But a careful examination of historical records, religious texts, and legal judgments reveals HAF’s article to be fraught with lies, inaccuracies, deliberate fabrications, and questionable historical narratives.

Lie: The HAF writes that the new Ram temple was “built on an ancient site of Hindu worship. The final Hindu temple on the site was destroyed in the early 16th century by the first Mughal emperor for the construction of a mosque known in modern times as the Babri Masjid. Archaeological evidence proves the mosque had no foundations of its own and was built upon a Hindu temple.”

Truth: This is a brazen lie propagated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with no historical or legal proof, nor any corroboration in the ‘Hindu’ narrative of history. There is no mention of the Ram Temple even in the writings of the most prominent Ram worshiper to date, Goswami Tulsidas (1511-1623), who penned the Epic Ramcharitmanas (Lake of the Deeds of Ram) in the Avadhi language in 1575-76. According to the Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) version, Ram’s birthplace temple was destroyed during 1528-1529. It would be surprising indeed if the Ramcharitmanas, written only 48 years after the so-called destruction of Ram’s birthplace temple, did not mention such a momentous event.

According to the RSS, Adi Shankaracharya, Aurobindo Ghosh, Swami Vivekananda, and Swami Dayanand Saraswati were the saints who contributed immensely to the cause of Vedic religion and the growth of the Hindu nation. None of these Vedic saints ever referred to this destruction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya by Mughal King Babar or his agent in any of their writings.

Today, Ayodhya is referred to as one of the oldest holiest places for Hindus. It would be interesting to know that Adi Shankaracharya (788-820), who toured India preaching Vedas for more than a decade, established 5 Peetams [main centers] at Badrinath in the North, Puri in the East, Dwarka in the West and Sringeri and Kanchi in the South for the revival of the Vedic religion but did not consider Ayodhya one.

Moreover, the Indian Supreme Court, in its 1,045-page Ayodhya Judgment (November 9, 2019), nowhere agrees with the claim that the Babri Mosque was constructed after destroying any temple.

Lie: HAF claimed that “As the traditional birthplace of Lord Ram, archeological and documentary evidence shows that the site has been recognized as a place of spiritual importance for Hindus since time immemorial.”

Truth: It is true that traditionally, Hindus believe that Ram was born in the city of Ayodhya, but the issue is whether he was born exactly under the central dome (approximately measuring 150 cm x 150 cm) of the Babri Mosque as is claimed now by Hindutva’s flag-bearers.

But here it is important to note that the Indian Supreme Court, in its 2019 judgment, made two observations on this point without mincing words.

Firstly, it stated: “The exclusion of the Muslims from worship and possession took place on the intervening night between 22/23 December 1949 when the mosque was desecrated by the installation of Hindu idols. The ouster of the Muslims on that occasion was not through any lawful authority but through an act which was calculated to deprive them of their place of worship.” [Supreme Court Judgment dated November 9, 2019, pp. 921-22]

Secondly, on pages 913-14, it states that “On 6 December 1992, the structure of the mosque was brought down and the mosque was destroyed. The destruction of the mosque took place in breach of the order of status quo and an assurance given to this Court. The destruction of the mosque and the obliteration of the Islamic structure was an egregious violation of the rule of law.”

It is worth mentioning here that RSS —which initiated the bloody, violent campaign to build the Ram Temple at the end of the 1980s, never advanced this demand during the period of its founding in 1925, under British rule. Even after Independence, it was only in 1989 that the political appendage of the RSS, the BJP, began to focus on this issue.

The views of two RSS luminaries who initiated the Ram Temple movement reveal the preposterousness of the claim that Ram himself was born under the dome.

Rama Vilas Vedanti, a prominent Hindu clergyman of the Ram Birthplace Trust (an RSS front), stated, “We will build a temple at Ramjanam Bhoomi even if Lord Rama says he was not born there” [Outlook, Delhi, 7 July 2003). Similarly, L. K. Advani, who rode a chariot (Rath Yatra) as part of an aggressive Ram Temple campaign in 1990 said, “It did not matter whether the historical Rama was actually born at the spot in Ayodhya. What mattered was that Hindus believed that he was born there. Faith took precedence over history” [The Hindustan Times, Delhi, 20 July 2003.]

The votaries building the Ram Temple at the place of Babri Mosque must also respond to the query of why only one temple was targeted by Babar and not hundreds of other Hindu temples in Ayodhya.

Lie: According to HAF, the construction of the Ram Temple at the site of the Babri Mosque was essential to seek “restorative justice to re-establish a Hindu temple that had been destroyed as a result of iconoclasm a few hundred years ago.” They allege that the Ram Mandir “has great symbolic and emotional resonance for Hindus in contemporary times” and that “the trauma that this destruction brought has been passed down through generations and continues to impact the psyche of Hindus” and “contributed historically and continues to contribute to Hindu-Muslim tensions in India to this day.”

