Today marks 3 years of Gulfisha’s painful incarceration under UAPA for daring to raise her voice against the unjust CAA-NRC-NPR. She has been penning beautiful heart wrenching poetry from her prison cell.
Listen to them. Let it sink in. #releasegulfisha pic.twitter.com/Xuk2Nd8ftk

— Natasha Narwal (@natasha_narwal) April 9, 2023

Only last week, a Delhi court had ordered an FIR against Mishra for his role in the riots, based on a complaint filed by Mohammed Ilyas, a property dealer who unsuccessfully tried to get Delhi police to take action against Mishra.

Delhi police took no action against the BJP leader. Instead police filed multiple cases against a range of persons, including student activists, charging them under stringent clauses of the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), 1967. Student leader Umar Khalid is still in jail, as is Sharjeel Imam and Meeran Haider, along with other activists of the movement against the CAA.

Gulfisha was arrested from prison in FIR 50/20 (Crime Branch) on July 28,2020, absurdly charged, along with ten young Muslim boys (many of whom were injured and maimed in the riots) and student activists Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, with the murder of a 19yr old Muslim boy who died on 25th Feb’20 during the riots. She was granted bail in all the other cases besides FIR 59/20 in 2020 itself.

On 15th June 2021, co-accused Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal & Asif Iqbal Tanha were granted bail in FIR 59/20 by the Delhi High Court in a historic order which observed that “We are constrained to say, that it appears, that in its anxiety to suppress dissent and in the morbid fear that matters may get out of hand, the State has blurred the line between the constitutionally guaranteed ‘right to protest’ and ‘terrorist activity’.” Subsequently, their bail was challenged by Delhi Police in the Supreme Court. On 2nd May 2023, the Supreme Court upheld Devangana, Natasha and Asif’s bail. It however, directed that the above bail order cannot be “treated as precedent”.

Nonetheless, the SC order granted the possibility of bail on the basis of parity to co-accused in the same case by stating that “If the co-accused is entitled to a plea on parity, that is for him to make and the Court to consider.”

In the light of the Supreme Court order, Gulfisha stood a very strong chance of bail on grounds of parity as her role as alleged by Delhi Police is exactly similar to Devangana and Natasha’s roles. However, as a result of inordinate judicial delays and her bail pending in Delhi High Court for more than two years, Gulfisha continues to languish in prison without any order being pronounced on her bail plea.

Who Is Gulfisha Fatima?

Gulfisha is a resident of Seelampur area of North East Delhi. Her father runs a small grocery store near their home. She is a first generation learner who completed her BA and MA in Urdu literature from Kirori Mal College in Delhi University. She then went on to do an MBA from Institute of Management Education, Ghaziabad. She also worked as a radio jockey at All India Radio (Urdu).

A part of the peaceful and vibrant protests for equal citizenship against CAA-NPR-NRC movement, Gulfisha was amongst the scores of young local Muslim women leaders who emerged from the energy and strength of the movement.

With no prior experiences of engaging or organising protests, Gulfishasoon became a powerful voice of collective assertion and democratic resistance. In the sit-in protest site in Seelampur, she used to regularly hold adult literacy classes for the women who would come to participate in the protest.

Tareekh pe Tareekh: the never-ending hearings for bail

Gulfisha continues to be incarcerated in Tihar Jail for five years now. Her quest for bail in FIR 59/20 has been marked with never-ending adjournments and judicial delays in what has become a complete travesty of justice. Her bail has been listed for hearing 65 times in the Delhi High Court since May 2022 and yet a verdict on her bail plea remains elusive.

In FIR 59/20, Gulfisha applied for bail in the trial court in the second half of 2021.

After a long wait, of several months, she finally received a verdict on 16th March 2022, where the trial court rejected her bail.

Gulfisha applied for bail in Delhi High Court on 1st May 2022. Until date, there has been no verdict on Gulfisha’s bail petition.

After filing for bail in May 2022, Gulfisha’s matter finally came up for hearing in front of special bench of HMJ Siddharth Mridul & HMJ Rajnish Bhatnagar in January 2023 and order was reserved on 13th Feb 2023.

On 2nd May 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the bail granted to three co-accused Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita & Asif Iqbal Tanha by Delhi High Court in the order dated 15th June 2021 and dismissed the SLP filed by Delhi Police. The Supreme Court also directed that the above bail order cannot be “treated as precedent”. It however observed that “If the co-accused is entitled to a plea on parity, that is for him to make and the Court to consider”

On 18th May 2023, Gulfisha filed an application for the above order to be taken on record in her bail plea, seeking parity with Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal. Similar applications were also filed by other co-accused.

For the next four and half months, no hearing took place. Either the bench did not assemble on the date of listing or the matter was adjourned.

On 19th Oct 2023, HMJ Siddharth Mridul was transferred as Chief Justice of Manipur High Court. As a result, Gulfisha’s bail plea was listed for rehearing in front of a new bench, along with the bail applications of multiple other co-accused.

On 1st Nov 2023, Gulfisha’s bail plea along with that of other co-accused was listed in front of the special bench of HMJ Surest Kait and HMJ Manoj Jain.

Finally after 4 months, Gulfisha’s bail was argued on 5th March’24 in front of the aforementioned bench. Arguments from both sides concluded on the same day and the bench indicated that judgement was reserved. However, when the order was uploaded, it was learned that the matter had been kept pending on account of the connected bail pleas of the other co-accused.

On 11th July’24, the Supreme Court collegium recommended the appointment of HMJ Suresh Kait as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir. In light of the imminent transfer, the current bench released Gulfisha’s bail appeal to be listed with connected appeals to a new bench on 29th Aug’24. This is the THIRD time that Gulfisha’s bail would have been argued in the Delhi High Court.

On November 11, 2024, the Supreme Court, comprising a bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma, refused to entertain a writ petition filed by Gulfisha Fatima seeking bail in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 over alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots.The Court however requested the Delhi High Court to hear the bail application on the date fixed, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Resistance, Poetry in Prison

Even as she endures a harsh incarceration, Gulfisha retains her indomitable spirit of struggle and her joyous laughter in the face of extreme hardships. Inside prison, she is an important companion for her co-inmates, who come to her to share their troubles, to learn to read and write, to get their applications written, to have their charge-sheets and legal documents explained – the list is endless. Gulfisha used to work in the jail creche teaching the little children who are imprisoned inside with their mothers. Currently, she works with the Pado Padhao programme in prison where she teaches co-inmates basic literacy skills.

Gulfisha has also begun to write very powerful and heart-wrenching poetry to capture the experiences of her incarceration alongwith making beautiful paintings and writing letters to her friends.
———————-

Some links to reports and Gulfisha’s prison poetry, art and letters:

‘These Walls Around Me’: Gulfisha Fatima’s Prison Poetry https://thewire.in/rights/these-walls-around-me-gulfisha-fatimas-prison-poetry

‘Days Become Like A Ladder’: Gulfisha Fatima’s Letters from Prison https://thewire.in/rights/days-become-like-a-ladder-gulfisha-fatimas-letters-from-prison

Free Gulfisha (with footage of Gul’s speeches at the protest site) :

Gulfisha Fatima is an example of courage and bravery. Break you silence. Speak up for her. #freegul #freeallpoliticalprisoners pic.twitter.com/RAupoj6zNy

— Safoora Zargar (@SafooraZargar) October 8, 2021

The post Gulfisha Fatima: A saga of arrest and re-arrest appeared first on SabrangIndia.

As word of the incident spread, a large crowd gathered, demanding immediate action and the swift arrest of the perpetrators. This led to a massive protest, with demonstrators blocking Tonk Road for about three hours. Tensions quickly escalated when protestors set tires on fire near the temple and attempted to set a nearby petrol pump ablaze. Timely police intervention prevented the situation from spiralling further.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) East, Tejasvini Gautam said that “We received information that some anti-social elements tried to vandalise Tejaji’s statue at Tejaji temple on Tonk Road. Police reached the spot and have registered an FIR. Investigation is underway,”

VIDEO | Rajasthan: “We received the information that some anti-social elements tried to vandalise Tejaji’s statue at Tejaji temple at tonk road. Police reached the spot and FIR has been registered. Investigation is underway,” says Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jaipur East,… pic.twitter.com/pOwo4oUR4F

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 29, 2025

Gautam commented on the development and commended the police’s quick response, stating, “A catastrophe was averted due to the swift action of the police.” At least 20 people were detained during the operation to control the protest, and while attempts to disperse the crowd peacefully were made, “mild force” was eventually used to clear the blockade.

