A protest called the Sakal Hindu Samaj Janakrosh Morcha took place on Sunday, March 3, in Malad Malwani, starting from Gate No. 8 and concluding at Gate No. 1. In this protest, BJP leaders such as MP Gopal Shetty, MLA Nitesh Rane, BJYM Mumbai President Tajinder Singh Tiwana, along with several workers of Hindutva organisations were also seen.
Posters calling from “Bhumi Jihad mukt Malwani” (Malwani free of ‘Land Jihad’), ‘Hindu Palayan bandh karo’ (Stop Hindu exodus) were also seen held up at the rally.
Starting with Jai Sri Ram, a man leading the march spoke, ‘In Mumbai city, one community has taken land belonging to the administration and they have opened various business of ‘charas, ganja’, and have brought Rohingya and Bangladeshi to create ‘dange’. We have initiated this rally, with all other rallies, today. We warn today against the ‘bhu-mafia’, under Narendra Modi’s leadership and Mahrahashtra’s Ajit dada and Devendra Fadnavis’ government, that we strongly come against the various ‘bhedbhaav’ by these people.”
Another fellow man, responded to the reporter, “Look, in Mumbai’s Malwani, land jihad love jihad is taking place. People are also being forcibly turned into drug users. We are trying to raise awareness against this.”
Khabar Face to Face, an online local news portal, recorded BJP MLA Nitesh Rane responding to reporters, saying, “If anyone tries to do drama or attack Hindu Samaj. In Hanuman Jayanti, Ram Navmi, we have seen stones being pelted, slippers thrown at these marches. If these things, and more things such as land jihad and love jihad are not stopped then we will see to them. We would also like to see how much ‘bravery’ ‘these people’ show. If anyone tries to throw Hindus out, or reduce the Hindu population, we will see to it.” Responding to allegation of Bangladeshis being sheltered, “Action will be taken. This is only a trailer.”
In his speech addressing the crowd, Rane also stated, “Yeh Hindu Rashtra mein Jihadion ka kabhi waqt bhi nahi ayega.”
Rane has recently been in the news. In the wake of the Mira Road attacks on Muslims in Mumbai, he was seen making reportedly incendiary speeches, and even reportedly making tweets that seemed to be encouraging violence.
In early January 2024, Nitesh Rane and another BJP MLA from Telangana who is notorious for his hate speeches, T. Raja Singh had filed against them, along with other people, for reportedly delivering hate speeches during a Hindu Jan Aakrosh rally in Solapur, Maharashtra. The rally was similarly organised by the Sakal Hindu Samaj, and saw participation of various leaders from the umbrella organisation, many of whom are also named in the FIR.
The event, held between Rajendra Chowk and Kanna Chowk took a violent turn as demands were made for the repeal of the central Waqf Board Act. Disturbingly, CCTV footage revealed that the peaceful demonstration escalated into clashes, with at least two people being seen pelting stones at shops. The result was that there were minor injuries to shopkeepers.
The FIR stated that both BJP legislators, Nitesh Rane and T. Raja Singh, delivered hate speeches that targeted the religious sentiments of different communities and charges them under the IPC Section 153A, related to creating enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, and Section 295A which is about deliberate acts intending to outrage religious feelings by insulting a particular religion or its beliefs.
Malwani, is similarly, not alien to incidents of communal unrest. During the Ram Temple inauguration in January 2024, the region had seen unrest after a rally took place in the vicinity. Several locals were arrested after the incident. In 2023, a similar pattern followed, the area has seen instances of violence during the Ram Navmi rallies after Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad had organised a procession from Ram Janki temple at Bajrang Chowk in Ambuj Wadi in Malwani. An FIR was registered against 12 people, all of whom were Muslims, and 400 unidentified people were also named in the complaint. As per Hindustan Times, Malwani, which has a considerable population of Muslims, has been declared a ‘sensitive area’ by the police.
Related:
BJP’s Nitesh Rane gives authorities ultimatum of ‘fifteen days, threatens violence
Maharashtra tops states in anti-Muslim hate speech, 80 % of hate in BJP ruled states: Hindutva Watch