between strangers. Moreover, when saffron-clad men notice Muslim women, they are harassed by their stares and catcalled. This saffronised chauvanism threatens Muslim existence in India.

Related:

New Year brings little cheer, Chavhanke’s hate diatribe in Maharashtra continues

Five states report incidents of violence and intimidation against Christians between March 20 and 22

AMIDST ESCALATING HATE EVENTS, CJP PERSISTS WITH MULTI-LAYERED ANTI-HATE EFFORTS

HATE WATCH: BJP MLA, RAJA SINGH DELIVERS SERIAL HATE SPEECHES AGAINST MUSLIMS, USES SLURS, MAKES OPEN CALLS FOR ECONOMIC BOYCOTT IN ONE SPEECH, GENOCIDE IN ANOTHER

 

Saffron Bigotry threatens Muslim existence in India

Brazen mobilizations by hate driven outfits, unchecked by law enforcement and the state have generated fear in the Muslim community, a fear that has turned inwards into more restrictions for Muslim women

24 Mar 2023

Hindutva

A New India spews Islamophobic hate today. We see a new India calling for death to Muslims. We see a saffron Mumbai marching toward genocide. We see the saffron army marching towards “cleansing” Maharashtra of “jihadis”. We see involuntary celibate, saffron-adorning men wanting to go to ‘Taj nagar’ to violate a ‘burqe wali’ (woman wearing a burqa). A skull cap-wearing man is a jihadi for them, who allegedly drugs their impotency.  They fear impotency as it may reduce ‘their’ numbers, and to avoid this, they hope to reduce ‘our’ numbers. They other us, call us invaders, a threat to their saffron land, they perceive us as pests infesting the country. They want a pesticide to make the country pest-free, Muslim-free. 

For the last eight years, India has displayed an evident abhorrence for minorities. The anti-Muslim sentiment spreads throughout the country in various forms. This hate is characterised by the mob lynching of Muslims in the 2020 East Delhi pogroms, cow vigilantes targeting Muslim dairy producers, the economic boycott of Muslim traders, pushing for surveillance of inter-faith couples, and the auctioning of vocal Muslim women in the public sphere through apps such as “Bulli Bai” and “Sulli Deals”. The vitriol brews in this saffron atmosphere. Its aim is amply clear - establishing a “Hindu Rashtra”. 

During the Covid - 19 pandemic, Muslims in India faced communal violence due to selective stigmatisation of the Tabhlighi Jamaat’s congregation in 2020. Several Muslims from different countries were stranded in India as all modes of transport were canceled. The pandemic witnessed an economic boycott of Muslims as they were blamed for the spread of the virus. Muslims faced dual isolation, as the quarantine was regulated harsher in Muslim areas by the state, and Muslim traders were also discriminated against due to communal hostility. This exacerbated economic issues for the community, deeply affecting their incomes and pushing them to impoverishment.

Muslim women specifically have been targeted to cause “shame” and dis-honour the community.  The Hijab row in Karnataka attacks their freedom to practice religion. The online trolling, doxing, and cyber harassment faced by vocal Muslim women is traumatising, it pushes them to self-censor their opinions. As a result, families tend to take a protective stance towards them. This hinders their mobility in both domestic and public settings. The slogans for the abduction and rape of Muslim women are vulgar, despicable strategies to sexualise Muslim women, to “unveil and unravel” is an open to support rape culture wrapped in saffron.

Festivals and rituals have also been targeted and condemned for being “disruptive of public order.” There were efforts last year to curb Eid celebrations, the morning prayer – azaan –from (koudspeakers on) mosques was considered as “too loud”. This is ironic in a country like India, where most festivals are practiced with a lot of sound display, loudly. The Navratri celebrations, Ganesh Chaturthi, the bursting of crackers and fireworks during Diwali, Indian weddings, and the baraat (wedding) proceeding, the bursting of fireworks to celebrate cricket victories, all disrupt public order. Singling out Eid and Ramzan is a deliberate attempt to curb the minorities’ display of religion and rituals. It is to stop any kind of public visibility and congregation of Muslim communities in India.

Around 50 Hindu Janaakrosh Morchas have been organized in the past four months in Maharashtra. Such mobilisations give calls for Hindus to unite and boycott Muslims in three ways, love - jihad, land jihad, and economic boycott. On February 26, the meeting at Mira Bhayandar witnessed Kajal Hindustani calling for Hindus to unite and boycott Muslim vendors and traders. The land on which mosques and cemeteries are built are allegedly “illegal” constructions. She also mentioned how Mira Bhayandar no longer remains a Hindu-dominated area. Geeta Jain, the Independent-elected then BJP-turned MLA of Mira Bhayandar, also supported Jan Aakrosh Morcha. Despite Supreme Court’s order against hate speech, people chanted slogans against Muslims openly.

The collective memory of Muslims today is tainted in saffron; saffron posters, slogans, banners, and speeches. The hate-filled air causes nausea, and loud death calls instill fear. Such vitriol harms the Muslim identity at different levels. The Muslim identity is feared, othered, and now subjected to genocidal intent. These saffron demonstrations intimidate Muslim communities and also deride them of hope. The state-funded vitriolic atmosphere is a direct attack on the citizenship rights of Muslims. It causes deep insecurity in the Muslim psyche and leaves lasting trauma. Muslim folks are specifically being targeted by such mobs, and open calls to attack Muslim women reveal the state's misogynistic character. Moreover, the early release of Bilkis Bano’s convicts and the garlanding of these men as they are Brahmins who brought honour to their community is an awful disregard for justice and a failure of the state. This hate is perpetuated at individual level by right wing Bhakts (devotees of the regime) who post Islamophobic slogans, statuses, and tweets online. It contributes to the larger agenda of associations like Hindu Sakal Samaj to continue hate-mongering as it is being mimicked by people.

This insurmountable impact of bigotry and hate on Muslims is immeasurable, it cannot be quantified, but the effects can be observed in the code of conduct and ethos of Muslims. Such treatment has had a tangible impact on people’s livelihoods. The barring of students from wearing Hijab to college increased the dropout rates amongst Muslim girls. Their right to education, social mobility, and their right to lead a life with dignity is all under threat. Moreover, it is a bigoted approach to relegate the constitutional rights of Muslims to simplified identity politics. Hindu liberals who support the Hijab believing this are ignorant of the larger narrative here. Through Hijab, the bodies of Muslim women become a site of regulation by the State and religious groups trying to impose modesty on women. Muslim women’s bodily autonomy has been token-ised, controversial-ised and problemat-ised by the State, media and the community. The hyper-masculine expression of adorning saffron scarves, spitting on Muslim women are beastly tactics to intimidate Muslim women. The bias while hiring professionals from Muslim communities affects the social and economic aspirations of both the individual and the larger demographic of Muslims. Muslim communities then resort to coping mechanisms like an overt expression of identity through clothes, preaching Islam emphatically, becoming more insular, and being sceptical of any interaction with non-Islamic groups.