It is nobody’s argument that Aurangzeb or many other ‘Muslim’ rulers were not religious bigots or tolerant. Aurangzeb did not spare his father, brothers, and many smaller ‘Muslim’ kingdoms of his times. There are also contemporary records that prove that Aurangzeb donated lands, money, and resources to many temples throughout India.

Truth: According to this logic, the rule by rulers with Muslim names in India was the Islamic rule of idol-breakers. This narrative of Muslim history developed only at the beginning of the 19^th century is in absolute contradiction with historical facts and even common sense. To understand the lies behind this fabricated Medieval past, one needs to examine the nature of this ‘Muslim’ rule.

Despite the ‘Muslim’ rule of almost one thousand years, almost 75% of Indians did not convert to Islam, as was made clear by the first Census held by the British in 1871-72 when even ceremonial ‘Muslim’ rule was over. Hindus and Sikhs constituted 73.5 percent of the population, and Muslims numbered 21.5 percent only. Moreover, this rule was also the rule of the Hindu High Castes. According to contemporary ‘Hindu’ narratives, Aurangzeb never faced Shivaji in the battlefield; these were his two Rajput commanders, Jay Singh I and Jai Singh II, who fought against Shivaji on Aurangzeb’s behalf. Akbar personally never fought any battle against Rana Pratap of Mewar; Man Singh, brother-in-law of Akbar fought all battles against Rana. The Deewan Ala (prime minister) of both Shahjahan and Aurangzeb was Raghunath Bahadur, a Kayasth Hindu.

It is nobody’s argument that Aurangzeb or many other ‘Muslim’ rulers were not religious bigots or tolerant. Their religious bigotry was the outcome of their feeling of insecurity. Aurangzeb did not spare his father, brothers, and many smaller ‘Muslim’ kingdoms of his times. There are also contemporary records that prove that Aurangzeb donated lands, money, and resources to many temples throughout India. Anybody who has visited Delhi’s Red Fort must have seen two temples; Jain Lal Mandir [Red Temple] and Gauri Shanker Temple, just across the Fort towards Chandni Chowk side. These temples were built before the rule of Aurangzeb and continued to function during his time and later.

Lie: HAF, parroting the RSS claim, declared that the building of the Ram Temple was “an important event for Hindus of all traditions.”

Truth: HAF did not tell us why 4 Shankaracharyas of the Peetams (out of 5) established by Adi Shankaracharya boycotted the inauguration of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. The article does not mention that the most revered Hindu saints of the Sanatan Dharm declared Ayodhya’s inauguration to be in contravention of Vedic scriptures, calling it Hinduism done for petty electoral gains.

It is sad to see the HAF run roughshod over the diversity of Hinduism. In its attempt to prove the homogenous character of Hindus, HAF turned a debate on the nature of the Ayodhya inauguration into Hindus versus others. The founder of Arya Samaj, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, is glorified by RSS as a pillar of the Hindu nation. But Swami was an ardent opponent of the Brahmanical ritual of Pran Pratishtha (putting life into a lifeless idol in Ayodhya case by Prime Minister Modi) and did not mince words in decrying this very ritual. He has stated (in Satyarth Prakash or Light of Truth, chapter 11), “The fact of the matter is that the All-pervading Spirit [God] can neither come into an idol, nor, leave it. If your mantras are efficacious that you can summon God, why can you not infuse life into your dead son by the force of the very same mantras? Again why can you not bide the soul depart from the body of your enemy? There is not a single verse in the Vedas to sanction the invocation of the Deity and vitalization of the idol, likewise, there is nothing to indicate that it is right to invoke idols, to bathe them, install them in temples, and apply sandal paste to them.”

HAF should enlighten us as to why a pious Hindu believing Ram to be God, Mahatma Gandhi, was assassinated by Hindutva cadres on January 30, 1948.

Lie: HAF also argued that, “Though sometimes presented as being a recent conflict, the fact is that this site has a long history of Hindus and Sikhs attempting to reclaim it, dating back to the early 19th century. Furthermore, the conflict has been ongoing regardless of the political party in power following India’s independence.”

Truth: Ayodhya being one of the holiest places, and the place under the central dome of the Babri Mosque, being the exact place where Ram was born, are modern ‘constructs’ as we will see in the following.

Ayodhya/Ram Temple never figured in the list of Char Dham, Puri, Rameshwaram, Dwarka, and Badrinath, the four holiest places that must be visited by a Hindu seeking moksha (final salvation).

HAF, despite admitting that reclaiming Babri Mosque as Ram Temple began in the early 19^th century, declared the site to have had a long history of conflict between Hindus and Muslims. If HAF had looked at the history of Ayodhya in the mid-19th century, they would have understood why it started in 1857.