Misinformation and allegations amplify communal hate

The vandalism initially sparked a wave of misinformation, with certain groups accusing the Muslim community of being behind the desecration. Social media videos emerged showing protestors raising anti-Muslim slogans, which further stoked tensions of law & order. However, a swift and thorough investigation by the Jaipur Police helped put a stop to these rumours. Authorities quickly arrested a suspect, effectively containing the misinformation.

In response to the seriousness of the situation, over 10 police teams were mobilised to investigate the incident. Investigators reviewed CCTV footage and identified a suspicious vehicle near the temple at approximately 2:30 AM. By tracking the car’s movements across more than 100 cameras, police traced the vehicle to the InterContinental Hotel on Tonk Road.

The arrest of Siddharth Singh: Motive behind the vandalism

The investigation led the police to Siddharth Singh, a 34-year-old man from Bikaner who was residing in Rajapark, Jaipur. Singh’s vehicle was linked to the crime, and he had been visiting a friend at the hotel that night. After extensive questioning, Siddharth was arrested in connection with the vandalism.

In a press conference held later that evening, DCP Tejasvini Gautam provided details of the investigation. Singh was reportedly returning home late on Friday night after consuming alcohol with his friend at the hotel. According to Rajasthan Patrika, Singh had recently been dealing with financial distress, having been forced to shut down his restaurant, ‘Tamas Cafe,’ due to monetary struggles. This financial strain had caused significant emotional and mental stress.

Singh admitted to the vandalism during police questioning. According to Rajasthan Patrika, Singh explained that after leaving the hotel, he had stopped his vehicle near the Veer Tejaji Mandir, where he first recorded a video on his phone saying, “You didn’t do right by me”, before smashing three idols. Singh reportedly linked his actions to frustration and anger over his financial situation, blaming God for his hardships. Police were able to confirm Singh’s identity and his involvement in the crime through CCTV footage.

Singh’s confession and realisation of the impact

Upon his arrest, Siddharth Singh confessed to the crime. Investigators found a photograph of the temple on his phone, timestamped at 3:18 AM, further corroborating his involvement. Singh later expressed remorse, stating that he was under intense stress and had informed his fiancée that he had made a mistake. According to the Indian Express, Singh did not initially grasp the full extent of his actions until the next morning when his fiancée informed him about the protests and the public outrage over the incident.

However, Rajasthan Patrika provided a slightly different account of Singh’s realisation. According to Singh’s statement, he sent his fiancée photos of the broken idols that night, but then forgot about the incident until he was told about the controversy the next day. He only understood the gravity of his actions after his fiancée informed him of the ensuing protests.

Former CM Ashok Gehlot, MP Hanuman Beniwal condemn vandalism

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the act, calling it “highly deplorable” and an “unacceptable attack on public sentiments and faith.” In a post on X, he said, “The incident of breaking Veer Tejaji Maharaj’s statue in Jaipur’s Pratap Nagar is extremely condemnable. Tampering with public sentiments and faith in this manner is unacceptable.”

जयपुर के प्रताप नगर में वीर तेजाजी महाराज की मूर्ति को तोड़े जाने की घटना अत्यंत निंदनीय है। जन-भावनाओं और आस्था के साथ इस तरह का खिलवाड़ अस्वीकार्य है।

सरकार से मांग है कि इस मामले के दोषियों की शीघ्र पहचान कर उन पर कड़ी से कड़ी कार्रवाई की जाए। साथ ही, धार्मिक स्थलों की…

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) March 29, 2025

Gehlot also demanded stringent action against the culprits, stating, “I urge the government to swiftly identify the accused and take the strictest possible action. Additionally, effective and robust measures should be put in place to ensure the security of religious sites, preventing such incidents in the future.”

Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) chief and Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal also reacted to the incident. Sharing his statement on X, he said, “It has come to my notice that anti-social elements have broken the statue of folk deity Veer Tejaji Maharaj in Pratap Nagar’s Sector 3, Jaipur. I have spoken to the Jaipur Police Commissioner and urged him to identify the culprits as soon as possible and initiate strict legal action against them.”

जयपुर में प्रताप नगर के सेक्टर 3 में लोक देवता वीर तेजाजी महाराज की मूर्ति असामाजिक तत्वों द्वारा तोड़ने की जानकारी संज्ञान में आई,मैने जयपुर पुलिस कमिश्नर से मूर्ति को तोड़ने वाले बदमाशों का शीघ्रता से पता लगाकर उनके खिलाफ कड़ी कानूनी कार्यवाही करने के संदर्भ में बात की…

— HANUMAN BENIWAL (@hanumanbeniwal) March 29, 2025

Multiple cases filed in connection with the incident

DCP Tejasvini Gautam confirmed that three separate cases had been filed in connection with the vandalism and the protests. The first case was filed by the temple priest, Manoj, regarding the desecration of the idols. The second case, filed by the police, concerns damage to public property and arson during the protests. The third case was registered by Ramesh, the manager of the petrol station, concerning the attempted arson and vandalism at the fuel station.

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The post Amid rumours blaming Muslims, drunk café owner Siddharth Singh arrested for vandalising Veer Tejaji idol in Jaipur appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In response to the proposed display of Ram Janmabhoomi temple float during the August 18 India Day Parade planned by the Federation of Indian Associations NY-NJ-CT-NE, group of civil society organisations including Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) have sent a joint letter to New York Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul, urging them “take immediate and decisive measures to prevent the inclusion of a polarizing and divisive float in the parade” and demanded immediate removal of the float.

Notably, the Federation hosted a curtain-raising event in New York on July 8 at the Consulate General of India in the presence of Consul General Binaya S Pradhan, during which it announced that “This year, a grand replica of the newly inaugurated Ayodhya Ram Mandir will be featured, measuring 18x9x8 feet as a powerful symbol of cultural significance and a historic moment for the global Indian community.” It was also announced that acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi would serve as the Guest of Honour for the event, which passes through New York’s Madison Avenue.

In the letter, the civil society groups termed the tableau “anti-Muslim” and said “The proposed float for the parade is a blatant attempt to glorify the illegal demolition of the historical Babri Mosque and celebrate ongoing violence and terror against 200 million Indian Muslims. This is not merely a cultural display but a vulgar celebration of anti-Muslim hate, bigotry, and religious supremacy”.

The epistolary address further mentions the involvement of far-right elements in the event and said that the event is organised by “far-right Hindu group Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), in collaboration with the Indian consulate, alongside Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) and the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA)”. The letter emphasised that VHPA is an offshoot of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which is designated as a “militant religious organization” by the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) World Factbook. The civil society members also highlighted the FBI investigation against BAPS regarding its involvement in “forced labour and exploitation of low-caste labourers from India.”

The civil society organisations noted that the right-wing elements had in the past tried to foment the trouble and said that during India Day Parade in August 2022, the far-right Hindu groups transformed the parade into a “hate event” by displaying a bulldozer “alongside pictures of Prime Minister Modi and other Hindu supremacist leaders”, “symbolizing the demolition of Muslim homes in India”. The letter notes that allowing “such a hateful and bigoted celebration in NYC is an affront to American values and to harmony and peaceful coexistence among our diverse communities. It further said that the event emboldens Hindu extremists to glory acts of “violent injustice and discrimination against Muslims.”

The collective observed that the commemoration of Ram Temple was culmination of “decade-long hate campaign” and the destruction of Babri Masjid was a step towards reshaping India into Hindu-Rashtra or ethnoreligious state. The civil society groups demanded immediate removal of the float, maintaining that India is a secular state and its strength lies in diversity.