The state expects Muslims to remain “good minorities, "silent and passive people who should not fight. The citizenship rights of Muslims are under threat. The lack of adherence to Supreme Court orders and verdicts shows the failure and disregard of state institutions. It is disheartening and threatening more when it’s closer to home. In Mumbai, the Jan Aakrosh Morchas put public peace and harmony in jeopardy. Muslims are vulnerable even while claiming space in the public sphere. Women wearing burqas face bigoted stares from co-passengers on trains and the metro. There’s a hateful tone in any kind of interaction between strangers. Moreover, when saffron-clad men notice Muslim women, they are harassed by their stares and catcalled. This saffronised chauvanism threatens Muslim existence in India.

Related:

New Year brings little cheer, Chavhanke’s hate diatribe in Maharashtra continues

Five states report incidents of violence and intimidation against Christians between March 20 and 22

AMIDST ESCALATING HATE EVENTS, CJP PERSISTS WITH MULTI-LAYERED ANTI-HATE EFFORTS

HATE WATCH: BJP MLA, RAJA SINGH DELIVERS SERIAL HATE SPEECHES AGAINST MUSLIMS, USES SLURS, MAKES OPEN CALLS FOR ECONOMIC BOYCOTT IN ONE SPEECH, GENOCIDE IN ANOTHER

 

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Sabrang

New Year brings little cheer, Chavhanke’s hate diatribe in Maharashtra continues

Speaking at Nashik on March 22, he went on ceaselessly spreading disinformation about both Muslims and Christians

23 Mar 2023

Suresh Chavhanke

“No society should accept hatred as the new normal”
                                                                                    - CJI DY Chandrachud

 

As a society we have largely aspired for peaceful co-existence, however, this consensus does not sit easy with the right wing in India. They are determinedly imposing hatred and animosity among the majority with an aim to alienate and marginalise the minority. These agents of hate include Sudarshan News Editor Suresh Chavhanke who has been on a guided tour in Maharashtra over the past three months, spreading divisiveness, attempting to incite violence. His speech feed the audience (and others online) with heaps of false information and also make baseless claims to paint the minority community as an “enemy.”

On the occasion of Gudi Padwa, the New Year, when all people look forward to messages of positivity, hate mongers like Chavhanke were busy injecting hatred. More problematic is the fact that the police and administration allowed this sort of corrosive activity unchecked.

At Anant Kanhere Maidan in Nashik on Hindu New year, March 22, Chavhanke addressed a large crowd at a ‘Hindu Hunkar Sabha’, speaking in Marathi while the entire show was streamed live on YouTube. Needless to say, in his hour long speech he resorted to his usual fear mongering, stigmatising Muslims and Christians, referring to them in denigrating terms, gave calls for violence, used the ‘they should be in Pakistan’ trope, made baseless claims of encroachment over temples, made unfounded claims about “love Jihad”, revolved his narrative around attacking the autonomy of women and urged people to take law in their hands. All of this and more has always been Chavhanke’s particular brand of hate recipe.

Almost every statement he made during this address amounted to at least one offence under Indian penal laws. Apparently (as can be understood from his speech), there were even senior officers of Maharashtra police present at this event. Despite this however, the man emerged unscathed, with no case, to date, being registered against him.

Using the victim card, trying to generate both anger and fear, he made some baseless claims about ‘Land Jihad’ around the Navshya Ganpati temple in Nashik. He claimed that he would be going to visit the temple and then the countdown will begin. He said he will gift a bulldozer to CM Eknath Shinde to remove this “encroachment”. This statement evoked a loud applause from the audience. “Sit on the bulldozer like Yogi Adityanath,” he said exhorting the Maharashtra chief minister, Eknath Shinde.

He even attacked Christians. He claimed that Adivasis living in Peth, Harsul, Trambak, Igatpuri, Surgana, Ghoti are being converted “in large numbers”. In the last three years alone, he says, Christians have converted so many Adivasis that this has beaten the record of the past 20 years! I have a list that shows that even where there are only four Christian homes, there are still big churches in the area. Where do they get the money from?  Who is talking about this? Hence we need to talk about this.                                                         (Time stamp: 28.27-28.35)

He claimed that the Waqf Board is eyeing thousands of acres of land in Nashik and that Nashik needs to be awakened.                                                                                    (Time stamp: 31.11)

He said the biggest obstacle in rescuing girl from Love Jihad is the girl herself because she has not been taught by her parents that wars in Ramayan and Mahabharat were fought for protecting the women. You should give Sanskar to your children.

He made the following demands to the government:

  • Bring a stringent Love Jihad law in Maharashtra

  • Bring a stringent anti-conversion law in Maharashtra

  • Bring a stringent anti-cow slaughter law in Maharashtra

  • Bring Anti-encroachment law for forts, Law against Madrassas and a Population control law

What he said

Here is the transcript of the video by time stamps (Time stamp:8:19-9:02)

“If someone is looking at your sister with bad intentions. Then your anger should be so loud that the jihadi should start bleeding from his ears. The conspiracy against your mothers and sisters should be heard by you and you need sharp ears for that. Like Gandhiji’s monkeys will you keep your eyes, mouth and ears shut? (Time stamp: 10.00- 10.53)

“The police are the victims. The first target of these jihadis are the police. These Hindus are with you (the Police). From tomorrow the ‘love jihadi’ will not be so brave because so many Hindus are with you.” (Time stamp: 12.45- 13.30)

“In Vihitgaon Hindus population is less than 50%. The name is now renamed as Eid gaon. Politicians will not tell you such things. That is why you need such meetings.

(Time stamp: 14.25-14.38)

“You praise the cow but unless you don’t cut off the hand of the Kasaai  who slaughters the cow, the cow will not give you any blessings. Protect cows like Shivaji Maharaj did.