Today, Ayodhya is being presented as a case of perpetual war of Hindus against Muslims. There cannot be a shoddier lie than this. During India’s War of Independence 1857, Ayodhya was the place where Maulvis and Mahants and ordinary Hindus and Muslims stood united in rebelling against the British rule and kissed the hangman’s noose together. Maulana Ameer Ali was a famous Maulvi of Ayodhya, and when Ayodhya’s well-known Hanuman Garhi’s (Hanuman Temple) priest, Baba Ramcharan Das, took the lead in organizing the armed resistance to the British rule. Both of them were captured and hanged together on the same tree. In another instance of the glorious unity of Hindus and Muslims against the colonial rule at Ayodhya, Acchhan Khan and Shambhu Prasad Shukla led the army of Raja Devibaksh Singh in the area. Due to the treachery of Hindu and Muslim lackeys of the British, they were captured and killed together. The British rulers hated this unity and created narratives of perennial Hindu-Muslim conflict not only in Ayodhya but the whole of India.

The flag-bearers of Hindutva working overtime to undo a composite and all-inclusive India are using the Sikh factor as a bluff to legitimize its illegal project. Sikhs who do not believe in idol worship of Ram or any other Hindu God/Goddesses; we are told that On 28 November 1858, a Nihang Sikh [armed Sikh] organized Pooja [worship] and havan [a Brahmanical ritual offering of grains, pure ghee and other such items to fire] in the Babri Mosque. It is unbelievable for a Sikh to perform Brahmanical rituals and would invite immediate ex-communication. Why Hindus at that time did not enter the Mosque is a mystery!

Lie: According to HAF, the mosque replacing the demolished Babri Mosque to be constructed at a distance of 22 km “will become the largest mosque in India. To be named the Masjid Muhammad Bin Abdullah, some 9,000 worshippers will be accommodated at one time”.

Truth: India already has five mosques, which are larger than the to-be-built mosque at Ayodhya. Jamia Masjid Srinagar can accommodate 33,000 worshippers, Jama Masjid Delhi can accommodate more than 25,000 worshippers, Taj-ul Masjid, Bhopal, Mecca Masjid, and Jama Masjid Agra, and all three can accommodate over 10,000 worshippers. Why is it that despite these facts being available in the public domain, the mosque at Ayodhya is being touted as the largest one? The only reason is that  Hindutva apologists, instead of showing any remorse or shame for the demolition of Babri Mosque at Ayodhya, want to be seen as large-hearted people who became instrumental in building ‘the largest mosque’ in India — a fact for which Muslims should apparently be grateful to the Hindutva demolition squad.

Conclusion

Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and its Hindutva tribe must understand that Ram was never the cause of perpetual conflict between Hindus and Muslims till RSS invented it as a convenient tool for religious polarization. Muslims of Ayodhya stopped going to Babri Mosque once the idol of the child Ram was smuggled into the Babri Mosque on the night of 22/23 December 1949. They did not try to break into the usurped Mosque, and there was no bloodshed engineered by Muslims of Ayodhya who were in substantial numbers in Faizabad, now rechristened as Ayodhya Dham despite the Indian Supreme Court declaring that “the mosque was desecrated by the installation of Hindu idols.”

HAF confessed that on “December 6 [1992], a rally organized by the VHP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) [both appendages of the RSS] at the site grew to more than 150,000 people. Police had cordoned off the Babri Masjid in an attempt to protect it. By noon, the police cordon was breached, police fled, and within a few hours, the mosque, unused for more than four decades, was demolished”. It happened because, since 1990, RSS and its appendages had organized an aggressive campaign for demolishing the Babri Mosque, targeting Indian Muslims as Baber-zade/Haram-zade (children of Babar/illegitimate children). For more than two years, Hindus in India and abroad were asked to come to Ayodhya to tear down the mosque as kar-sevaks.

Did Muslims call for counter-mobilization to save the mosque or reach the site on December 6 to confront the Hindutva goons? Never! In fact, they trusted the RSS to honor the commitment made to the then-Indian Prime Minister, P. V. Narasimha Rao and the Indian Supreme Court that its appendages and cadres would not harm the mosque. RSS reneged on all commitments shamelessly. Indian State and judiciary remained silent spectators. How brazenly Indian Muslims were cheated would be evident by the fact that Rao promised to rebuild Babri Mosque at its original place, which was reneged too!

The Ram Temple at Ayodhya is nothing but the culmination of an anti-Indian Muslim campaign launched by RSS since its inception in 1925.

Top photo, the demolition of Babri Masjid on Dec. 6, 1992, Photo by T. Narayan, courtesy The Wire)Top photo, the demolition of Babri Masjid on Dec. 6, 1992, Photo by T. Narayan, courtesy The Wire)

Shamsul Islam is a former associate professor of Political Science at Delhi University. He is known for his fundamental research work on the rise of nationalism and its development in India and around the world. He has authored multiple books on Hindu Nationalism, the RSS, and the erosion of secularism in India.

