Our constitution consists of a variety of rights which are protecting the rights of all the sections of our society, and ensuring that no individual is made to face discrimination inside the territory of our country. Article 15 of our Constitution is one such provision that prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth. The second clause of the said section also provides that no person, owing to their religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be subjected to any condition or restriction in accessing any public place. And yet, Muslims in India are being denied the right to visit a “holy river”, as even rivers have now been divided based on religion by self-appointed warriors and guardians of the Hindu religion and the country.
A video from a Ganga ghat in Haridwar, Uttarakhand is going viral, in which a young man is seen driving some people of the Muslim community away from the ghat. In the video, the young man can be heard saying that “only Hindus are allowed on the Ganga Ghats”. The video is said to be from Agrasen Ganga Ghat in Jwalapur area. The man can be seen and heard fighting with a few Muslims standing near the ghat, rudely and sternly asking them to leave.
The video can be viewed here:
In India, even Rivers have now religion – In Haridwar, a Muslim family is being driven away from going to the Ganges River, saying “Only Hindus are allowed here” pic.twitter.com/jEJBeYKxYt
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) June 19, 2023
After the video went viral, CO (City) Juhi Manral has been investigating the case, as provided by the Quint. Police officials have also stated that all information about the video and the incident is being collected, and action will be taken as per rules. The officers also provided that there have been many such cases in Haridwar in the past, in which some Hindu organizations have removed non-Hindus from the Ganga Ghats, as provided by the Quint.
Superintendent of Police (City) Swatantra Kumar Singh, said that “The matter is being investigated, appropriate action will be taken as soon as it is confirmed. Earlier also, such incidents had taken place, the police acted promptly and in this case the police will take action in the same way,” as reported by the Quint. He further said that those who are coming to Mother Ganga should act keeping in mind the dignity. Strict action will be taken against anyone who acts against the dignity of Mother Ganga.
Rishabh Gaur, one of the people who were present at the scene of the incident, has alleged that the Muslim family was rinsing in the Ganges and washing their undergarments. “Our mindset was not to drive them away, only to tell them not to rinse them in water. Someone keeps coming there, our mothers and sisters are bathing, so they make videos from above. While doing all this, there is no one to stop them. That’s where things like blackmail start,” Gaur said, as reported by the Quint.
He further claimed, “We went there with the family to take a bath. There I saw that they were taking a bath, I had no objection to it. After bathing, the woman rinsed, so I stopped her that it is a symbol of our faith. After this, the young man with him washed his undergarments, so I said please do not do all this. After that, they started arguing,” as reported by the Quint.
While the above-mentioned is being alleged by Gaur, it is essential to note that in the video, no clothes could be seen in the hands of the Muslim people being asked to leave. The woman and the man made to leave were dressed properly and were fully clothed. it is also essential to note that bathing, washing clothes, and immersion of the ashes of the dead by the Hindu community are one of the most common activities that are performed in river Ganga, something that has also led to increasing water pollution.
Holy river Ganga- a unifying tie
In the past, the holy river Ganga had played the part of a unifying tie between the Hindu and Muslim communities. When it came to conservation of river Ganga and the campaign to clean it, Muslim religious leaders have now come forward to extend a helping hand to sadhus and seers who had been protesting for it.
Maulana Saeedur Rehman, principal of Centre of Islamic studies, had said that it is well known that Ganga is associated with the faith of Hindus but it is not any less important for Muslims. Terming the drive to clean the river as a “holy campaign”, Rehman had said that he would not only extend support to it but would do whatever was required in achieving it. Member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangimahli, had said that Ganga is a national river and it is not just the Hindus but also the Muslims who live on its banks and earn livelihood through it so it is the duty of all to protect and save it, as reported by the Zee News.
People cutting across political and religious affiliations had taken part in these campaigns to save and clean River Ganga. “If a Hindu takes a dip in the ‘holy Ganga waters’ for salvation, the ordinary Muslims also use the water for Wuzu (the act of performing ablution or washing oneself up before standing in prayer,” Shahid Saleem, a trader, had said, as reported by the Deccan Herald.
When this river used to stand for unity and harmony, then why is a religion being associated to it? India exhibits and has always exhibited religious syncretism. The constitution gives that right to every individual in India to access all public places, and yet, these tales of discrimination, religious fanaticism and islamophobia come up now and again to remind us of the rising anti-Muslim sentiments in India.
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