(Time stamp: 15.37- 19.02)

“Even a married woman is unsafe. We have forgotten about Kiran Sanap. Nobody knows if Rashid Khan is on bail. Unless you take revenge, there will be rule of law. Here there is no hegemony of law and no hegemony of Hindus either. I am not saying break the law. If a jihadi molests your sister, will you dial 100 or will you take the matter in your hands?” The audience says they will do the latter “Is there even one such example of a person taking law in their hands in such a case? No… This Sabha is to encourage you that if someone looks at your sister with bad intentions, that person should not be let off. (Time stamp: 20.04 – 21.18)

“In MIDC, Shinnar Bangladeshis have settled down. I plead to the senior officers of the Police seated here and Ministers as well. Nashik does not have a cell for searching for Bangladeshis. You must be seeing  new kinds of caps (referring to Muslim skull caps. Where did they come from? From Bangladesh. They brought Rohingyas from Bangladesh. I take their name today. Islamic organization called ‘Jamaat-e-Islami’ through their network of various mosques a Muslim foreigner has been settled in smallest of villages in India. (Time stamp: 21.20- 21.32)

Your fruits business is not with your anymore. You have lost them out to them (Muslims). If a fellow countryman had done it (taken over the business) I would have remained quiet for a while. But a Bangladeshi!                                                 (Time stamp:21.32-21.45)

“That’s why from this Nashik we need to give a declaration: Bangladeshi Bhagao aur Hindustan Bachao (Chase away the Bangladeshi and Save India).” The audience resonated with him.

(Time stamp: 21.53-22.43)

“How many of you know what the Muslim population in Nashik is? As per Census 2011, 19% Muslims are in Nashik. This is 2011 census. As per current data, this number has increased to 27-29%. DO you understand how big a number this is? Wherever the Hindus population decreases there Hindustan also diminishes. Kashmir, Bengal, Kerala are all border states. What is happening within the borders? Do you want Nashik to become Malegaon? It’s happening!”

(Time stamp: 22.44-23.22)

“If this continues, I am telling you by 2030, within 7 years, you will not be able to organize any Hindu events/programs. Population (of Muslims) will increase so much you won’t be able to do anything.” “Today in Malegaon, can you such a meeting?  (Time stamp: 23.30-24.47)

“We think we have money so we don’t have to fear. The Hindus in Dhaka at one point thought that the velvet business is ours, the Hindus of Kashmir at one point though the Kesar business is ours and they (Muslim) are just labourers. But if they announce on the loudspeakers of their mosques that leave your women and girls behind and leave this Nashik, do we want such a situation to arise here? It happened in Kashmir, right? Could Hindus enter Kashmir again despite Modi’s government? Still not even nine Hindus could go to Kashmir and live there.

(Time stamp: 29.02-29.22)

“Waqf Board is a demon capturing lands. Central government needs to pay attention to this.  If they say tomorrow that Dindori Ashram (in Nashik), is ours then to get justice you will have to go to the Waqf Board.” (Time stamp: 29.34-30.15)

“This is nothing. Even the Allahabad High Court had to go to the Supreme Court begging to save them. This is how powerful the Waqf Board is. In the last 3 years, 1.5 lakh acres land has been captured by the Waqf Board. I had been to Rahta and Guha in (Ahmed) Nagar, there they have even usurped temple lands.  (Time stamp: 35.28-36.12)

“Tipu Sultan was an enemy of Maharashtra. He was an agent of the French and Portuguese I demand from the Maharashtra government that those worshipping Tipu Shaitan and Aurangzeb should be treated as traitors” (Time stamp: 36.28- 37.04)

“Everywhere Muslims are more than 20%. There around a 40 crore population in India. All Muslim nations together do not have this much population. Can you call them minority? Only 2-3% population is called minority. That’s why we are appealing to Narendra Modi to get rid of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. (Time stamp: 38.00- 39.50)

“Speaking about population, he said that Hindus are now only having one child but they (Muslims) are still having 4 children and at whose expense is this? Ours.  In this democracy, even a saint gets only vote to cast and even a criminal gets only 1 vote to cast. Isn’t this injustice? These children take the rice given to them funded by our money, and fill their stomachs.

(Time stamp: 39.50- 40.30)

“Around 56-60% tax is paid by Hindus. There is only 1% Hindus in Pakistan, but they pay 26% tax there. But they are not safe there. India’s 20% Muslim does not even pay 2% tax. But they are safe here.

(Time stamp: 48.17- 48.57)

“Babasaheb Ambedkar said ‘until the last Muslim does not go to Pakistan, I will not accept this partition.’ If we had listened to Babasaheb then today the Rupee which is 83 for 1 Dollar, would have been equal to that dollar.

 The entire video may be viewed here: 

Related:

Actor Chetan’s Second Arrest: First as Warning, Second as Strategy?

Caution to the wind: Maha Police intimated to be vigilant of HJS Gudi Padwa events

AMIDST ESCALATING HATE EVENTS, CJP PERSISTS WITH MULTI-LAYERED ANTI-HATE EFFORTS

HATE WATCH: BJP MLA, RAJA SINGH DELIVERS SERIAL HATE SPEECHES AGAINST MUSLIMS, USES SLURS, MAKES OPEN CALLS FOR ECONOMIC BOYCOTT IN ONE SPEECH, GENOCIDE IN ANOTHER

 

New Year brings little cheer, Chavhanke’s hate diatribe in Maharashtra continues

Speaking at Nashik on March 22, he went on ceaselessly spreading disinformation about both Muslims and Christians

23 Mar 2023

Suresh Chavhanke

“No society should accept hatred as the new normal”
                                                                                    - CJI DY Chandrachud

 

As a society we have largely aspired for peaceful co-existence, however, this consensus does not sit easy with the right wing in India. They are determinedly imposing hatred and animosity among the majority with an aim to alienate and marginalise the minority. These agents of hate include Sudarshan News Editor Suresh Chavhanke who has been on a guided tour in Maharashtra over the past three months, spreading divisiveness, attempting to incite violence. His speech feed the audience (and others online) with heaps of false information and also make baseless claims to paint the minority community as an “enemy.”

On the occasion of Gudi Padwa, the New Year, when all people look forward to messages of positivity, hate mongers like Chavhanke were busy injecting hatred. More problematic is the fact that the police and administration allowed this sort of corrosive activity unchecked.

At Anant Kanhere Maidan in Nashik on Hindu New year, March 22, Chavhanke addressed a large crowd at a ‘Hindu Hunkar Sabha’, speaking in Marathi while the entire show was streamed live on YouTube. Needless to say, in his hour long speech he resorted to his usual fear mongering, stigmatising Muslims and Christians, referring to them in denigrating terms, gave calls for violence, used the ‘they should be in Pakistan’ trope, made baseless claims of encroachment over temples, made unfounded claims about “love Jihad”, revolved his narrative around attacking the autonomy of women and urged people to take law in their hands. All of this and more has always been Chavhanke’s particular brand of hate recipe.

Almost every statement he made during this address amounted to at least one offence under Indian penal laws. Apparently (as can be understood from his speech), there were even senior officers of Maharashtra police present at this event. Despite this however, the man emerged unscathed, with no case, to date, being registered against him.