With thanks to American Kahani:

https://americankahani.com/perspectives/debunking-myths-a-critical-analysis-of-hindu-american-foundations-ram-temple-narrative/

The post Debunking Myths: A Critical Analysis of Hindu American Foundation’s Ram Temple Narrative appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Thus freedom of India and its becoming a Republic was simply declared as physical independence but fulfilment of a majoritarian sectarian agenda under PM Modi’s supervision was declared to be the liberation of the ‘Soul’!

We should not fail to understand that whatever is being done by the RSS/BJP rulers to destroy the present Indian polity is part of a well-thought strategy to convert India into a theocratic and totalitarian state as per the diktats of the Hindutva idea of India. For this eason RSS-Hindu Mahasabha opposed freedom struggle for an all-inclusive India. It has not been a hidden agenda of RSS except that we have been unaware of it to the perils of our Republic. When the Constituent Assembly of India had finalised the Constitution of India RSS was not happy. Its organ, Organizer, 4 days after this historical event, in an editorial on November 30, 1949, complained,

“But in our constitution there is no mention of the unique constitutional development in ancient Bharat. Manu’s Laws were written long before Lycurgus of Sparta or Solon of Persia. To this day his laws as enunciated in the Manusmriti excite the admiration of the world and elicit spontaneous obedience and conformity. But to our constitutional pundits that means nothing.”

How loyal the RSS is to the Constitution of India can be known by the following statement of Golwalkar which is being reproduced from Bunch of Thought which is not only a selection of the writings of Golwalkar but also a Bible for the RSS cadres.

“Our Constitution too is just a cumbersome and heterogeneous piecing together of various articles from various Constitutions of Western countries. It has absolutely nothing which can be called our own. Is there a single word of reference in its guiding principles as to what our national mission is and what our keynote in life is? No.”

[MS Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, p. 238.]

What kind of civilization the RSS wants to build by enforcing the laws of Manu, can be known by having a glimpse of the laws prescribed by Manu for the Dalits/Untouchables and women. Some of these dehumanising and degenerate laws, which are presented here, are self-explanatory.

LAWS OF MANU CONCERNING DALITS/UNTOUCHABLES.

1. For the sake of the prosperity of the worlds (the divine one) caused the Brahmana, the Kshatriya, the Vaisya, and the Sudra to proceed from his mouth, his arm, his thighs and his feet.
2. One occupation only the lord prescribed to the Sudras, to serve meekly even these (other) three castes.
3. Once-born man (a Sudra), who insults a twice-born man with gross invective, shall have his tongue cut out; for he is of low origin.
4. If he mentions the names and castes (jati) of the (twice-born) with contumely, an iron nail, ten fingers long, shall be thrust red-hot into his mouth.
5. If he arrogantly teaches Brahmanas their duty, the king shall cause hot oil to be poured into his mouth and into his ears.
6. With whatever limb a man of a low caste does hurt to (a man of the three) highest (castes), even that limb shall be cut off; that is the teaching of Manu.
7. He who raises his hand or a stick, shall have his hand cut off; he who in anger kicks with his foot, shall have his foot cut off.
8. A low-caste man who tries to place himself on the same seat with a man of a high caste, shall be branded on his hip and be banished, or (the king) shall cause his buttock to be gashed.

LAWS OF MANU CONCERNING WOMEN

1. Day and night women must be kept in dependence by the males (of) their (families), and, if they attach themselves to sensual enjoyments, they must be kept under one’s control.
2. Her father protects (her) in childhood, her husband protects (her) in youth, and her sons protect (her) in old age; a woman is never fit for independence.
3. Women must particularly be guarded against evil inclinations, however trifling (they may appear); for, if they are not guarded, they will bring sorrow on two families.
4. No man can completely guard women by force; but they can be guarded by the employment of the (following) expedients:
5. Let the (husband) employ his (wife) in the collection and expenditure of his wealth, in keeping (everything) clean, in (the fulfilment of) religious duties, in the preparation of his food, and in looking after the household utensils.
6. Women do not care for beauty, nor is their attention fixed on age; (thinking), ‘(It is enough that) he is a man,’ they give themselves to the handsome and to the ugly.
7. Through their passion for men, through their mutable temper, through their natural heartlessness, they become disloyal towards their husbands, however carefully they may be guarded in this (world).
8. (When creating them) Manu allotted to women (a love of their) bed, (of their) seat and (of) ornament, impure desires, wrath, dishonesty, malice, and bad conduct.

It is to be noted here that a copy of Manusmriti was burnt as a protest in the presence of Dr. BR Ambedkar himself during historic Mahad agitation on December 25, 1927 and it was decided to commemorate this day in future as ‘Manusmriti dahan divas’ [Manusmriti Burning Day].