The letter was signed by the following groups: Indian American Muslim Council, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Council on American-Islamic Relations – New York, Hindus for Human Rights, The Federation of Indian American Churches of North America (FIACONA), New York State Council of Churches, Genocide Watch, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Association of Indian Muslims of America, Center for Pluralism, India’s Civil Watch International, American Muslim Institution, Crescent School, Islamic Circle of North America, The Sikh Coalition, Dalit Solidarity Forum, Great Truth, Justice For All, Asian Children’s Education Fellowship, CAIR-NJ, Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus, and Ambedkar King Study Circle.

The letter can be found here:

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The post American civil society groups register protest against proposed “anti-Muslim” Ram Janmabhoomi temple float during India Day Parade appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Since the announcement of the seven-phase schedule for the Lok Sabha polls on March 16, the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect. This further rigorously puts in place avowedly strict guidelines for campaigners, parties and their candidates. As a part of the effort  to track and counter hate, Citizens for Justice and Peace has been rigorously tracking provocative and inflammatory speeches being delivered across India, especially –but not only–during election time.   

Compiled below is our HateWatch Monitor’s listicle of the instigating speeches delivered in the past fortnight, between April 8 and April 23. The hate offenders (speakers) are leaders from the far-right, including Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, who have either singled out and stigmatised the Muslim community and culture in their speeches, or used religious symbols including places of worship to garner voter support. All these individually and together violate the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 and are defined as “corrupt practices” under this law. None have been rigorously called out or prosecuted as a compliant Election Commission of India (ECI) turns a blind eye. A common theme in these speeches were exhortations to violence against Muslims and for the destruction of Mosques, with the objective of converting India into a Hindu nation. 

1. Location: Sirohi, Rajasthan

Date: April 23

BJP leader Mahant Balaknath Yogi delivers communal speech using Muslims to attack the incumbent CM of Rajasthan, namely Ashok Gehlot. He brought in the topic of cow smuggling while defending cow vigilantism.

Speech: 

“Last time, appeasement politics took place in Rajasthan. You must remember the Jaipur incident and the way in which these people slit the throat of a Ram follower and killed him brutally. On the other hand, these people gave a compensation 50 lakhs to someone who was killed in a road accident. Who gave them [Congress party] the right to give money earned by the people of Rajasthan to others in this way?”

“So many sisters and daughters had their honours snatched. So many innocents were killed brutally. No money was given to us. While these people go on giving 50 lakhs to road accident victims of a particular community.”

“In another alleged incidents, a cow smuggler was killed in Alwar. Even when the incident took place in another state, our CM [incumbent CM Ashok Gehlot] had gone to their house to give them money. The deceased had multiple cases of cow slaughter and sow smuggling against him. They went and gave 25 lakhs to them. do you want to support such a man?”

The post can be viewed here:

2. Location: Budhwar Peth, Nashik, Maharashtra 

Date: April 22

Far-right social media influencer Harsha Thakur delivered a provocative speech against Muslims, peddling conspiracy theories and advocating call to arms. As per Hindutva Watch, the event at which the said speech was delivered had been organized by Sakal Hindu Samaj. 

“Learn how to take up arms. Anyone can wear a Burqa. If you leave your religion, not your caste but your religion, then you will be cut into 35 pieces. You will then only be found in suitcase or fridge. Read your religious texts and take up arms. Become hardcore and loyal towards you own religion.”

The post can be viewed here:

3. Location: Faridabad, Haryana

Date: April 14

Gau Raksha Dal leader Bittu Bajrangi delivered an inflammatory speech targeting Muslims of Mewat. Accusing them of being involved in crimes and cyber frauds, the speaker who is himself out on bail, peddled many anti-Muslim conspiracy theories.

The speech:

“They say that they are Mewatis (Muslim residents of Mewat). And we know that that they are Mewati as all of the terrorists, thieves and thugs are from there only. All the cyber frauds that are happening are from there only. They cannot keep themselves clean how ill they clean the surroundings.”

“This Maulana from Delhi, belonging to Jamiat-ul-Hind, has openly offered 100 acre plots of lands to those who conspire against Hindus, more to the ones that do more damage and kill more people.”

“In Mewat, 1500 cows are getting slaughtered every day, who is responsible for that?their Muslim minister call those who protect cows as goons. Those shameless Hindus who live there also hear that Muslim minister say it. Had it been someone like me, I would hold the neck of that man and throw him out.”

The post can be viewed here:

4. Location: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Date: April 12

Communal speech targeting Muslims delivered was delivered by an unknown speaker at Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP) event where anti-Muslim sentiments were spread. 

The speech:

“We need to be aware. Ask those who live in a Muslim dominated society how important awareness is. Ask those who live in Kashmir or Hyderabad. Pick up a newspaper and you will read the crimes that these Maulanas are doing. We need to be aware about our history.”

The post can be viewed here:

5. Location: Moshi, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra

Date: April 10

Hindu Rashtra Sena Chief Dhananjay Desai, a frequent hate offender, indulges in fear mongering against Muslims.

The speech:

“Chanting of this Swami name is still going on; it was also done earlier in Sindh Punjab and Bengal. But now Bengal has become Bangladesh. Sindh Punjab has become Pakistan. And Kashmir which is our god land has become Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.”

“Here also some scheming is going on to create some horrible situation. Kashmir Files is a true incident that haunts Kashmir. The producer said that anyone who thinks this is extreme depiction of the situation should go and file lawsuits. I have made the entire film like a documentary.”

“All the mothers and sisters have come here; the devotees of Swami have come. Swami who recites are devotees. Because unless the mother is a devotee, without a good womb, without good blood, a Swami devotee cannot be born. Aren’t you a devotee of Swami, this is not just your devotion, your parents also deserve it.”

The post can be viewed here:

6. Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Date: April 9

Sudarshan News Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke delivered an anti-Muslim hate speech. he used slurs, raised calls for violence and taking up of arms, and even demanded changing the name of Ahmedabad city of Gujarat. While promoting anti-Muslim conspiracy theories, he called for law for population growth of Muslims.

The speech:

“If you want to ensure that your children do not have to indulge in a blood bath in the future, we need to let play with sticks and rods today.”

“If these K***h M***e (anti-Muslim slur) have the audacity to say that they will demolish a temple eve as we have Modi as our PM, Yogi as our CM and Amit Shah as our HM, just think of what they will do in the dark times ahead.”

“Those who will limit themselves to only keeping a pen in their hands will regret it. In the future, they will have to bow down to these Muslims. It is essential that we pick arms. We need to keep arms in one hand and a pen in the other.”

“Keep in mind that even one rupee donated to a green chaddar will result in a white chaddar for you.”

“Why do we keep referring to this heritage city as Ahmedabad? Do we want to be introduced by “Ahmad?” we should start calling it as Karnavati.”

The Hindu population rate is 1.3, while the Muslim population rate is 2.9. the Hindu population is decreasing. In a few years, Hindustan will not remain Hindustan. our ancestors dedicated their lives to save this nation, but will it remain free in the coming few years? To save our nation, we need to introduce a policy on population control.”

“We need to stop this whole programme of 4 wives and 52 kids.” 

The post can be viewed here:

7. Location: Barmer, Rajasthan

Date: April 8

Religious preacher Dhirendra Krishna Shastri promoted anti-Muslim conspiracy theory of “love jihad” and forced religious conversion. He also raised calls for destruction of mosques in Kashi and Mathura.

The speech:

“I hope my Hindu brother to ensure that no Hindu converts. I would also suggest my Hindu sisters to keep their eyes and ears open, these people come wear Kalava as well. Do not trust them at all, do not get trapped into “Love-Jihad”.

“Till now, only Ram has been welcomed back. Ayodhya and Kashi are just trailers, Mathura is still yet to happen.”

“Earlier we use to say ‘Lord Ram we will come and make the temple’, and now we say to Lord Krishna that we will feed him cream there only”.

“I want to make it clear that if there is an attack on our religion, I will give a fitting response to the same. I am a Hindu and I will only talk about Hinduism.”

The post can be viewed here:

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The post Elections 2024: The lead up to the first two phases of voting have seen far right leaders deliver anti-Muslim hate speech across India appeared first on SabrangIndia.

However, a law which took birth and become a reality within 4 days (December 9 to 12) was kept in convenient cold storage for 4 years and 9 months without being notified. It was enforced on March 11, 2024 when the 2024 parliamentary elections are few weeks away. The plight of the persecuted non-Muslim minorities in India’s neighbourhood was abandoned for close to five years and then resurrected only when PM Modi needed this polarizing law to push his electoral advantage.