Using the victim card, trying to generate both anger and fear, he made some baseless claims about ‘Land Jihad’ around the Navshya Ganpati temple in Nashik. He claimed that he would be going to visit the temple and then the countdown will begin. He said he will gift a bulldozer to CM Eknath Shinde to remove this “encroachment”. This statement evoked a loud applause from the audience. “Sit on the bulldozer like Yogi Adityanath,” he said exhorting the Maharashtra chief minister, Eknath Shinde.

He even attacked Christians. He claimed that Adivasis living in Peth, Harsul, Trambak, Igatpuri, Surgana, Ghoti are being converted “in large numbers”. In the last three years alone, he says, Christians have converted so many Adivasis that this has beaten the record of the past 20 years! I have a list that shows that even where there are only four Christian homes, there are still big churches in the area. Where do they get the money from?  Who is talking about this? Hence we need to talk about this.                                                         (Time stamp: 28.27-28.35)

He claimed that the Waqf Board is eyeing thousands of acres of land in Nashik and that Nashik needs to be awakened.                                                                                    (Time stamp: 31.11)

He said the biggest obstacle in rescuing girl from Love Jihad is the girl herself because she has not been taught by her parents that wars in Ramayan and Mahabharat were fought for protecting the women. You should give Sanskar to your children.

He made the following demands to the government:

  • Bring a stringent Love Jihad law in Maharashtra

  • Bring a stringent anti-conversion law in Maharashtra

  • Bring a stringent anti-cow slaughter law in Maharashtra

  • Bring Anti-encroachment law for forts, Law against Madrassas and a Population control law

What he said

Here is the transcript of the video by time stamps (Time stamp:8:19-9:02)

“If someone is looking at your sister with bad intentions. Then your anger should be so loud that the jihadi should start bleeding from his ears. The conspiracy against your mothers and sisters should be heard by you and you need sharp ears for that. Like Gandhiji’s monkeys will you keep your eyes, mouth and ears shut? (Time stamp: 10.00- 10.53)

“The police are the victims. The first target of these jihadis are the police. These Hindus are with you (the Police). From tomorrow the ‘love jihadi’ will not be so brave because so many Hindus are with you.” (Time stamp: 12.45- 13.30)

“In Vihitgaon Hindus population is less than 50%. The name is now renamed as Eid gaon. Politicians will not tell you such things. That is why you need such meetings.

(Time stamp: 14.25-14.38)

“You praise the cow but unless you don’t cut off the hand of the Kasaai  who slaughters the cow, the cow will not give you any blessings. Protect cows like Shivaji Maharaj did.

(Time stamp: 15.37- 19.02)

“Even a married woman is unsafe. We have forgotten about Kiran Sanap. Nobody knows if Rashid Khan is on bail. Unless you take revenge, there will be rule of law. Here there is no hegemony of law and no hegemony of Hindus either. I am not saying break the law. If a jihadi molests your sister, will you dial 100 or will you take the matter in your hands?” The audience says they will do the latter “Is there even one such example of a person taking law in their hands in such a case? No… This Sabha is to encourage you that if someone looks at your sister with bad intentions, that person should not be let off. (Time stamp: 20.04 – 21.18)

“In MIDC, Shinnar Bangladeshis have settled down. I plead to the senior officers of the Police seated here and Ministers as well. Nashik does not have a cell for searching for Bangladeshis. You must be seeing  new kinds of caps (referring to Muslim skull caps. Where did they come from? From Bangladesh. They brought Rohingyas from Bangladesh. I take their name today. Islamic organization called ‘Jamaat-e-Islami’ through their network of various mosques a Muslim foreigner has been settled in smallest of villages in India. (Time stamp: 21.20- 21.32)

Your fruits business is not with your anymore. You have lost them out to them (Muslims). If a fellow countryman had done it (taken over the business) I would have remained quiet for a while. But a Bangladeshi!                                                 (Time stamp:21.32-21.45)

“That’s why from this Nashik we need to give a declaration: Bangladeshi Bhagao aur Hindustan Bachao (Chase away the Bangladeshi and Save India).” The audience resonated with him.

(Time stamp: 21.53-22.43)

“How many of you know what the Muslim population in Nashik is? As per Census 2011, 19% Muslims are in Nashik. This is 2011 census. As per current data, this number has increased to 27-29%. DO you understand how big a number this is? Wherever the Hindus population decreases there Hindustan also diminishes. Kashmir, Bengal, Kerala are all border states. What is happening within the borders? Do you want Nashik to become Malegaon? It’s happening!”

(Time stamp: 22.44-23.22)

“If this continues, I am telling you by 2030, within 7 years, you will not be able to organize any Hindu events/programs. Population (of Muslims) will increase so much you won’t be able to do anything.” “Today in Malegaon, can you such a meeting?  (Time stamp: 23.30-24.47)

“We think we have money so we don’t have to fear. The Hindus in Dhaka at one point thought that the velvet business is ours, the Hindus of Kashmir at one point though the Kesar business is ours and they (Muslim) are just labourers. But if they announce on the loudspeakers of their mosques that leave your women and girls behind and leave this Nashik, do we want such a situation to arise here? It happened in Kashmir, right? Could Hindus enter Kashmir again despite Modi’s government? Still not even nine Hindus could go to Kashmir and live there.

(Time stamp: 29.02-29.22)

“Waqf Board is a demon capturing lands. Central government needs to pay attention to this.  If they say tomorrow that Dindori Ashram (in Nashik), is ours then to get justice you will have to go to the Waqf Board.” (Time stamp: 29.34-30.15)

“This is nothing. Even the Allahabad High Court had to go to the Supreme Court begging to save them. This is how powerful the Waqf Board is. In the last 3 years, 1.5 lakh acres land has been captured by the Waqf Board. I had been to Rahta and Guha in (Ahmed) Nagar, there they have even usurped temple lands.  (Time stamp: 35.28-36.12)

“Tipu Sultan was an enemy of Maharashtra. He was an agent of the French and Portuguese I demand from the Maharashtra government that those worshipping Tipu Shaitan and Aurangzeb should be treated as traitors” (Time stamp: 36.28- 37.04)

“Everywhere Muslims are more than 20%. There around a 40 crore population in India. All Muslim nations together do not have this much population. Can you call them minority? Only 2-3% population is called minority. That’s why we are appealing to Narendra Modi to get rid of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. (Time stamp: 38.00- 39.50)

“Speaking about population, he said that Hindus are now only having one child but they (Muslims) are still having 4 children and at whose expense is this? Ours.  In this democracy, even a saint gets only vote to cast and even a criminal gets only 1 vote to cast. Isn’t this injustice? These children take the rice given to them funded by our money, and fill their stomachs.