Against Secularism

The RSS demands total loyalty to the Indian Nation from minorities. It is another thing that it does not feel it proper to be loyal to the constitutional-legal set up of this very Nation. The study of Prarthana (prayer) and Pratigya (oath) as practised in the shakhas of the RSS is an example of how Indian nationalism has been equated with Hinduism, in the same way as the Muslim League had combined Islam with nationality. Significantly, both Prarthana and Pratigya are in direct contravention to the existence of an Indian Secular State which is an important ‘Basic’ feature of the Constitution of India. It is very important to note here that those groups which have been decrying and opposing the Indian constitutional set- up have been facing the might of the Indian state in the form of bullets, gallows or jails but here is the RSS which openly rejects the legitimacy of the constitutional system of the country still is allowed to have a free run of the country.

Just imagine PM Modi and most of his ruler colleagues who took oath to uphold the integrity of a democratic and secular India were also committed to the task of creating a Hindu Rashtra as per the texts of the Prayer and Oath as essential for the RSS cadres.

RSS Prayer:

“Affectionate Motherland, I eternally bow to you/O Land of Hindus, you have reared me in comfort/O Sacred Land, the Great Creator of Good, may this body of mine be dedicated to you/I again and again bow before You/O God almighty, we the integral part of the Hindu Rashtra salute you in reverence/For Your cause have we girded up our loins/Give us Your Blessings for its accomplishment.”

[Shakha Darshikha, Gyan Ganga, Jaipur, 1997, p. 1.]

RSS Oath:

“Before the all powerful God and my ancestors, I most solemnly take this oath, that I become a member of the RSS in order to achieve all round greatness of Bharatvarsha by fostering the growth of my sacred Hindu religion, Hindu society, and Hindu culture. I shall perform the work of the Sangh honestly, disinterestedly, with my heart and soul, and I shall adhere to this goal all my life. Bharat Mata Ki Jai.”
[Shakha Darshikha, Gyan Ganga, Jaipur, 1997, p. 66.]

Thus they were not faithful to the Indian Nation as it existed as a legal entity but wanted to subvert it into a theocratic state like Muslim League which created Pakistan in the name of Islam.

Against Democracy

The RSS, contrary to the principles of democracy, has been constantly demanding India to be ruled under a totalitarian regime. Golwalkar while delivering a speech before the 1350 top level cadres of the RSS in 1940 declared,

RSS inspired by one flag, one leader and one ideology is lighting the flame of Hindutva in each and every corner of this great land.
[MS Golwalkar, Shri Guruji Samagar Darshan (collected works of Golwalkar in Hindi), Bhartiya

Vichar Sadhna, Nagpur, nd., vol. I, p. 11.]

This slogan of one flag, one leader and one ideology has directly been borrowed from the programmes of Nazi and Fascist parties of Europe.

Against Federalism

The RSS is also dead against federal structure of the constitution, again a ‘Basic’ feature of the India polity. This is clear from the following communication of Golwalkar which he sent to the first session of the National Integration Council in 1961. It read,

“Today’s federal form of government not only gives birth but also nourishes the feelings of separatism, in a way refuses to recognize the fact of one nation and destroys it. It must be completely uprooted, constitution purified and unitary form of government be established.”
[MS Golwalkar, Shri Guruji Samagar Darshan (collected works of Golwalkar in Hindi), Bhartiya Vichar Sadhna, Nagpur, nd., vol. III, p. 128.]

These have not been some stray ideas of the RSS ideologue on Indian Federalism. The Bible of the RSS, Bunch of Thoughts, has an exclusive chapter titled, ‘Wanted a unitary state.’ While presenting his remedy to the federal set-up of India he writes,

“The most important and effective step will be to bury deep for good all talk of a federal structure of our country’s Constitution, to sweep away the existence of all ‘autonomous’ or semi-autonomous ‘states’ within the one state viz., Bharat and proclaim ‘One Country, One State, One Legislature, One Executive’ with no trace of fragmentation, regional, sectarian, linguistic or other types of pride being given a scope for playing havoc with our integrated harmony. Let the Constitution be re-examined and re-drafted, so as to establish this Unitary form of Government and thus effectively disprove the mischievous propaganda indulged in by the British and so unwittingly imbibed by the present leaders, about our being just a juxtaposition of so many distinct ‘ethnic groups’ or ‘nationalities’ happening to live side by side and grouped together by the accident of geographical contiguity and one uniform supreme foreign domination.”
[MS Golwalkar, Bunch of Thoughts, Sahitya Sindhu, Bangalore, 1996, 227.]

It is important to note that Indian Supreme Court in the SR Bommai vs Union of India 1994 case declared federal structure, secularism socialism, social justice, unity and integrity of democratic-secular India as inviolable ‘Basic Features’ of the Indian Constitution; the fundamental characteristics to which RSS is totally opposed.

Thus RSS represents the most lethal danger to the existence of the Indian Republic visualised by the Constitution framers like Dr. BR Ambedkar. If our Indian Republic is to be saved, the anti-national and inhuman ideology of RSS; the Hindutva must be confronted in Parliament, judicial rooms, corridors of administration, educational institutions and outside. We should not overlook the fact that with RSS ruling India there is need for any foreign enemy to undo democratic- secular Indian Republic. There is no choice unless we decide to collude with the Hindutva gang!

