Sectarian Hate reported from UP’s Dewa Sharif town

Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district witnessed sectarian hate during an event in Dewa Sharif town, a revered pilgrimage town, embodies religious harmony and unity. But the controversial video circulated on social media platform X, in which a speaker called the ‘Khatmal’ (bed bug), affected the Dewa Sharif’s inclusive spirit due to derogatory and inciteful statement. The man openly asking for elimination and genocide of Shia Muslims while addressing in the event.

A video circulated on social media, showing a speaker masquerading as a religious preacher delivering a derogatory and hate-filled speech against Shia Muslims. He labelled them “Khatmal”, equating them to harmful creatures that must be eliminated, citing a religious narrative. This inflammatory rhetoric sparked outrage and concern among Shia communities, highlighting the growing threat of sectarian divisions in the region He said in his speech that “They (who believe in Shia’s religious preacher) are calling themselves Sunnis and then they will cite the argument of Shia that no, no sir, that black cloths wear Maulana had said this.”

Then the speaker again with intent to derogate the Shia Muslims, used the word “Khatmal” and said that “arey janaab, it is a bedbug, Mustafa Karim alayhi wa sallam had given the order to kill bedbugs, that the animal which causes harm should be killed, so you have made the one who harms the faith”

What is Sectarian Hate?

Sectarian hate refers to violence, discrimination, or prejudice fuelled by differences within the same religion or between different religious sects. This harmful ideology perpetuates harmful stereotypes, fuels tensions, and often leads to physical violence. In the context of Dewa Sharif, sectarian hate manifests as divisive rhetoric targeting Shia Muslims, undermining India’s pluralistic fabric and highlighting the need for interfaith understanding.

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