On April 17, the festival of Ram Navami was celebrated across many states of India. In the past few years, this festival has been accompanied with violence, hate speeches and a hostile anti-minority environment. The celebration of this festival in 2024, falling two days after the first Phase of polling of General Elections began, was no different. This year saw hate speeches being delivered by far-right leaders, including Bharatiya Janata Party legislators and candidates, advocating for desecration and destruction of Mosques. Many incidents of display of weapons and swords by those participating in religious processions, namely ‘Shobha Yatras’, were reported. Videos of mobs and far-right leaders performing offensive acts and raising inflammatory slogans in front of a Mosque also emerged. Notably, a maximum of these incidents emerged from the state of Telangana.
1. Provocative and instigating speeches:
Hyderabad, Telangana
BJP MLA T. Raja Singh delivered a provocative speech during Ram Navami procession. He used anti-Muslim slurs, promoted conspiracy theories and called for building temples over some historic mosques.
The speech transcribed from the first video is below-
“I want to tell them all that seeing Babri-Ayodhya has itself scared you, Kashi and Mathura remain till now. A total of 40,000 temples are yet to be claimed till now.”
“You say that you will not let the future generations forget about the destruction of Babri. Don’t worry, we will teach the coming generation Kar Seva.”
“The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh has said that this time, the karseva by all the followers of Ram, Krishna and Shankar will be met with flowers and not guns. That day is not far when we will take over Kashi and Mathura just like we took over Ayodhya.”
“All the temples that have been destroyed by the Mughal in India, we will take all those temples back and re-construct our holy temples.”
The video can be viewed as follows:
‘We will teach the coming generation Kar Seva and will reclaim Kashi and Mathura.’#BJP MLA #TRajaSingh made provocative speech during #RamNavami Procession in #Hyderabad and stated 40,000 Masjids will be reclaimed along with #Kashi and #Mathura. pic.twitter.com/O5wc8m9v6Q
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) April 18, 2024
In a separate longer video of the speech, Raja Singh can be heard saying the following:
“Whenever the colour of saffron is established, even the best of these L***e (derogatory word for Muslims) gets scared. Whenever the saffron flag is seen flying, the chest of these anti-nationals is about to burst. Whenever the saffron flag is seen flying, those opposing Hindus hide in their rat holes.”
“Since 500 years, we had been asking for our temples but those who oppose Ram, Krishna and Shiv did not give it to us. But today, we have taken back one of our temples. In India, every Sanatan believer knows about only 3 temples, but the Mughals have destroyed more than these 3 temples.”
These people destroyed the Kashi Vishwanath temple and constructed that Gyanvapi Mosque. In Varanasi too, they destroyed one temple and made their Mosque. I am telling you about our history, recording it on your phone and listening to it again and again. I may or may not be there, but this history of ours should remain with you forever.”
“We have watched a Saraswati temple in Ajmer having been destroyed. 40,000 other such temples are there.”
“We took one temple and look how miserable you all have become, wait till we convert India into a Hindu nation.”
The video can be viewed as follows:
Hyderabad, Telangana
Another inflammatory speech targeting Muslims and urging for violence and re-claiming of temples was delivered by cow vigilante Kalu Singh while addressing Shobha Yatra participants in the state. Here too, the speaker can be heard making inciteful statements regarding Mathura’s Shahi Idgah Mosque and Kashi’s Gyanvapi Mosque.
The video can be viewed as follows:
Thane, Maharashtra
Hindu Rashtra Sena chief Dhananjay Desai delivers an anti-Muslim provocative speech during Shobha Yatra in Mira Bhayandar area of Thane.
“Lord Ram is the only thing that will ensure that India remains to be India. Every area that let go of Ram was converted to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. We have to ensure that our Lord Ram and Chhatrapati Shivaji remain in India.”
“In the land of Lord Ram, an illegal Babar came and built the Babri Mosque. We got that Mosque demolished and established our Lord Ram once again.”
“The situation that arose in Bhiwandi, the situation that arose in Mira Bhayander, the funeral of the people who carried out the 1993 bomb blasts in Mumbai, the funeral of Yakub Menon was taken out in Mahim is a disgrace to our India.”
“The police whose blood has been spilled on this land of India, the soldiers whose blood has protected this land of India. They are insulted that a traitor named Yakub Menon and Dawood were buried with such great honour.”
“But today, on the day of Ram Navami, let us take an oath that by awakening Ram in your heart, Ram is always awake, we should become Ram. “
“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj himself awakened in the midst of Ram, and within Ram himself. And on the occasion of this Maharashtra, the saffron flag of Kashi Vishwanath was flown across the river Attak across Afghanistan.”
The video can be viewed as follows:
2. Flashing of swords and arms during Shobha Yatras:
Many videos of participants of religious processions displaying swords, stick, hockey sticks and arms during the Shobha Yatras emerged on social media.
Bihar:
A video from the Shergati area of Bihar can be viewed here:
A video from the Dehri, Rohtas area of Bihar can be viewed here:
A video from the Gaya area of Bihar can be viewed here:
Jharkhand:
A video from the Jharia, Dhanbad area of Jharkhand can be viewed here:
A video from the Laxman Tunda, Dumri, Giridih area of Jharkhand can be viewed here:
West Bengal:
A video from the Birbhum District of West Bengal showing Debasish Dhar, former IPS officer and BJP Lok Sabha candidate, emerged on social media. In the video, the said BJP candidate can be seen flashing a sword while participating in a Shobha Yatra.
The video can be viewed as follows:
3. Provocation by offensive acts at religious place of worship
Bikaner, Rajasthan:
A video from Dungargarh area of Bikaner district, Rajasthan showed participants of Vishwa Hindu Sangathan organised Shobha yatra raising slogans of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ in front of a mosque. Police officials can also be seen accompanying the processions in the video.
The video can be viewed as follows:
Hyderabad, Telangana
A video showing a BJP candidate from Telangana, namely Kompella Madhavi Latha symbolically directing arrows at a Mosque during Shobha Yatra also emerged on social media.
The video can be viewed as follows:
Here, @BJP4India candidate from Hyderabad, Kompella Madhavi Latha is seen symbolically directing arrows at a Masjid on the occasion of Ram Navami. Meanwhile @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI @CEO_Telangana are yet to wake up. pic.twitter.com/3JUy2oNbtP https://t.co/F4RlsOIJAX
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) April 18, 2024
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