January 26, 2024

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author’s personal views, and do not necessarily represent the views of Sabrangindia.

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In Uttar Pradesh’s Agra, a shobha yatra organised by right-wing activists saw about 1000 to 1500 people armed with lathis and sticks that forced their way into a Mughal-era mosque on January 22 and hoisted a saffron flag on the historic mosque, according to the Indian Express. The people reportedly raised religious slogans and also issued threats to those present within the mosque. An FIR has been registered invoking Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 452 (trespass after preparation for hurt or assault), and 505 (2) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code, according to The Hindu. According to Scroll, the mosque, which dates back to 1677, is a monument that comes under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Similarly, on January 22, 2024, the town of Menhdawal in Uttar Pradesh’s Sant Kabir Nagar district witnessed a mob take out a Shobha Yatra and reportedly tried to force its way into a mosque. The Free Press Journal has reported that the police have arrested five people so far on charges of ‘breach of peace’ and of ‘creating nuisance’ outside a place of worship during a religious procession.

Meanwhile, an almost identical incident unfolded in Shahjahanpur district of the state. Three people, Rohit Joshi, Ankit Katheria, and Rohit Saxena were arrested on January 22nd for allegedly replacing a flag on a mosque with a saffron one, according to the Deccan Herald. At the same district, in Tilhar, another incident occurred where five people have been officially charged by the police, along with 12 unidentified persons, on allegations of vandalising a flag that displayed the name of the deity Ram.

Similarly, in Kushinagar, ten Muslim men, along with several unidentified people, are facing charges for reportedly hurling stones and bricks at a dwaj yatra (shobha yatra). Reports suggest that this incident took place after an altercation Muslims reportedly objected to Jai Sri Ram slogans. According to The Wire, the Superintendent of Police Kushinagar Dhawal Jaiswal, has stated that it was an issue that took place due to people arguing over the bursting of firecrackers.

Similar 3 such incidents were reported from Kanpur, as religious tensions continued to remain flared with two more from Shahjahanpur, and one from Azamgarh, marking an intensely charged set of days for the state.

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A report by The Quint reveals that the security arrangements are still strongly at place, with over 1,000 police officers deployed in the area. This includes six platoons from the State Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and three platoons from the Rapid Action Force (RAF). Authorities had earlier issued stern warnings to administrators of various groups, warning them against the sharing of incendiary posts on social media networks.

Reports had earlier emerged that BJP MLAs Nitesh Rane and Geeta Jain were making attempts that could lead to escalation of tensions at the Mira Road area. Since security had been amped at the place, the two leaders had made attempts to enter the area, with Jain even having stated an ultimatum to the authorities if the rally were not allowed to pass through the area, they would come without permission. Nitesh Rane too had posted on X a tweet which reportedly talked of violence.

However, as the week unfolded law and order, it seems, has taken due course.  Further, according to the Free Press Journal, a meeting of all parties and police officials along with the district authorities had taken place in Mira Road. Representatives of both print and electronic were also present for this attempt at a peace-making gathering on January 25. This  gathering was held behind closed doors and sought to devise a  strategy for reinstating normalcy following the recent clashes at Mira Road. Some of the figures in attendance included local legislators Pratap Sarnaik, former legislators Narendra Mehta, Muzaffar Hussain, Police Commissioner Madhukar Pandey, Civic Chief Sanjay Katkar, and local MNS and RPI chiefs Sandip Rane and Devendra Shelekar. The meeting also reportedly included BJP’s local MLA Geeta Jain.

However, along with this, several citizens and political leaders have been taking steps to ensure that communal harmony is set at a balance. The National Congress Party’s (NCP) MP Jitendra Awhad spoke  on the recent incidents and urged for peace, “I request that both the communities should stay calm; everyone suffers. Those who spark the fire (of hatred) stay somewhere else in bungalows and apartments. Their houses are not burnt, houses of poor people are burnt.”

Similarly, Ranvir Bajpai a BJP spokesperson and activist who is reportedly also resident of Mira Bhayandar also released a video of himself online in which he is seen urging people from both religious communities to maintain caution and stay away from rumours,  and is seen requesting the people of both the communities to maintain peace in Mumbai’s Mira Road.

Similarly, more stories to bring about communal harmony sprung up as a report by a media portal called City Headline was featured on a page called Hate Detectors on the social media site X. It brings to us visuals of a very old temple dedicated to the deity Ganesh which is situated in the Mira-Bhayandar area. The temple caretaker named Inderjeet says that Muslims come and clean the temple and he has been peacefully carrying out his duties without any fear. Another staff member working at the temple for 20 years says that he has never felt afraid while working at the temple contrary to what many right-wingers claim on social media, “If I had felt unsafe, would I have worked here for 20 years?” He asks. Another individual, named Suraj Kannojia stated that he had been working there for 15 years however he has never encountered any incident where he felt afraid in the temple.

