Festivals of different faiths falling together are often seen to be an occasion to encourage communal harmony. However, as recorded in recent times, it has often resulted in communal clashes, the after effects of which are felt long after the day itself has passed.

The situation is reportedly still tense in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur, which is also the hometown of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, following communal clashes on Eid. According to a report in NDTV, the police have so far arrested 52 people after the clashes. Around 45 others have also been detained in connection with the violence, and curfew remains in place in Jodhpur’s Udai Mandir, Nagori Gate and some other areas, stated the news report, adding that “internet remains suspended to stop the spread of rumours.” A three-day Parshuram Jayanti festival was in progress in Jodhpur when the clashes happened.

The confrontation reportedly erupted when a group allegedly hoisted “Eid flags” on the Jalori gate circle, on Monday night. Stones were then pelted and many were injured including five policemen. The crowds were dispersed by the police using “tear gas and batons”, stated news reports.

According to a report in the Indian Express, curfew was imposed in 10 police station areas of Jodhpur. After the two communities clashed late Monday night over the “hoisting of an Eid flag over the statue of a freedom fighter”, police told the media that on Tuesday morning, fresh clashes erupted between police and members of the Muslim community.

As Jodhpur is also the hometown of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and the area where the violence happened in Sardarpura, his Assembly constituency of Gehlot, the Opposition has directed all criticism towards him. Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)  have accused Gehlot of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, slammed Gehlot and said the violence was the result of his “politics of appeasement”.

स्वतंत्रता सेनानी स्व. बाल मुकंद बिस्सा जी की प्रतिमा पर लगे भगवा झंडे को उतारने की घटना से यह स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि प्रदेश में फैला यह मजहबी उन्माद कांग्रेस सरकार की तुष्टिकरण संस्कृति का ही परिणाम है।
सरकार चेते और तुष्टिकरण की नीति से बाज आए।
(2/2)#Rajasthan

— Vasundhara Raje (@VasundharaBJP) May 3, 2022

According to the IE, police have said that “the immediate trigger for the clash had to do with the hoisting of a flag on Eid on the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa near Jalori Gate in Jodhpur.” Vandita Rana, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jodhpur West, was quoted saying, “Preliminary investigation suggests that the reason for the escalation of tensions resulted from one community hoisting an Eid flag over the statue of a freedom fighter.” The DCP added, “There was a clash between police and people who had offered namaz on Tuesday morning. The people who had come to offer namaz started sloganeering and forcefully tried to go near the statue and remove a saffron flag that was put there after last night’s clashes. Police had to use force to disperse (the crowd). The clash this morning was with police, not the other community.”

Additional Director General (Law and Order) Hawa Singh Ghumaria told the area that the area is adjacent to the Eidgah and  it was while dispersing, that “tension escalated and there was stone pelting. There were flags of Lord Parashuram near the area where namaz is offered. There was a dispute about removing flags. The local Muslim community puts up a flag on the occasion of Eid.” 

Chief Minister Gehlot chaired a high-level meeting at his office; he also made a public appeal for peace and brotherhood. He added that the BJP was fuelling the unrest in Rajasthan, and that the riots were in fact prevented and there were no casualties. “You know what communal riots have resulted in…in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat…” adding that even on Ramnavmi when riots broke out in seven states, there was peace in Rajasthan. “They [BJP] cannot digest peace…. They have orders to create unrest.”

कल जोधपुर में जो कुछ हुआ कोई ऐसा मुद्दा नहीं था कि जहां दंगा भड़कने की स्थिति आए, ये तो हम लोगों ने दंगा कहीं होने नहीं दिया, न करौली में, न राजगढ़ में, न जोधपुर में, इसीलिए कोई कैजुअलिटी नहीं हुई, कोई बड़ी घटना नहीं हुई। pic.twitter.com/pQqyMuMjKi

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) May 4, 2022

However, according to news reports, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat accused the ruling Congress of “doing the politics of appeasement”. He also threatened to “sit on a dharna at Jalori Gate circle if the rioters were not arrested.” He alleged that rioters “entered houses, thrashed people, pelted stones at houses and shops, damaged vehicles,” and added that “the police took no serious action after the tension last night” and that resulted in “the kind of ‘tandav’ that happened today has never happened in Jodhpur.”

कल देर रात हुआ मजहबी उपद्रव मेरे जोधपुर की तासीर नहीं है। यहां ये कृत्य स्वीकार्य नहीं।

मैं सभी अपने जोधपुरवासी भाइयों -बहनों से कहना चाहता हूं कि हमें उकसावे में नहीं आना है। #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/Z9OMqsZa0J

— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) May 3, 2022

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In an incident condemned by farmers organisation Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), 25 women farmers and a 2-year-old child said they were detained by Delhi Police in the intervening night between March 2, 2021 and March 3, 2021 for displaying Kisan Union and Nishan Sahib flags.

Members of the Kisan Union Amritsar were travelling to Rakabganj Gurudwara at around 1:30 AM on Wednesday, when local police allegedly stopped their vehicle that had the Sikh religious flag Nishan Sahib and farmers’ protest flags. Authorities demanded farmers remove these flags from their vehicle. However, when the women, including farmer Manjeet Kaur Dobka, refused to comply with the order, police detained the group at Tilak Marg police station.

SKM legal cell member Vasu Kukreja told SabrangIndia although words were exchanged during the altercation, the law disallowed women from being arrested after sunset or 7 PM. Even at the police station, women constables were absent which also violated Indian laws. However, when SabrangIndia contacted local police, they denied any such detention.

Kukreja stood by his account adding that although the group was released later on Wednesday, the farmers organisation had appealed to UNICEF, UN India and other organisations to demand action against the police for detaining a child.

“Just because they had flags on their cars of Nishan Sahib and Kisan Union, their vehicle was stopped near the outer ring road check post of Delhi police. The group also included toddler Yasmi Kaur. As per the law, no child below the age of 7 shall be detained at a police station; secondly, no woman shall be detained after sunset. Clearly, Delhi Police’s actions are illegal and SKM condemns the same,” said farmer leader Darshan Pal in a press release.

SKM Legal Cell Convener Prem Singh Bhangu said the team would take action against these illegalities following release of all farmers who were arrested on Republic Day. Regarding the claims of the police, Kukreja said, “The group was not displaying an Indian flag. It was not illegal. Even political party members use their political flag. Nishan Sahib is not even political. This is discrimination in the sense that police fear farmers will enter Delhi and Jantar Mantar and are trying to keep us from entering at the border itself.”

Kukreja, who had similar flags on his car, was heckled by police while travelling to Tilak Marg police station. He was forced to take off the flag.

While the women and the young girl rest before Mahila Kisan Diwas, more women farmers continue to travel towards various farmers protest sites. Earlier, women leaders asked for police permission to observe a candle march at Jantar Mantar. However, police refused citing Section 144 restrictions. Nonetheless, farmers asserted that they will observe a candle march nonetheless.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU-Ekta Dakaunda) leader Jagmohan Singh told Sabrang India that people would see a sea of women protesters on March 8.

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