It does not take much to understand that this is likely the first step in the direction of bringing in a more monstrous law for scrutinizing citizenship of all existing Indian citizens. The NRC-NPR exercise is going to play havoc with crores of Indians specially the marginalised migrant worker, Adivasi, Dalit, Farmer and Muslims.
Let us examine defence of enforcing The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 or CAA by the RSS-BJP regime.

(1) CAA 2019 –an attempts to bury India’s Constitution

Shah while piloting the Bill in Lok Sabha had declared that it was in accordance with the Indian Constitution as “the Constitution is our religion.” PM who abstained from the House due to an election engagement in Jharkhand reposed full faith in Amit Shah by declaring that “This bill is in line with India’s centuries old ethos of assimilation and belief in humanitarian values”.

These were shamefaced statements. This Act, first of its kind in independent India, sanctions a blatant violation of the secular Constitution of India. Secularism has been declared as one of the ‘basic’ structures by the Supreme Court of India. Hindutva rulers claim that it was an amendment to the existing citizenship law, Citizenship Act of 1955. However, it is in total disregard of the 1955 Act under which Indian citizenship could be acquired by birth, descent, registration, naturalization or incorporation of territory. Thus the CAA also violates the equality and non-discriminatory character of the Indian Constitution which was declared to be one of the four inviolable pillars of the polity.

(2) It is part of global anti-Muslim polarising agenda of RSS

Amit Shah while presenting this bill declared that it was not against minorities. According to him, “under PM Narendra Modi no minority needs to be afraid”. He seemed to be a large hearted home minister who would welcome all “Those who come here due to persecution, to save their religion and honour of the women of their family…” [Ibid] The “benevolent” Amit Shah argued “If minorities are getting persecuted in neighbouring countries, we cannot be mute spectators. We have to ensure their safety and dignity”.

However, this claim is absolutely hollow like any other claim of his when we go through the Act. Persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh are welcome but persecuted Muslims like Shias, Ahmedyas and Sufis not eligible for this offer. According to RSS/BJP rulers persecuted Muslims were not considered because they did not constitute a minority but were all Muslims. Even illiterates know that in the three countries these above mentioned sects have been declared as non-Muslims. So were Rohingyas abandoned. Worst of all Tamils in Sri Lanka, clearly persecuted find no protection in this new law.

Amit Shah highly worried about religious persecution in three Muslim countries is not bothered about the persecution of Muslim rationalist, liberal and atheist writers, poets, bloggers and activists who in hundreds have been killed by religious vigilante groups in these countries. Over decades India has been denouncing the ethnic cleansing of Baloch nationalists. Thousands of them have been killed by the Pakistani armed forces and hundreds remain missing. Since they are Muslims they will not be welcome despite their continuous ethnic cleansing by the Pakistan Army!

And what about persecuted Uyghur Muslim minority in China? According to a UN committee more than one million Uyghur Muslims and other Muslim groups had been detained in concentration camps in the western Xinjiang region, where they were said to be undergoing “re-education” programmes. Recently, US Congress overwhelmingly approved a bill aimed at pressuring China over a brutal mass crackdown on ethnic Muslims in the far west of the country.

Amit Shah’s argument for not allowing persecuted Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan is that they are not minorities in their respective countries. But persecuted Uyghur Muslims are a religious minority in China. Denial to take refuge to them under the CAA 2019 only shows hatred for Muslims and kowtowing to the Chinese rulers.

Tragedy is soon to unfold for Afghans who in hundreds, many of them women, migrated to India due to excesses of Talibaans. Since CAA has been notified all these Afghan refugees are going to be forced back into a theocratic Afghanistan ruled by the Talibaan.

(3) Farcical love for persecuted Christians

The love for Christians in the neighbouring countries is more puzzling as after Muslims, this community has faced the maximum violence at the hands of RSS goons in India. Modi started his first term as PM of India on May 26, 2014. One of the first decisions he made was about celebrating December 25, (X-MAS) as ‘good-governance day’ every year. It continues till date.

What fate awaited Christians in India was made clear by one of the most decorated police officers of India, Julio Ribeiro, on completion of almost nine months of Modi’s government, in the following words: “Today, in my 86th year, I feel threatened, not wanted, reduced to a stranger in my own country.  The same category of citizens who had put their trust in me to rescue them from a force they could not comprehend have now come out of the woodwork to condemn me for practising a religion that is different from theirs. I am not an Indian anymore, at least in the eyes of the proponents of the Hindu Rashtra.

“Is it coincidence or a well-thought-out plan that the systematic targeting of a small and peaceful community should begin only after the BJP government of Narendra Modi came to power last May? ‘Ghar wapsi’, the declaration of Christmas as ‘Good Governance Day’, the attack on Christian churches and schools in Delhi, all added to a sense of siege that now afflicts these peaceful people.”

Such attacks on Christians and their religious-educational institutions have since taken a pan-Indian diabolic character.

The most prominent ideologue of RSS declared Indian Christians as ‘Internal threat number 2’ after Muslims who were declared as ‘Internal threat number 1’. [MS Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, p. 193.]

How much Christians are loved by Amit Shah was made clear when Indian Parliament passed the 104^th Constitutional Act in 2019 itself. It did away with the nomination of Anglo-Indian members to the Lok Sabha and state legislatures from January 25, 2020. Nomination to Anglo-Indians was provisioned in the Constitution in order to give representation to a section of Christians who were incapable of getting elected any member of their community due to small number. In fact, despite this provision in force in the 17th Lok Sabha the Modi government did not nominate any member from the Anglo-Indian community to the House. The regime which is bothered about the persecution of Christians across the borders is working over-time to deprive them of all the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

(4) Love for Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists who are decreed as Hindus in India by RSS

RSS-BJP rulers love for Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan is puzzling. BJP rulers as members of RSS do not accord the status of independent religion to the above mentioned religions.

The most prominent ideologue of RSS, Guru Golwalkar declared that Hindus should not be divided into Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains, “the Buddhists, the Jain, the Sikh are all included in that one comprehensive word ‘Hindu'”. [MS Golwalkar, The Spotlights, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1974, p. 171.]

(5) Mysterious cut-off date

The cut-off date for seeking refuge in India by the persecuted communities has been fixed on or before December 31, 2014. This means (or implies) that there has been no persecution of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis in the three countries after December 31, 2014. It only shows complete disregard of the present reality in India’s neighbourhood. The cut-off date was tailor made to assuage the mounting anger of more than fifteen lakh Hindus who have been declared foreigners in Assam. But it has opened the old wounds in Assam where organisations fighting for the Assamese identity have risen in revolt against CAA.

(6) Persecuted Tamil Hindus of Sri Lanka left in the lurch

CAA is silent on Sri Lanka where large scale massacre of Hindu Tamilians took place. The fascist Buddhist organizations in Sri Lanka have been demanding Sri Lanka for Sinhalese Buddhists only. Amit Shah and his Hindutva government have brazenly betrayed the persecuted Hindu Tamilians of Sri Lanka who were forced to migrate to India during the civil war or still facing persecution there. More than 150000 (one and half lakh) are languishing in miserable camps with no rights. Shockingly, CAA sacrifices safety of even Hindus in the neighbourhood.

(7) Persecuted minorities and ethnic groups in Myanmar left to die

The Indian home ministry under Amit Shah has ordered a 1643-kilometre long fence to be erected on the India-Myanmar border. This is being done to stop the religious minorities and ethnic groups like the Rohingya people, Kachins (The Baptists) and the Arakan Army which are facing brutal persecution of the Military rulers from coming through. Since they took refuge in India to save themselves from the killing gangs of the Myanmar Army now with this fence they would be at the mercy of Myanmar rulers.

(8) Amit Shah’s hypocrisy on ‘one nation, one legislation’

RSS/BJP rulers have been pro-active on the demand that India is one nation and should have one law on each issue. Interestingly, prior to the CAA 2019, India had one single citizenship law but with the enforcement of CAA India would have multiple citizenship laws. This amendment to the CAA exempts the whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram, almost the whole of Meghalaya, and parts of Assam and Tripura, but keeps all of Manipur under its ambit which may also be made an exception. Thus citizenship will be governed by plethora of laws bidding good-bye to the goal of ‘one nation, one legislation’.

