Recently, a Muslim doctor who booked a cab was asked to say Jai Sri Ram by the driver. The incident that took place through the InDrive cab app in Mumbai where senior doctor, Dr. AK Pathan, found the cab driver insisted he say Jai Sri Ram before confirming the ride.
Dr. Pathan who is an Oncologist based in the Haji Ali area, was trying to book a cab to attend a wedding in Nashik.
“I chose to ignore and not respond to the provocation by the driver. It reflects a growing intolerance in society. I did not take the ride. It is crucial for us to promote understanding and acceptance among diverse communities.” Dr Pathan told the Free Press Journal.
Narrating the incident, the doctor explained that he had requested the cab driver to pick him up from Haji Ali one afternoon. However, to his surprise, the driver called himself a ‘Rambhakt’ and stated that he would confirm bookings only if Dr. Pathan agreed to chant ‘Jai Shree Ram’. The doctor expressed that while he has no objections to anyone saying ‘Jai Shree Ram’ or any other chants, but concluded that it should not be forced upon others. Furthermore, Dr Pathan decided not to respond to the driver and instead reported the incident through the support options provided by the InDrive mobile app after which the ride was cancelled. According to him, InDrive executives called him and rendered an apology for the incidents and promised to take action against the cab driver. They also stated that they will conduct training sessions and workshops for drivers that will help promote tolerance and respect for all faiths.
Similarly, earlier this week an auto driver from the Muslim community was harassed and forced to chant Jai Sri Ram in Mumbai city, according to the Free Press Journal. A man named Mohamed Sajid Mohamed Yasin Khan was attacked by a group of five people, who pushed him to the ground and forced him to say Jai Sri Ram. Khan also discovered later that the 2000 rupees he kept in his rickshaw was also stolen while he was being assaulted. The incident took place in Mumbra. The Indian Express reported an official who said, “He was in a rickshaw stand queue waiting for passengers when the five accused allegedly went and started beating him. They pushed him on the floor and after insulting him, they forced him to say Jai Shree Ram.”
Khan reported the incident to the police and filed a complaint in the Daigar police station. The police in Thane have officially lodged a case against the five of the accused. Some of the charges include Section 395 for dacoity, Section 295-A for intentional acts causing religious sentiments to be outraged, and Section 427 for causing damage amounting to fifty rupees. One of the five accused has been arrested, while the police continues to look for the other four.
According to a recent report by Sabrang India, it has been observed that communally charged incidents targeting Muslims in the form of vigilante effects, hate speeches, provocations have been on a steady rise in the past few months.
Maharashtra in the year 2023 witnessed about fifty Hindutva rallies within just three months. Several of these rallies, which had many leaders and politicians making inflammatory statements, were also held in the Mira Road area, which saw violence and vandalism against the resident Muslim community in late January this year.
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