Politicians have also called out “hypocritical” behaviour of political parties and the attempt to sway youth. Ram Kankonkar, a TMC politician from Goa, spoke out on the heavy polarisation taking place at the hands of Hindutva parties. He presented a Bahujan perspective, and points out to what he calls the hypocrisy of the ruling powers and their monopoly over the Hindu religion, “I’m telling you one thing, in the name of the Hindu dharma you can’t fool people (I am also a Hindu). I am a proud Hindu but today this “natak” (drama) you are breaking statues. Hinduism runs in my veins but I am not like you. You are only using Ramas name for elections. Just for this and nothing else.” He addressed the youth who are involved in violent rallies, “You are who are roaming the streets shouting (loudly).  you are spoiling god’s name. We don’t do that, we don’t shout “Jai Shree Ram”.” He states that the BJP is spoiling our god’s name, and asks where Ram has said that we must incite violence?

“We will not stand for this. Christians, Hindus, Muslims live together, and we like living together. Your politics is of divide and rule, why not focus on unemployment, petrol prices, education, fatal accidents and increase in crimes? But instead all you are doing is using Ram’s name. Does Lord Ram sit for elections? Shouting this on the streets doesn’t make us Hindus. Ram is in our hearts always, do the work like lord Ram did.  I feel this is a complete collapse of democracy. God must be worried because of your behaviour. Today we have to build love more than hate. The immediate need is for us to educate ourselves. I want to tell our Bahujan Samaj, all of you who are sitting at home, for what are you being used?”

He addressed the people of the Bahujan Samaj, “Our children are made to fight and cases are lodged against us while their children study abroad. BJPs agents are measuring  Bahujan Samaj people. I am telling you clearly, they are using you in the name of religion. Post elections they will forget about you.”

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At the same time Suranya Aiyer, a lawyer and author has undertaken a fast and penitence, calling it 72 hours of love and sorrow to fellow Muslims. She proclaims her pride in Mughal heritage. One can see the creation of a stifling atmosphere of divisiveness around, which sounds very intimidating.

As such temple inaugurations have also been occasions of promoting communal harmony as a couple of instances will show. Mahatma Gandhi while inaugurating Laxminarayan Temple (Birla Temple) in Delhi in 1939 had stated:

“It must be the daily prayer of every adherent of the Hindu faith … that every known religion of the world should grow from day to day and should serve the whole of humanity… I hope that these temples will serve to propagate the idea of equal respect for religions and to make communal jealousies and strife, things of the past.”

More or less on similar lines Swami Vivekananda had earlier stated, “It is here in India that Hindus have built and are still building churches for Christians and mosques for Mohammedans.” In his book ‘Lectures from Colombo to Almora’ we see Swamiji stating:

“Nay more, to understand that not only should we be charitable, but also positively helpful to each other, however different our religious ideas and convictions may be. And that is exactly what we do in India as I have just related to you… That is the thing to do.”

The present atmosphere is in total contrast to this as reflected by the fast of Suranya. It is also reflected in the incidents where cultural activists screening censor approved all time classic by Anand Patwardhan, ‘Ram Ke Naam’ are being arrested and issued non bailable arrest warrants. This happened in Hyderabad on 20th January.

Then there are claims by the likes of Prafulla Ketkar, editor of the unofficial RSS mouthpiece “Organiser” claiming that “the pran-pratishta (consecration ceremony) of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya was not simply the culmination of the decades-old Ram Janmabhoomi movement, but the beginning of a “reconstruction of national consciousness”.

This essentially means the whole process of social change and the idea of India which accompanied the freedom movement now stands to be negated and what can roughly called ‘Hindu India’ is already there and multiple steps towards Hindu rashtra have been achieved by the communal forces.

What accompanied the ‘Idea of India’ was a coming together of different sections of society to fight the colonial powers, with the aspirations of striving for Liberty Equality, Fraternity and Justice for all. This massive movement had the overarching ‘Idea of India’, which culminated in the values of Indian Constitution.

There were challenges to this idea of India, which were rooted in the values of Kingdoms and what can be roughly called feudal society. The core of these values which are being hailed by the forces creating hysteria around temple consecration were/are the birth based hierarchies of caste, class and gender.

The roots of these lay in the Kings and landlords of different religions and their ideologues who came forward as Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha and RSS. While Muslim communal forces are implementing their idea of feudal values in Pakistan, the Hindu communal forces are now rejoicing, in gradually increasing intensity, now reaching its semi-peak with Ram Temple consecration.

The idea of India of freedom movement got manifested in the values of Bhagat Singh, Ambedkar and Gandhi focusing on Liberty Equality and Fraternity or friendship. Despite few differences with the father of Nation, Subhash Chandra Bose was also firmly committed to this “idea of India’.