(9) CAA 2019 was scripted by the ‘Guru of Hate’, Golwalkar in 1939

CAA 2019 is the resurrection of what the most important ideologue of RSS, Golwalkar decreed in his 1939 book We or Our Nationhood Defined about the character of Indian nation. According to him it was, it is and will remain an exclusive Hindu nation. The reality is that it is not only against the minorities but against democratic-secular Constitution of India.  The RSS has been allergic to the idea of an all-inclusive India since its birth in 1925.

Golwalkar declared that in, “Hindusthan, the land of the Hindus, lives and should live the Hindu Nation…Consequently only those movements are truly ‘National’ as aim at rebuilding, re-vitalizing and emancipating from its present stupor, the Hindu Notion”.  [MS Golwalkar, We or Our Nationhood Defined, Bharat Publication, Nagpur, 1939, p. 43]

He went to the extent of declaring that all those who did not believe in establishing the Hindu nation “are either traitors and enemies to the National cause, or, to take a charitable view, idiots”. [MS Golwalkar, We or Our Nationhood Defined, Bharat Publication, Nagpur, 1939, p. 44.]

It is important to note that even when CAA 2019 had not been enacted, India under the stewardship of the visionary PM Nehru had allowed refuge to likes of Dalai Lama with his retinue (April 1959). At the end of 1970s thousands of East Pakistanis who were persecuted by Islamists and Pakistan army were provided shelter in India. CAA 2019 is nothing but a ploy of RSS/BJP rulers led by diehard Hindu nationalists like Modi and Amit Shah to convert democratic-secular India into a Hindutva theocracy. It was facilitated by a capitulated Parliament.

The Indian judiciary, specially the Supreme Court could have averted this tragedy by timely intervention. But despite more than 150 petitions challenging the constitutionality of the CAA pending before the highest court of justice since 2020 it continues to dither from hearing the petitions.

The only hope now is that the people of India will peacefully resist this undoing of democratic-secular India.

Related:

Anti-CAA protest: Delhi High Court quashes trial court’s order taking cognizance of FIR against Shabnam Hashmi for holding banner

‘Slip of Tongue,’ now says BJP MP who had promised CAA in 7 Days

CAA rules to be framed by March 2024, says Union Minister

The post Anti-constitutional, bereft of humanity & religiously bigoted: CAA 2019 is now enforced in India appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Initially, T Raja Singh,  had been denied permission on February 21 by the police who rejected the application of Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha to hold a rally in the Mira Road neighbourhood which is trying to come to a semblance of normalcy after in late January, 2024, the area in the heart of Mumbai recently experienced a surge of unrest and violence , as a Hindutva mob reportedly engaged in the brutal vandalism, assault, and burning of Muslim-owned establishments and vehicles.

Singh had announced his intention to conduct a ‘sabha’ in the volatile neighbourhood after posting a video on his social media. Originally scheduled for February 19, the programme was eventually postponed to February 25. In a message to his followers, he declared, “Chalo, let’s introduce people to our power on the 25th,” and had urged the police not to delay granting permission for the gathering.

Starting with Jai Sri Ram, members of the Sakal Hindu Samaj held a press conference, talked about the court hearing, and stated, ‘Today we have gotten permission. The police refused permission citing the ‘bhadkau bhashan’ (inflammatory speech) amd ‘dangey’ (riots) around Pran Pratistha, but the Bombay High Court stated that when the sabha happened in Chopda (located in Jalgaon district) and other places, there was no communal incident, you cannot stop a sabha from happening based on the potential that it might happen. And the duty to maintain law and order is of the police. And on this, our permission was granted. We, Raja bhaiya (T  Raja Singh), and the organisers, have to give an undertaking to the police that no ‘hate speech’ or any incendiary bhashan will be given. Our message to the Hindu samaj is this that on Shivaji Maharaj’s jayanti this programme will take place and will speak about his bravery and will also talk about the attacks taking place against the Hindu samaj.” 

This announcement had raised concerns among the local populace, especially given Singh’s controversial reputation and high number of criminal cases against him in light of the recent incidents of violence in Mira Road.  

However, a criminal writ petition was filed  by one Naresh Ramu Nile, who is self-acclaimedly  from  the ‘Hindu Task Force and Sakal Hindu Samaj’ before the the Bombay High Court. On February 23 a bench presided by Justice R.P. Mohite Dere and Justice Manusha Ajay Deshpande granted the organisers conditional permission to hold the event granted that they don’t make and hate speeches and directed the police to take full precautions and videotape the event. The following day, today, on February 24, a day before the event is to take place, Citizens for Justice and Peace has further written another petition urging for precautions and implementation of the Supreme Court guidelines to the Vasai Virar Police at Mira Road Bhayander. 

Citizens on ground have stated that they are going to forward another complaint to the police today. SabrangIndia spoke to an active citizen who is part of the proposed delegation, “As you know, the High Court has allowed permission, with conditions for the rally to speak. Some citizens are again going to approach the police commissioner today urging them to file an FIR if any hate speech incident should take place, and also urging that any incident of hate speech should be stopped on spot if it takes place. ..The action of the Mira-Bhayandar Vasai Virar police has not been robust against hate speech in the past. We had Kajal Hindustani earlier who called the area ‘Jihadi Nagar’. There was little action taken. No FIR was registered by police, however, people on ground repeatedly urged the police who finally after 25 days registered an FIR against her. Last time also, no case was registered in the case of hate speech after Nitesh Rane and Geeta Jain came over. Six people complained to the police, and they were given a notice by the police to come and give evidence for the complaint. However, when we went there, they did not record any statement and said they are busy. We even asked if they had called Geeta Jain. But everyone has their process of doing things, they may be investigating according to their process. As of now, we are not scared, we are going to approach the police station once again today regarding the upcoming rally, and we are alert against any incident of hate speech that may turn.”

As peace-loving citizens continue to demand action against hate speeches in the past and remain vigilant in the present, the city outside Mumbai in the Thane district waits with trepidation for Sunday 25 rally and event to pass.

Related

Conduct Fair Inquiry, take action against MLAs Geeta Jain and Nitesh Rane: Citizens of Mira Road-Bhayandar

Mira Road: Muslim youth allegedly beaten in custody, denied food as Nitesh Rane tells supporters, “The Government is with you.”

Mira-Road Bhayander Police rejects permission to BJP MLA T Raja Singh for rally on February 25, cites hate speeches

CJP to Maharashtra Police: Halt BJP MLA Raja Singh’s rally in Mira Road, citing potential for public disruptions

The post Mira Road to see Hindutva rally tomorrow after HC grants permission, citizens approach police to ensure peace appeared first on SabrangIndia.

First, several Hindi newspapers published articles (well-coordinated!) saying that the Bihar Education Department has ‘abolished’ holidays for ‘Hindu’ festivals and increased holidays for ‘Muslim’ celebrations. Soon, we witnessed a well-coordinated propaganda both in the print media and on social media platforms. Predictably, several senior BJP leaders and “influencers” amplified the Fake-News. Commercial electronic (TV) News Channels promptly started “debates” on this issue and conveniently invited representatives of the dominant, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to amplify this out of context and spread more lies and fake news. The social media storm around this has been created to create the impression that “Hindu masses” are also angry as they see this propaganda as “real.”

1 of 5

So much so that the Bihar education department has now been compelled to issue a “clarification” regarding school holidays for the academic session 2024. The announcement clarified that there were/are no changes in the number of holidays next year and that all schools have always remained open and celebrated the birth anniversaries of great men. The education department made the clarifications in response to the rumours circulating around the recently released school holiday calendar 2024.  This is what the Bihar government has had to do.

Bihar school holiday 2024 calendar out, BSEB clarifies different lists for Urdu and general schools

What is the actual context? 

 Every year the many state governments release a list of holidays for schools. There are different calendars issued for different set of schools. They issue a different list of holidays for Madarsa and Maqtabs. By picking up and highlighting only the Holiday list of the Madrasas and Maqtabs and making out as if these holidays applied to all educational institutions, this barrage of fake information was spreading falsehood, stigma and prejudice. [For example the Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education gives Friday as a weekly holiday even under the Adityanath’s leadership. This may be read here. 