(Time stamp: 39.50- 40.30)

“Around 56-60% tax is paid by Hindus. There is only 1% Hindus in Pakistan, but they pay 26% tax there. But they are not safe there. India’s 20% Muslim does not even pay 2% tax. But they are safe here.

(Time stamp: 48.17- 48.57)

“Babasaheb Ambedkar said ‘until the last Muslim does not go to Pakistan, I will not accept this partition.’ If we had listened to Babasaheb then today the Rupee which is 83 for 1 Dollar, would have been equal to that dollar.

 The entire video may be viewed here: 

Related:

Actor Chetan’s Second Arrest: First as Warning, Second as Strategy?

Caution to the wind: Maha Police intimated to be vigilant of HJS Gudi Padwa events

AMIDST ESCALATING HATE EVENTS, CJP PERSISTS WITH MULTI-LAYERED ANTI-HATE EFFORTS

HATE WATCH: BJP MLA, RAJA SINGH DELIVERS SERIAL HATE SPEECHES AGAINST MUSLIMS, USES SLURS, MAKES OPEN CALLS FOR ECONOMIC BOYCOTT IN ONE SPEECH, GENOCIDE IN ANOTHER

 

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Remembering Bhagat Singh, Reclaiming the Right to be A Free Thinker

It is quite a striking experience when, in Europe – including in France which is the historical birthplace of secularism –, one gets automatically told, for example, "Oh, you are a Hindu!" if one says one is Indian, or "Oh, you are a Muslim! if one says one is Algerian.

23 Mar 2023

First publihsed on: 27 Apr 2017

Atheist

One witnesses a forceful return of religions’ political hold, which corners our diasporas into a mix of ethnic-cultural-religious syncretic identity, and traps us, as if we were under ‘house arrest’, into our presumed religion or culture. In fact, this is an ahistorical fantasy, which denies us any access to freedom of thought and universal rights.

In these dire circumstances, we welcome the translation into French, the publication and the wide distribution of Bhagat Singh’s 1930 pamphlet "Why I am an atheist" as particularly timely.

As feminists, we already faced the identity sledgehammer argument in our countries of origin: "Feminism is Western; you are traitors to your own country, to your culture, to your origins; you have sold out to the West, to capitalism, to Western imperialism" etc…

However, a research undertaken by feminist activists in the ’90s in so-called Muslim countries shows that women, since the inception of Islam, already demanded the right to education, to freedom of movement, to political representation, to financial autonomy, to celibacy or to the right to chose one’s partner after thorough agreements had been designed in order to draft a contract which was satisfactory to both parties, etc…

From that time onwards, women took action to guarantee all these rights (1) We had to fight hard to get back the ownership of our long lived feminist history, by challenging the Sirens’ song of reactionary identity politics – and as well, one must emphasise here, the Sirens’ song of patriarchy happily covering up in the midst of our Left forces, in our countries.

As revolutionaries as well, we had to confront the identity argument: "Marxism is a Western way of thinking, alien to our culture; you are traitors to the nation; sold out to the West, etc…"

And now once more, we must reclaim and own back our revolutionary history, by bringing together the stories and analysis of the many agnostics, atheists and secularists in our countries. For, as Bhagat Singh says, "All religions, faiths, theological philosophies, and religious creeds and all other such institutions in the long run become supporters of the tyrannical and exploiting institutions, men and classes. Rebellion against any king has always been a sin in every religion. "

In order to reclaim our historical right to atheism, to ground ourselves into our long secular tradition, we must today confront on the ground the Hindutva as well as Daesh (ISIS) and many other – intolerant Buddhists, orthodox Jews, Opus Dei, etc... religious extreme-rights, which, when they are in power, claim their gods granted them the right and duty to physically eliminate all the Untermensch. "Divine Repression", as Bhagat Singh would say… Be it in India, in Bangladesh, in Pakistan, in Algeria, in Nigeria, or … in Paris and Brussels, many lost their lives, including recently, for having claimed this universal right: to live as a freethinker and to mock the official representatives of established creeds.

Let us pay tribute here to the Bangladeshi and Saudi bloggers, to the Indian writers, to the Pakistani activists struggling against the Blasphemy Law, to the French cartoonists, etc … who fought for our freedom.

Clearly, it is an illusion to hope that the West will be spared by the rise of religious extreme-rights and that their sphere of influence will be limited to the African and Asian countries we came from. In Europe and North America, societies are increasingly dividing themselves along the lines of ethnic or religious antagonistic ‘communities’ which want to be ruled by their own religious laws ("Do not say that it is His law!", exclaims Bhagat Singh) and their own customs. In the process, they get rid of democracy and universal rights, in the name of an ‘identity’ which only keeps from the past the most conservatives elements – especially regarding women’s rights.

Even in France, the very principle of secularism is now under threat – whether because it is gradually abandoned by political forces, formerly on the Left, who made secularism happen, or whether it is sidetracked by political forces, on the extreme-right.

In these troubled times, translating and publishing in the French language this book by Bhagat Singh reminds all those who, right here, deny us our libertarian history – in the name of an identity they believe is necessarily grounded in religion – and who grant a growing political power to religions’ official representatives, that "The morbid alliance between religious preachers and possessors of power" constitutes a mortal danger.

The writer is Algerian sociologist, founder and former international coordinator of the Women Living Under Muslim Laws international solidarity network (wluml.org), founder and present international coordinator of the international network, Secularism Is A Women’s Issue (siawi.org).

This article was published in French by Editions de l’Asymétrie, as a forward to Bhagat Singh’s "Why I am an atheist". The author has translated it into English.

Remembering Bhagat Singh, Reclaiming the Right to be A Free Thinker

It is quite a striking experience when, in Europe – including in France which is the historical birthplace of secularism –, one gets automatically told, for example, "Oh, you are a Hindu!" if one says one is Indian, or "Oh, you are a Muslim! if one says one is Algerian.

23 Mar 2023

First publihsed on: 27 Apr 2017

Atheist

One witnesses a forceful return of religions’ political hold, which corners our diasporas into a mix of ethnic-cultural-religious syncretic identity, and traps us, as if we were under ‘house arrest’, into our presumed religion or culture. In fact, this is an ahistorical fantasy, which denies us any access to freedom of thought and universal rights.

In these dire circumstances, we welcome the translation into French, the publication and the wide distribution of Bhagat Singh’s 1930 pamphlet "Why I am an atheist" as particularly timely.

