Here’s the ‘Ripley’s Believe it or Not’ story of the day in the Times of India ‘Muslim dressed as Hanuman booked for impersonation in Bareilly‘
Here’s more of the same बरेली: ‘हनुमान’ के भेष में भीख मांग रहा था ‘नसीम’, पुलिस ने भेजा जेल . Do note the inverted commas.
Here’s ‘Naseem‘ . Naseem says he is the son of Jajinder and also plays the role of ‘Majnu’. Note how the inquisitor seems to have fallen from the sky at how Naseem-the-son-of-Jajinder-who-also-plays-Majnu-is-dressed-as-Bajrangi.
Here’s what SHO Harishchandra Joshi from the Subhas Nagar PS told Sabrangindia :
‘There is no Hindu-Muslim angle to it. He was dressed like Hanumanji and begging in the market. Do Hindu Gods beg ? ‘
When asked why the media is presenting it in this way (MUSLIM AS HANUMANJI OMG), Joshiji said ‘Only you reporters know what you write. What control do I have on this’
Here’s what he told the Time of India “We have filed an FIR for cheating as the accused is a Muslim and took the guise of Lord Hanuman and cheat people of the community and hurt there sentiments”
Here’s what SSP Bareilly Shailesh Kumar Pandey told Sabrangindia:
“There is no Hindu Muslim angle to it. When apprehended the man could not explain where he is from and what he is doing here, so we have arrested him for investigation “
Yet there is no clear explanation of why the Police acting on a complaint filed by Bajrang Dal (not exactly known for their secular view of India) arrests ‘Naseem’, charges him under impersonation (Sec 419) and also gloats to the media about protecting ‘sentiments’ of a particular community.
When asked why the Police is lending itself to Bajrang Dal’s Hindutva agenda, SSP Pandey said ‘ The police has no political agenda’
Here’s what the Internet is saying about the matter (can be skipped) :
And now, here’s the Beherupiya project, funded by the Government of India’s IGNCA. Do note ‘Beherupiya is a ….traditional Indian style of street theater where the Behrupiya (the impersonator) would be seen bringing alive a new character ……often inspired from popular mythology, showcase the vast Indian culture in depth’
Here’s a possibility – ‘Naseem’ was not ‘begging’ but ‘performing’.
Here’s yet another piece of news about Beherupiyas. Do note what Dawood Khan says ” I can play so many characters that they would outnumber the hairs on my head. Djinn, Kroor Singh, a mad man, police inspector, Lord Vishnu and Lord Hanuman are some of these. Out of all the gods in India, I can play at least a fourth of them, kyunki bhagwaan ka dusra naam hi behrupiya hai “
BLASPHEMOUS in ‘New India’ ? No doubt about it. Indian ? unquestionably yes.