The Nitish Kumar-RJD combine has increased the summer vacation holidays from 20 to 30 days, therefore many festivals that fall during that period are not mentioned separately as holidays. The BJP has cynically used this as an opportunity to deliberately spread a fear/hate campaign. 

Propaganda examples

ना रामजी का, ना कृष्ण जी, ना शिव जी, ना महान सम्राट अशोक का है बिहार!
–ईद : 3 दिन
–बकरीद: 3 दिन
–मुहर्रम : 2 दिन
– शुक्रवार (जुमा): मुस्लिम बहुल क्षेत्र में अघोषित छुट्टी
–रामनवमी : 0 दिन
–रक्षाबंधन: 0 दिन
–महाशिवरात्रि: 0 दिन
–श्रीकृष्ण जन्माष्टमी : 0 दिन
– सम्राट अशोक अष्टमी: 0 दिन

ये कोई दूसरे देश का कैलेंडर नहीं, लालू–नीतीश के तुष्टिकरण का खामियाजा पूरा बिहार भुगत रहा है।

#ThagbandhanAppeasement
#SanatanVirodhi  

ना रामजी का, ना कृष्ण जी, ना शिव जी, ना महान सम्राट अशोक का है बिहार!

-ईद : 3 दिन
-बकरीद: 3 दिन
-मुहर्रम : 2 दिन
– शुक्रवार (जुमा): मुस्लिम बहुल क्षेत्र में अघोषित छुट्टी

-रामनवमी : 0 दिन
-रक्षाबंधन: 0 दिन
-महाशिवरात्रि: 0 दिन
-श्रीकृष्ण जन्माष्टमी : 0 दिन
– सम्राट अशोक अष्टमी:…

— BJP Bihar (@BJP4Bihar) November 28, 2023

Muslim-only IT park, religious quota, Shadi Shagun scheme, interest free loans to Waqf, Haj pilgrimage subsidy, salaries to Maulvis, free UPSE coaching – Secularism in this country has transmogrified into Appeasement. This is not welfare; this is warfare.

Muslim-only IT park, religious quota, Shadi Shagun scheme, interest free loans to Waqf, Haj pilgrimage subsidy, salaries to Maulvis, free UPSE coaching – Secularism in this country has transmogrified into Appeasement. This is not welfare; this is warfare.

My views on @CNNnews18: pic.twitter.com/rdDI3ErCFV

— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) November 28, 2023

Bihar govt has slashed the school holidays on the occasions of Janmashtami, Rakshabandhan, Shivratri. However, ‘3 holidays have been given during Eid’. Urdu schools to get weekly holiday on Friday instead of Sunday

Bihar govt has slashed the school holidays on the occasions of Janmashtami, Rakshabandhan, Shivratri.

However, ‘3 holidays have been given during Eid’.

Urdu schools to get weekly holiday on Friday instead of Sundaypic.twitter.com/Tvbzte6hJE

— Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) November 28, 2023

The Bihar government has enforced discriminatory policies by removing holidays for many Hindu festivals in schools & granting three-day holidays for one-day Muslim festivals. This is a clear example of appeasement politics, which is a great injustice to the Hindu community.

The Bihar government has enforced discriminatory policies by removing holidays for many Hindu festivals in schools & granting three-day holidays for one-day Muslim festivals. This is a clear example of appeasement politics, which is a great injustice to the Hindu community. pic.twitter.com/FjEwn7nfSv

— ADV. ASHUTOSH J. DUBEY (@AdvAshutoshBJP) November 28, 2023

VIDEO | “Does Bihar CM Nitish Kumar want to form Islamic Republic of Bihar?” says Union minister and BJP leader @girirajsinghbjp on reports of #Bihar government’s decision to reduce the number of holidays for the state’s schools during Hindu festivals and increasing it for Muslim festivals.

VIDEO | “Does Bihar CM Nitish Kumar want to form Islamic Republic of Bihar?” says Union minister and BJP leader @girirajsinghbjp on reports of #Bihar government’s decision to reduce the number of holidays for the state’s schools during Hindu festivals and increasing it for Muslim… pic.twitter.com/YdGOWjk9hn

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 28, 2023

Background: Indian national holidays

Being a culturally diverse country, there are many festivals celebrated in various regions across the country. There are only three national holidays declared by the Government of India: Republic Day (26 January), Independence Day (15 August), and Gandhi Jayanti (October 2). Apart from this, certain holidays which are celebrated nationally are declared centrally by the Union Government. Additionally, various state governments and union territories designate additional holidays on local festivals or days of importance as holidays as per section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. National holidays are mandatory holidays declared by Government of India which are applicable for all states and union territories of India.

Central holidays: In addition to the three fixed national holidays, the Union Government of India declares additional days as holidays which are largely followed by central government offices and affiliates. In addition to designated fixed holidays, few other days are designated optional from which a select number of days can be chosen according to individual convenience. (Central holidays ‘Optional’) State holidays: In addition to the above, various state governments and union territories designate additional holidays on local festivals or days of importance as public holidays as per section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. Besides, they declare their own State days as holidays, birth anniversary days, festivals and others as holidays as well.

Editor’s take: This is one more example of “Hit and Run Sabotage” Propaganda. There has been a history of such fake propaganda campaigns by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) BJP especially during the election time. Many media houses also add to the confusion and promote Fake News. It takes about a week to 10 days for people to understand the facts, the news channels never apologise on their own for peddling essentially false information. Ultimately the damage is done, especially during an elections campaign. 

Related:

Hate speech promoting divisive beliefs and defending acts of violence against Muslims delivered in Bihar, UP

Bihar: Clash between two Durga immersion groups, chaotic mobs vandalise and loot neighbouring Muslim-owned shops

Bajrang Dal convener mastermind of Bihar Sharif violence, say police

The post Bihar: How festival holidays become target of fake news appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Lalpur, Jamnagar: Gujarat

Far-right leader Kajal Shingla recently delivered a hate speech targeting Muslims in Lalpur, Jamnagar. Speaking at an event organized by the Hindu Sena, Shingla indulged in fear-mongering and propagated anti-Muslim conspiracy theories. Her divisive rhetoric adds to the escalating communal tensions within the region. The video was posted online on August 13, 2023.

Location: Lalpur, Jamnagar

Far-right leader Kajal Shingla delivers hate speech targeting Muslims.

She indulged in fear-mongering and peddled anti-Muslim conspiracy theories.

Shingla was speaking at an event organized by Hindu Sena. pic.twitter.com/kKxCBdhOOz

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 12, 2023

“Hindus should organise themselves. Rohingyan Muslims and Bangladeshi immigrants are here to destroy us,” she said in speech. Thereafter,  she made a “plea” to financially boycott Muslims. “The money given to Muslims is contribution to terrorists”, she reiterated.  She “blamed Muslims” for communal disturbances in Mewat. She alleged that Muslims pelted stones against the Shobha Yatra. The police reports rejected this claim and are yet to verify the sources.

According to her Twitter bio, Kajal is an “entrepreneur, a research analyst, and a nationalist”. She has nearly 95,000 followers on Twitter, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Kajal, whose former name was Kajal Shingala, describes herself as the ‘Lioness of Gujarat’ on her website. Quoting from her website, which has been inaccessible for the past few days, the report said that she “spreads awareness about the Indian culture and works for the human rights of Hindus.”

Pondri Village, Palwal, Haryana

A vide surfaced on Twitter on 13th August, 20023 in which Acharya Azad Singh Arya, the leader of the Haryana Gau Raksha Dal, can be seen taking to the stage at a Hindu Mahapanchayat in Pondri Village, Palwal. His provocative speech targeted Muslims in Mewat and called on Hindus to arm themselves with rifles instead of revolvers. 