As feminists, we already faced the identity sledgehammer argument in our countries of origin: "Feminism is Western; you are traitors to your own country, to your culture, to your origins; you have sold out to the West, to capitalism, to Western imperialism" etc…

However, a research undertaken by feminist activists in the ’90s in so-called Muslim countries shows that women, since the inception of Islam, already demanded the right to education, to freedom of movement, to political representation, to financial autonomy, to celibacy or to the right to chose one’s partner after thorough agreements had been designed in order to draft a contract which was satisfactory to both parties, etc…

From that time onwards, women took action to guarantee all these rights (1) We had to fight hard to get back the ownership of our long lived feminist history, by challenging the Sirens’ song of reactionary identity politics – and as well, one must emphasise here, the Sirens’ song of patriarchy happily covering up in the midst of our Left forces, in our countries.

As revolutionaries as well, we had to confront the identity argument: "Marxism is a Western way of thinking, alien to our culture; you are traitors to the nation; sold out to the West, etc…"

And now once more, we must reclaim and own back our revolutionary history, by bringing together the stories and analysis of the many agnostics, atheists and secularists in our countries. For, as Bhagat Singh says, "All religions, faiths, theological philosophies, and religious creeds and all other such institutions in the long run become supporters of the tyrannical and exploiting institutions, men and classes. Rebellion against any king has always been a sin in every religion. "

In order to reclaim our historical right to atheism, to ground ourselves into our long secular tradition, we must today confront on the ground the Hindutva as well as Daesh (ISIS) and many other – intolerant Buddhists, orthodox Jews, Opus Dei, etc... religious extreme-rights, which, when they are in power, claim their gods granted them the right and duty to physically eliminate all the Untermensch. "Divine Repression", as Bhagat Singh would say… Be it in India, in Bangladesh, in Pakistan, in Algeria, in Nigeria, or … in Paris and Brussels, many lost their lives, including recently, for having claimed this universal right: to live as a freethinker and to mock the official representatives of established creeds.

Let us pay tribute here to the Bangladeshi and Saudi bloggers, to the Indian writers, to the Pakistani activists struggling against the Blasphemy Law, to the French cartoonists, etc … who fought for our freedom.

Clearly, it is an illusion to hope that the West will be spared by the rise of religious extreme-rights and that their sphere of influence will be limited to the African and Asian countries we came from. In Europe and North America, societies are increasingly dividing themselves along the lines of ethnic or religious antagonistic ‘communities’ which want to be ruled by their own religious laws ("Do not say that it is His law!", exclaims Bhagat Singh) and their own customs. In the process, they get rid of democracy and universal rights, in the name of an ‘identity’ which only keeps from the past the most conservatives elements – especially regarding women’s rights.

Even in France, the very principle of secularism is now under threat – whether because it is gradually abandoned by political forces, formerly on the Left, who made secularism happen, or whether it is sidetracked by political forces, on the extreme-right.

In these troubled times, translating and publishing in the French language this book by Bhagat Singh reminds all those who, right here, deny us our libertarian history – in the name of an identity they believe is necessarily grounded in religion – and who grant a growing political power to religions’ official representatives, that "The morbid alliance between religious preachers and possessors of power" constitutes a mortal danger.

The writer is Algerian sociologist, founder and former international coordinator of the Women Living Under Muslim Laws international solidarity network (wluml.org), founder and present international coordinator of the international network, Secularism Is A Women’s Issue (siawi.org).

This article was published in French by Editions de l’Asymétrie, as a forward to Bhagat Singh’s "Why I am an atheist". The author has translated it into English.

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Freedom from Communalism & Religious Intolerance was Bhagat Singh’s Ideal, Never Hindu Rashtra

Hindu Communalists have forever sought to appropriate the young and fiery martyr in Goebbellsian ways perpetuating lies and falsehoods that include falsely promoting February 14 (Valentine’s Day) as his Death Anniversary rather than March 23, when he was actually hanged

23 Mar 2023

A tribute on the legendary martyr’s birth anniversary

Bhagat Singh

First published on:  28 Sep 2016

“The communists’ ideologues conveniently ignore the truth that the roots of Bhagat Singh’s ideology lie in the very concept of Hindu Rashtra,” claimed an article by Dipin Damodharan, published on the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh, September 28, 2010.

Damodharan, as introduced at the end of the article, is a student pursuing Masters in Communication and Journalism (MCJ) at the Calicut University of Kerala. He argues: “To my knowledge, he sacrificed his precious life for a noble cause, for the liberation of Bharat from the invaders, for nationalism. Undoubtedly Bhagat’s legacy belongs to every Bharati. But for the communists (experts in transforming sheep to dog), he died for communism and not for nationalism. They are incessantly advocating Bhagat as their poster boy, for several years they have been using Goebbelsian tricks to claim Bhagat’s legacy.”

The author further argues, “They are injecting fake stories about Bhagat into the blood of youth who are ignorant about Bharat’s history. Discarding the historical facts, the communists become angry with the Sangh inspired organizations for propagating Bhagat’s ideals”.

To justify his claims, the author cites examples like Bhagat Singh was born in a family who were staunch followers of the Arya Samaj, was educated at Dayanad Anglo Vedic (DAV) School and National College of Lahore, was inspired by the sagas of two great patriots Chatrapati Shivaji and Maharana Pratap and finally, they link at his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Of course, without any reference! To any of us who has read Bhagat’s writings, it is nothing but absurd or, if we go by Damodharan’s own definition — it is an attempt to transform sheep in to a dog.

Bhagat Singh himself, in his most famous writing, ‘Why I Am An Atheist’ clarifies the above absurdities.

Bhagat Singh wrote, “I deny the very existence of that Almighty Supreme being… My grandfather under whose influence I was brought up as an orthodox Arya Samajist. An Arya Samajist is anything but an atheist. After finishing my primary education I joined the DAV. School of Lahore and stayed in its Boarding House for one full year… Later on, I joined the revolutionary party… My previous faith and convictions underwent a remarkable modification… I had become a pronounced atheist.”

Dismissing Dipin Damodharan’s remarks as absurd and ignoring them is not what we should do, as these attempts are not abrupt. They are pre-planned and occupy various forms of mass communication. Communal forces are not letting go of any chance to misuse these heroes for furthering their communal agendas.

Last year (2010), a month before the Ayodhya verdict, the ‘Bhagwa Brigade’ (saffron brigade) gave a public call to recruit 10,000 Hindu youth from Madhya Pradesh (MP) for the mission to establish a Hindu Rasthra.