Location: Pondri village, Palwal, Haryana

At Hindu Mahapanchayat, Haryana Gau Raksha Dal leader Acharya Azad Singh Arya delivered a provocative speech against Mewat’s Muslims and called on Hindus to buy rifles instead of revolvers. pic.twitter.com/ZSfIIq6zJo

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 13, 2023

In a video from the event, he is heard saying, “Everyone should get a rifle, not a revolver, because revolvers do not shoot far. I beg the youth to maintain a warm blood temperature. I question the Prime Minister: Why don’t you remove [Manohar Lal] Khattar and give us a chief minister like Yogi Adityanath?”  Arya also said that he salutes the cow vigilantes who have been jailed for killings two Muslim men, Junaid and Nasir, in February.

“Junaid and Nasir were cow killers, and as soon as they were killed, the Rajasthan government stood up for them,” he said. 

Azad Maidan, Panaji, Goa

In Goa, the far-right group Hindu Janjagruti Samiti orchestrated a hate rally against the conspiracy theory of “love jihad.” The event, held at Azad Maidan, Panaji, is yet another instance of spreading divisive sentiment. The video surfaced on Twitter on 13th August, 2023.

Location: Azad Maidan, Panaji, Goa

Far-right group Hindu Janjagruti Samiti organized a hate rally against the conspiracy theory of “love jihad”. pic.twitter.com/V6RVDb2w1V

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 13, 2023

Village Panchi, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh

At a Bajrang Dal-organised meeting in Village Panchi, Baghpat, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader delivered a communal speech demonizing Muslims. This rhetoric adds fuel to the communal fire and raises concerns about the polarisation within local communities. The video was posted online on 12th August, 2023.

Location: Village Panchi, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh

At Bajrang Dal organized meeting, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader delivered communal speech demonizing Muslims. pic.twitter.com/s4rzCILgVG

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 12, 2023

New Delhi

“Mathura, Varanasi Masjids would be converted into temples,” said Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar. Attending an event organised by Vanvasi Raksha Parivar Foundation on August 13 at Delhi, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar promised the conversion of Varanasi and Mathura Masjids into temples within ten years.

“If Ram Janmbhoomi (birthplace of Lord Ram) was converted into temples, how could we not do the same in Mathura and Varanasi. Within next ten years Mathura and Varanasi temples would be converted into temples” he promised to the audience.

He cautioned against reactionary attacks against the perpetrators. He praised the Hindus taking reactionary actions.

Location: New Delhi

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar delivered a communal speech demonizing Muslims and claimed mosques in Mathura and Varanasi would be converted into temples in the next ten years.

Kumar was speaking at an event organized by Vanvasi… pic.twitter.com/nTtayORGPb

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 14, 2023

Related

Nuh Haryana: Who cast the first stone?

Intolerance on the Rise: Unveiling Disturbing Trends in India

Five hate speeches given by Suresh Chavhanke in July, CJP moves NCM

Far right leader calls for “repeating Gujarat 2002 in Karnataka”: Hindu Jagaran Vedike (HJV)

The post Far right, Hindutva leaders stoke communal fires across India appeared first on SabrangIndia.

And twisted to target junior engineer, Amir Khan. Perpetrators were the well oiled hate eco-system, Sudarshan news (run repeat hate offender, by Suresh Chavhanke) and amplified by the BJP IT Cell chief, Amit Malviya. Indian Railways was quick to deny the fake news. “This is factually incorrect. The entire staff is present & a part of inquiry. They are appearing before agency,” Chief  Public Relations Officer of South Eastern Railway, Aditya Kumar Chaudhary clearly said. The false media reports even spoke railway staff “absconding” after the train accident near Bahanaga Bazar railway station.

How Hate becomes currency 

Within days of the accident on June 4/5, hate mongers had first tried to blame the tragedy that claimed dozens of lives of poor migrant labour on a neighbourIng religious place of worship, an ISKCON temple that was dubbed being a Mosque!

Background

On June 6, 2023, the CBI had begun with the investigation into allegations of criminal negligence leading to the Balasorerailway accident involving three trains in Odisha, with officials saying the agency may take views of rail safety experts to get to the bottom of the case. As per the official data provided by the government agencies, this said railway tragedy, one of the worst train tragedies in the country, had claimed 278 lives and left more than 1,100 people injured.

The entrusting of this severe case of technical lapse that ought to have been investigated by a well-equipped committee of experts had been widely criticised in the public sphere.

The very first rumour that was spread was that since the tragedy had occurred on a Friday, a link was set to the Muslims, who gather to offer Juma prayer in the afternoon. It was further alleged that a ‘mosque’ had existed near the site of the incident.

And now, after a few weeks have passed since the said accident, another attempt to communalise the tragedy had been made with the help of social media. Yesterday night, a news was being shared that the CBI has taken action by sealing the residence of the Junior Engineer responsible for the Soro section Signal.

A report by the India Today had first provided that the said engineer, who resided in a rented house in Balasore, was interrogated by the investigative agency, and he and his family were now reported missing. Soon after this news started doing rounds, Sudarshan TV, one of the major contributors to spreading anti-Muslim sentiments amongst Hindus by propagating misinformation, jumped on its islamophobic band wagon and started claiming that the absconding junior engineer is a Muslim man named Amir Khan.

The tweet are as follws

Predictably, the right-wing media, extremist Hindu outfits, BJP IT cell and the far-right twitter trolls and bots started floating this whole idea on twitter, which set the whole ball rolling and the Hindus started bashing the whole Muslim community. It reached such a level that the Hindu trolls and Hindu community started making offensive and derogatory statements against Muslims, seeking justice, spreading more misinformation and disinformation.

On Tuesday, the Chief Public Relations Officer of South Eastern Railway, Aditya Kumar Chaudhary reacted to the said false media reports about railway staff absconding after the train accident near Bahanaga Bazar railway station. He said, “This is factually incorrect. The entire staff is present & a part of inquiry. They are appearing before agency.”

The video can be viewed here:

#WATCH | Balasore train accident | “A few media reports are coming in that a Bahanaga staff is absconding and missing. This is factually incorrect. The entire staff is present & a part of inquiry. They are appearing before agency,” says Aditya Kumar Chaudhary, CPRO South Eastern… pic.twitter.com/Htc538cIFp

— ANI (@ANI) June 20, 2023

It is essential to note that after the said clarification was given by the South Eastern Railway officer, the tweet by Suresh Chavhanke, the editor-in-chief of Sudarshan TV, was deleted by him!

The efforts of the officers working on the train accident, the Odisha government and the Odisha police have been commendable, pro-actively ensuring that no communal colour is given to any issue incidental to this tradegy, especially as the investigation is ongoing.

Previously too, the Odisha Police had said some social media handles have been circulating “ill-motivated” posts on the Balasore accident and that legal action would be taken against them. “We appeal to all concerned to desist from circulating such false and ill-motivated posts. Severe legal action will be initiated against those who are trying to create communal disharmony by spreading rumours,” they had said, as reported by the OutlookIndia.

Related:

Tragic Odisha train crash claims lives of Bengal migrant workers

Odisha’s Balasore train accident: misplaced priorities, poor safety measures, CAG & key committee recs ignored: People’s Commission

Kharge slams union govt for asking CBI to probe Odisha train accident: Letter to Modi

Hate and the Balasore train tragedy: Welcome to 2023 India

The post Balasore Train tragedy: The claim that a Muslim Junior Engineer caused accident false: Railways appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Sudipto Sen’s ‘The Kerala Story,’ and it’s not-so-hidden goal of advancing Islamophobia and furthering communal divides by depicting Hindu women being targeted, converted to Islam, and then recruited by ISIS to commit ‘Jihad,’ had already caused plenty of controversy. The film vilified both Islam and the Muslim community, with Muslim men being demonised and an anti-Muslim propaganda was disseminated. That the focal point of the film was also based on misinformation, with unverified claims of 32,000 (Hindu) women being targeted by Muslims for conversion is a moot point. This was later corrected, only after the Courts stepped in. Much damage had already been done.

And now, the trailer for Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan’s ‘72 Hoorain’, promises to further feed in to anti-Muslim propaganda, has been released.

The first clip begins with the voiceover which says, “Tumne jo Jihaad ka raasta chuna hai, wo tumko seedha Jannat me leke jayega, kunwari, anchhui hui, tumhari hongi humesha k liye. (The path of Jihaad that you have chosen, will lead you to heaven, where 72 virgin girls will be yours forever.)”

Visuals of Osama Bin Laden, Ajmal Kasab, Yakub Memon, Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar are also showcased in the teaser video. The director has said in one of his statements that, “The slow poisoning of the mind by perpetrators turns ordinary individuals into suicide bombers. Let us remember that even the bombers themselves, with families like ours, have fallen victim to the twisted beliefs and brainwashing of terrorist leaders. Trapped within the deadly illusion (and lure) of 72 virgins awaiting them in heaven, they embark on a path of wilful destruction, ultimately meeting a gruesome fate,” reports Zee News. Co-producer Ashoke Pandit opined, “The movie will definitely make you ponder certain beliefs prevailing in the society and how they are a mere figment of imagination. It will make you think about the concepts and ideologies that are not even close to reality in any way, and how they are merely used to brainwash people to mould them into terrorists in the name of jihad.”

The teaser can be viewed here: https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/1665244845391380480

As is evident from the description of this movie as well as the words used to promote it, this will be just another anti-Muslim (and anti-Islam) propaganda movie which will depict a Muslim person embarking on the journey of ‘Jihad’ to ensure a place in heaven and enjoy their afterlife with 72 virgin women. As was observed after the release of the Kerala Story, the steady series of release of such propaganda-filled movies appear aimed at Hindu women as the target audience, so that a widespread fear can be instilled in their minds against Muslim men. To substantiate the Hindutva extremist promoted bogey of ‘Love-Jihad’, these fictionalised misinformed movies are now being released.

There are several more such propaganda filled movies set to be released this year in the run up to the general elections of 2024. The teaser for ‘Accident or Conspiracy Godhra’, directed by MK Shivaaksh and produced by BJ Purohit and Ramkumar Pal, has been released and the movie is set to be released in theatres soon. According to the teaser, the film promises to “show the truth” behind what caused the riots. The teaser calls the attack on Sabarmati Express ghastly. Was it a well-planned attack that led to the Gujarat riots or was it a result of a fit of frenzy? The film is ostensibly based on the Nanavati Commission report, which was the commission of inquiry appointed by the government of Gujarat to probe the Godhra train burning incident. The report had upheld the latterly promoted “conspiracy” theory behind the Godhra train fire. The perpetrators behind the Godhra fire involved Muslims from the Signal Falia area and there was no evidence regarding the involvement of any religious or political party in the conspiracy in the post-Godhra violence.

As per the makers of the film, “This movie was made after a lot of hard work and five years of research. Many shocking facts were discovered during the research for this movie, which are well presented in the movie with proof,” as reported by Indiatimes. again, it is evident from the description that this film will be similar to Vivek Agnihotri directed ‘The Kashmir Files’, which had presented a moulded one-sided movie on the Kashmir exodus of the Pandits and painted the Kashmiri Muslims as the sole perpetrators, forgetting to factor in sufferings of the Kashmiri Muslims into the script. Here too, surely the Godhra movie will not talk of the mass rape burning and murder of innocent Muslims in the aftermath of the Godhra train burning, or the charred remains of dead women and children found and buried in an unrecognisable state.They will not mention Bilkis Bano and her continued struggle for justice, as this will not further their divisive agenda.

The teaser can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m80n5BtUglU&t=24s

Another such movie named Tipu, which is a biopic based on the life of Tipu Sultan- the 18th century ruler of the then Mysore kingdom, had been made a few months ago. The announcement regarding the release of Tipu came along with the country-wide release of The Kerala Story. The said announcement of the film was accompanied by a short video clip that makes multiple claims which come off as Islamophobic in nature. The video clip claims that during Tipu’s time, “8000 temples and 27 churches were destroyed.” It also adds, “Four million Hindus were forced to convert to Islam and forced to eat beef.” It further goes on to claim that “more than one lakh Hindus were imprisoned” and that “over 2000 Brahmin families were wiped out in Calicut.” The film’s poster depicts an image of Tipu Sultan with what appears to be black paint smeared on his face, with the tagline: The story of a fanatic sultan. Significantly, the historical sources on which this movie is said to be based upon are unclear.

The teaser can be viewed here: https://twitter.com/taran_adarsh/status/1654021559156350976

The list of propaganda movies planned does not end there. Another forthcoming movie “Ajmer 92” has been deemed as a communally charged movie that has the potential to create a “divide and rift” in the society. Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president Maulana Mahmood Madanion has urged  the central government to ban this movie and “discourage those who are trying to divide society on communal lines”.

So far a quick search reveals that at least 20 anti-Muslim and anti-minority propaganda films are in the making and scheduled to be released before the general elections of 2024. The main agenda behind releasing such movies is to keep divisions rife, the blood boiling, ensuring that votes are cast on this perpetrated hatred and othering rather than bread and butter issues next year.

Powerful politicians from the present regime and the ideological outfits backing it seem clearly out to exploit mass cinema’s potent properties. Playing on the minds and opinions of the public, such films either instil fear regarding the impending Muslim threat to the nation, or glorify majoritarian politics and beliefs, trigger communal violence, control dissent and all opposing parties or forces, including real, alternative narratives. Propaganda films serve as successful political tools used by political parties to shape a nation’s present belief systems. On one hand, they are promote violent anti-Muslim sentiments, while on the other hand, also glorifying a mythical Hindu mythology and past. Movies with such depictions are also slated for release. Adhi Purush, another movie based on the Ramayana, is slated to be released soon. Additionally, the teaser of Randeep Hooda starrer ‘Swatantra Veer Savarkar’ is also out, which attempts to glorify the life of a political leader who was an aggressive votary of an exclusivist Hindu Nation, the Hindu Rashtra.

The Indian public sphere is smeared with perpetrated hate: inflammatory speeches, inciteful and triggering social media posts, stereotypes being promoted, misinformation being spread. All this ensures that opinions are coloured and exclusion then violence results.  The 1990s and 2000s have seen the mass targeted violence in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Rwanda, so much of it was enabled with a hysterical mass media, giving coinage to the term Journalism as Genocide. The Bosnian targeted killings also led to the establishment of The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was a United Nations court of law that dealt with war crimes that took place during the conflicts in the Balkans in the 1990s. During its mandate, which lasted from 1993 – 2017, this tribunal “irreversibly changed the landscape of international humanitarian law, provided victims an opportunity to voice the horrors they witnessed and experienced, and proved that those suspected of bearing the greatest responsibility for atrocities committed during armed conflicts can be called to account.”

Going further back to the period between the two World Wars, Nazi Germany had perfected the art of control over “mass entertainment films” to serve their agenda. Both radio and cinema enabled the regime to reach out to large groups of people, including those who didn’t read newspapers.

No work of art can be entirely separated from its creator’s politics, and the same stands true for the entertainment industry of India. The director’s subject choice, the actor’s choice of character, and the writer’s perspective and understanding of the story are crucial. These become even more important when their project seeks to re-enact and portray a historical event or a person who has had an impact on our present. In such cases, the very thin line between presenting ‘history’ and presenting a ‘propaganda’ is frequently blurred – usually on purpose- and the same is not realised by the audience who is at the receiving end of such films. The recent spike in the release of such films, with their explicit preposterous and altered representations of historical events, personalities, and issues, is nothing short of an ideological and cultural onslaught against the country’s most marginalized. The main goal is to turn the  popular imagination against India’s most discriminated, be they Muslims, Christians, Dalits, Adivasis, Women, or the LGBTQIA+ community.

Related:

Hate and the Balasore train tragedy: Welcome to 2023 India

Fake News Regarding Situation of Migrant Workers in Tamil Nadu Being Made Viral

Social media platforms finally compel extremist groups to shun hate speech, fake news

What a one-sided Kerala Story does to society – Part II

The repercussions of a propaganda like “The Kerala Story”

The real Kerala story

Kerala: The Real Story, where Facts and numbers add up

‘The Kerala Story’ producer agrees to remove teaser claiming conversion of 32,000 women

The Kerala Story: now claims of true story of only 3 girls?

The Kashmir Files: Calls for Muslim genocide ring out in cinema halls, hate brews outside

The post Film as Propaganda: the months between June 2023 & May 2024 appeared first on SabrangIndia.