To do so, they issued a poster and pasted copies of it all over the state of Madhya Pradesh. Notably in the poster, with Sawarkar, Shivaji and others, one finds pictures of Bhagat Singh, Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Subhas Chandra Bose, being portrayed as Hindu revolutionaries! One might not have any objection in portraying Shivaji, Maharana Pratap, Jhansi ki Rani and Chandra Sekhar Azad as Hindu icons, but portrayal of Bhagat Singh, Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Subhas Chandra Bose in the same vein is really objectionable and very disturbing, because of their known commitment to secularism and for being non communal.

Like Bhagat Singh, it was very clear to Subhas Chandra Bose of who he was and what he wanted. In 1929, while delivering a speech at Lahore Students’ Conference, Lahore, he famously said, If we are to bring about a revolution of ideas, we have first to hold up before us, an ideal which will galvanise our whole life. That ideal is Freedom. But freedom is a word which has a varied connotation and even in our country, the conception of freedom has undergone a process of evolution. By freedom I mean all-round freedom i.e., freedom for the individual as well as for society, freedom for man as well as for woman, freedom for the rich as well as for the poor, freedom for all individuals and for all classes. This freedom implies not only emancipation from political bondage but also equal distribution of wealth, abolition of caste barriers and social iniquities and destruction of communalism and religious intolerance. This is an ideal which may appear Utopian to hard-headed men and women — but this ideal alone can appease the hunger of the soul.”


An archive photograph of Bhagat Singh in jail in Lahore. Image: The Hindu

Ambedkar converted to Buddhism  in protest of the jati-varna system of Hinduism, and was very clear about what he stood for. He repeatedly opposed the system of Hinduism let alone the ideology of Hindutva. He had asked his followers to stop the Hindu Rashtra from becoming a reality at all costs.

But again, Hindu communal political parties like the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), spread deliberate confusion about him by misquoting him and depicting him as ‘their’ leader. Last year (2010), on the eve of 6th December (anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition), on the walls on Jamia Nagar, a new kind of poster was seen.

The poster was put up by Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of BJP, and read thus, ‘Yugh Purush Baba Saheb Ambedker ke nirvana divas par Dr. Bheem Rao Ambeker Cricket Tournament-10’, with a relatively larger picture of Baba Saheb (as compared to) other leaders of BJYM, who were shown promoting the event.

The event which was scheduled to take place in Malviya Nagar had absolutely no connection with Jamia Nagar, except that both finish on the same last name! While seeing the poster, one wonders what it has to do with Jamia Nagar. At the same time, the same or any other poster about the event was not seen in neighbouring Jullena or Sukhdev Vihar, which have a dominant non-Muslim population, let alone other areas of Delhi. But of course, it was put up for diverting the attention of the Muslims from the anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid. Moreover, to my understanding, it was meant to convey a message to the ordinary resident of Jamia nagar (read Muslim) that either, Ambedkar was a leader of the BJP, or at least somebody who sympathised with its ideology and those of its allies, which is absolutely wrong and ridiculous, to say the least.     

Hindutva-waadis are hell bent on distorting facts and influencing the common sense through the medium of mass communication.

On the eve of Valentine’s Day, these forces spread a rumor that on  February 14, 1931, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru & Sukhdev were hanged till death by British government and we celebrate this day as Valentine day! Isn’t it surprising & painful? I am told by a journalist friend of mine from south India that, this is the standard question you have to counter if you say what is wrong with celebrating Valentine’s Day! This, when it is a well-established historical fact that Bhagat Singh, along with Sukhdev and Rajguru were martyred on March 23, 1931 and not on February 14.

The zealots don’t stop there. They have even tried spreading misinformation through Wikipedia, the preferable web dictionary for the net savvy, to know who is who and what is what.

According to a news report that had appeared in The Hindu, ‘the Wikipedia page on Bhagat Singh underwent many editing changes on February 13 and 14, Valentine’s day ’. The date of Bhagat Singh’s hanging had been changed from  March 23 to February 14, 1931. And it was due to such propaganda that an international news website, reported, “While the whole world observes 14th February as Valentine’s Day, not many Indians remember that the day was also when the Indian freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged to death by the Britishers in Lahore, Pakistan”. Similarly, this  February 13, (2011) Twitter was on fire with talk of the February 14 as Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom day next day, and even the editor of a Hindi news channel mourned that everyone was looking forward only to Valentine’s Day. He was shamed into apologising the next day.

We will have many days every year to remember Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Ashfaqullah Khan, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Subhas Chandra Bose and others, on their martyrdom, death, and birth anniversaries. This puts greater responsibility on us—the responsibility of not believing in distorted facts, but to keep alive the belief of what these revolutionaries had lived and died for.

In order to pay our real tribute to the makers of modern India, we should counter the propaganda of communal forces at various levels. The choice is ours, whether we want to contest such vandalism or let it go uncontested until such time as the common masses have no option but to believe, A for Ambedkar – A for Advani, B for Bhagat Singh, B for Bhagwa, S for Subhas Chandra Bose, S for Savarkar…

Are we ready for that?

(Mahtab Alam is an activist and writer. He tweets @MahtabNama . This article was first published in Kafila.org on  March 23, 2011)

Freedom from Communalism & Religious Intolerance was Bhagat Singh’s Ideal, Never Hindu Rashtra

Hindu Communalists have forever sought to appropriate the young and fiery martyr in Goebbellsian ways perpetuating lies and falsehoods that include falsely promoting February 14 (Valentine’s Day) as his Death Anniversary rather than March 23, when he was actually hanged

23 Mar 2023

A tribute on the legendary martyr’s birth anniversary

Bhagat Singh

First published on:  28 Sep 2016

“The communists’ ideologues conveniently ignore the truth that the roots of Bhagat Singh’s ideology lie in the very concept of Hindu Rashtra,” claimed an article by Dipin Damodharan, published on the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh, September 28, 2010.

Damodharan, as introduced at the end of the article, is a student pursuing Masters in Communication and Journalism (MCJ) at the Calicut University of Kerala. He argues: “To my knowledge, he sacrificed his precious life for a noble cause, for the liberation of Bharat from the invaders, for nationalism. Undoubtedly Bhagat’s legacy belongs to every Bharati. But for the communists (experts in transforming sheep to dog), he died for communism and not for nationalism. They are incessantly advocating Bhagat as their poster boy, for several years they have been using Goebbelsian tricks to claim Bhagat’s legacy.”

The author further argues, “They are injecting fake stories about Bhagat into the blood of youth who are ignorant about Bharat’s history. Discarding the historical facts, the communists become angry with the Sangh inspired organizations for propagating Bhagat’s ideals”.

To justify his claims, the author cites examples like Bhagat Singh was born in a family who were staunch followers of the Arya Samaj, was educated at Dayanad Anglo Vedic (DAV) School and National College of Lahore, was inspired by the sagas of two great patriots Chatrapati Shivaji and Maharana Pratap and finally, they link at his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Of course, without any reference! To any of us who has read Bhagat’s writings, it is nothing but absurd or, if we go by Damodharan’s own definition — it is an attempt to transform sheep in to a dog.

Bhagat Singh himself, in his most famous writing, ‘Why I Am An Atheist’ clarifies the above absurdities.

Bhagat Singh wrote, “I deny the very existence of that Almighty Supreme being… My grandfather under whose influence I was brought up as an orthodox Arya Samajist. An Arya Samajist is anything but an atheist. After finishing my primary education I joined the DAV. School of Lahore and stayed in its Boarding House for one full year… Later on, I joined the revolutionary party… My previous faith and convictions underwent a remarkable modification… I had become a pronounced atheist.”

Dismissing Dipin Damodharan’s remarks as absurd and ignoring them is not what we should do, as these attempts are not abrupt. They are pre-planned and occupy various forms of mass communication. Communal forces are not letting go of any chance to misuse these heroes for furthering their communal agendas.

Last year (2010), a month before the Ayodhya verdict, the ‘Bhagwa Brigade’ (saffron brigade) gave a public call to recruit 10,000 Hindu youth from Madhya Pradesh (MP) for the mission to establish a Hindu Rasthra.

To do so, they issued a poster and pasted copies of it all over the state of Madhya Pradesh. Notably in the poster, with Sawarkar, Shivaji and others, one finds pictures of Bhagat Singh, Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Subhas Chandra Bose, being portrayed as Hindu revolutionaries! One might not have any objection in portraying Shivaji, Maharana Pratap, Jhansi ki Rani and Chandra Sekhar Azad as Hindu icons, but portrayal of Bhagat Singh, Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Subhas Chandra Bose in the same vein is really objectionable and very disturbing, because of their known commitment to secularism and for being non communal.

Like Bhagat Singh, it was very clear to Subhas Chandra Bose of who he was and what he wanted. In 1929, while delivering a speech at Lahore Students’ Conference, Lahore, he famously said, If we are to bring about a revolution of ideas, we have first to hold up before us, an ideal which will galvanise our whole life. That ideal is Freedom. But freedom is a word which has a varied connotation and even in our country, the conception of freedom has undergone a process of evolution. By freedom I mean all-round freedom i.e., freedom for the individual as well as for society, freedom for man as well as for woman, freedom for the rich as well as for the poor, freedom for all individuals and for all classes. This freedom implies not only emancipation from political bondage but also equal distribution of wealth, abolition of caste barriers and social iniquities and destruction of communalism and religious intolerance. This is an ideal which may appear Utopian to hard-headed men and women — but this ideal alone can appease the hunger of the soul.”


An archive photograph of Bhagat Singh in jail in Lahore. Image: The Hindu

Ambedkar converted to Buddhism  in protest of the jati-varna system of Hinduism, and was very clear about what he stood for. He repeatedly opposed the system of Hinduism let alone the ideology of Hindutva. He had asked his followers to stop the Hindu Rashtra from becoming a reality at all costs.

But again, Hindu communal political parties like the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), spread deliberate confusion about him by misquoting him and depicting him as ‘their’ leader. Last year (2010), on the eve of 6th December (anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition), on the walls on Jamia Nagar, a new kind of poster was seen.

The poster was put up by Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of BJP, and read thus, ‘Yugh Purush Baba Saheb Ambedker ke nirvana divas par Dr. Bheem Rao Ambeker Cricket Tournament-10’, with a relatively larger picture of Baba Saheb (as compared to) other leaders of BJYM, who were shown promoting the event.

The event which was scheduled to take place in Malviya Nagar had absolutely no connection with Jamia Nagar, except that both finish on the same last name! While seeing the poster, one wonders what it has to do with Jamia Nagar. At the same time, the same or any other poster about the event was not seen in neighbouring Jullena or Sukhdev Vihar, which have a dominant non-Muslim population, let alone other areas of Delhi. But of course, it was put up for diverting the attention of the Muslims from the anniversary of demolition of Babri Masjid. Moreover, to my understanding, it was meant to convey a message to the ordinary resident of Jamia nagar (read Muslim) that either, Ambedkar was a leader of the BJP, or at least somebody who sympathised with its ideology and those of its allies, which is absolutely wrong and ridiculous, to say the least.     

Hindutva-waadis are hell bent on distorting facts and influencing the common sense through the medium of mass communication.

On the eve of Valentine’s Day, these forces spread a rumor that on  February 14, 1931, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru & Sukhdev were hanged till death by British government and we celebrate this day as Valentine day! Isn’t it surprising & painful? I am told by a journalist friend of mine from south India that, this is the standard question you have to counter if you say what is wrong with celebrating Valentine’s Day! This, when it is a well-established historical fact that Bhagat Singh, along with Sukhdev and Rajguru were martyred on March 23, 1931 and not on February 14.

The zealots don’t stop there. They have even tried spreading misinformation through Wikipedia, the preferable web dictionary for the net savvy, to know who is who and what is what.

According to a news report that had appeared in The Hindu, ‘the Wikipedia page on Bhagat Singh underwent many editing changes on February 13 and 14, Valentine’s day ’. The date of Bhagat Singh’s hanging had been changed from  March 23 to February 14, 1931. And it was due to such propaganda that an international news website, reported, “While the whole world observes 14th February as Valentine’s Day, not many Indians remember that the day was also when the Indian freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged to death by the Britishers in Lahore, Pakistan”. Similarly, this  February 13, (2011) Twitter was on fire with talk of the February 14 as Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom day next day, and even the editor of a Hindi news channel mourned that everyone was looking forward only to Valentine’s Day. He was shamed into apologising the next day.

We will have many days every year to remember Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Ashfaqullah Khan, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Subhas Chandra Bose and others, on their martyrdom, death, and birth anniversaries. This puts greater responsibility on us—the responsibility of not believing in distorted facts, but to keep alive the belief of what these revolutionaries had lived and died for.

In order to pay our real tribute to the makers of modern India, we should counter the propaganda of communal forces at various levels. The choice is ours, whether we want to contest such vandalism or let it go uncontested until such time as the common masses have no option but to believe, A for Ambedkar – A for Advani, B for Bhagat Singh, B for Bhagwa, S for Subhas Chandra Bose, S for Savarkar…

Are we ready for that?

(Mahtab Alam is an activist and writer. He tweets @MahtabNama . This article was first published in Kafila.org on  March 23, 2011)

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