Only ray of hope for Idea of India is the same classes of society who ushered in the Idea of India during freedom movement to come together

The elite landlord and Manusmiriti worshipping ideology was the social base of Hindu Rashtra, Hindutva. These forces and this ideology have grown stronger particularly during last four decades and are rejoicing the sectarianism becoming stronger by the day. They are also giving narrow projection of the temple consecration in contrast to what Gandhi and Vivekananda stood. The sectarian nationalists are for the further deepening of particular ‘civilizational values’ inherent in what can be called as Brahmanism inherent in Manusmriti.

Those standing for doing away with the values of Manusmriti, those integrating all into the umbrella of Indian-ness, those who have stood together cutting across class, caste and gender are currently under different types of intimidations of Hindu India, the parallel and opposite of Muslim Pakistan are emerging.

The only ray of hope for ‘idea of India’ is the same classes of society who ushered in the Idea of India during freedom movement to come together. It is their collective movement; the overarching effort to undermine the forces which gloat over the birth based hierarchical values in the name of religion, those who uphold the Holy Scriptures in contrast to the Indian Constitution.

Their movements have been scattered. Their group interests may be different but their interests in protecting the Indian Constitution and Idea of India which emerged during freedom movements does need a collective expression, cutting across the groups- party lines.

Many non-sectarian parties do exist today. The predecessors of many of these had fought the British colonial powers together despite their differences. It is time that the social and political alliance of these sections of society given primacy. As colonial rule was detrimental to the interests of large sections of society, similarly those in power ruling through polarization are also out to undermine the rights of weaker sections of society. This is abundantly clear during the last ten years or so.

Hysteria cannot be combated by hysteria. We need the ideology which binds the weaker sections of society, the Dalits, religious minorities, women, workers and Adivasis. They have many common values to protect and that is the ‘Idea of India’ which came with freedom movement. Can Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra be the first step in building such a common platform, can the yatra succeed in doing this is the question baying us all?

Author is well-known political commentator

Courtesy: CounterView

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It is essential to note here that on January 23, a day after the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, a mob of at least 25 people had barged into the FTII campus and had angrily raked through the campus despite the presence of the campus security personnel. The mob had burned a banner that has been put up inside the campus stating ‘Remember Babri, Death of Constitution’ and had assaulted many students, including women, too. As per a report of the Arunachal Times, Mankap Nokwoham, an Arunachalee student hailing from Changlang district, who is also the president of the Film & Television Institute of India (Pune) Student Association (FTIISA), had been brutally assaulted by alleged members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarti Parishad inside the FTII campus.

An FIR had been filed by the institute against the mob. Notably, Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to unlawful assembly, rioting, causing hurt, trespassing, damage to property and criminal intimidation had been invoked by the police against unnamed 10-12 people. And now, as per a report of the Times of India, in a cross lodging of case, the police have registered a case against six students of the institute over displaying a banner and posters with alleged “objectionable” matter.

Pursuant to the filing of the FIR, on January 24 itself, a press note had been released by the FTIISA. The said press note refers to events that took place inside the campus on January 23, stating that “the campus still remains terrorized.” Referring to the FIR filed by the institute against the mob, the note pointedly states how the institute “failed to mention some grievous happenings of the day, including the charge of infringing on women’s modesty.”

The statement also specifies that the assailants in the mob had “not just burnt banners and shouted slogans in the name of Ram, they also pushed slapped, shoved, punched and attacked many students gathered there while hurling abuses”.

The press note also addresses the issue of false portrayal the said incidents on social media platforms. To clarify their stance, the press note states “Hindutva organisations have painted a false picture of the events. Students have not attacked anyone, we were only defending ourselves.” The note also highlights the social media posts that are threatening the FTII students with physical violence and harassment.

Referring to the filing of the FIR against the students, deeming it to be a “serious concern”, the press note stated that there has been a random targeting of five students out of a gathering and the five accused had been exercising their right to defend. As per a report of the Quint, the FIR filed against the students includes sections 153-B (1) (c) and 295 (a) of the IPC, both of which relates to allegation that the acts of the students potentially caused disharmony or enmity and that outrage religious feelings.

Through the note, the FTIISA has then asserted their right to freedom of speech and expression as well as their commitment to protect the secular values of our country. Condemning the said attack they faced as well as the targeting the students are being subjected to, the student association has written that “if upholding the secular values and expressing dissent against their erasure is considered objectionable and worthy of violence to these assailants, we feel strongly that everyone should be alerted of the dire straits we are in, and the kind of terror that surrounds us today.”

The complete press note can be read here:

FIR Copy can be seen here.

Related:

Mob attacks FTII students on campus

Five states report communal incidents following the inauguration of the Ram Temple in UP

Eve of Ram temple inauguration sees “clashes”, planting of saffron flag atop Church

Preamble, banners, slogans of solidarity, inter-faith rallies and protests – symbol of undying secularism on January 22

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On the same occasion, Shri Mohan Bhagwat, the Sarsangh Chalak (chief) of RSS, which led the campaign for construction of Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in place of Babri Masjid said, “Shri Ram is the most worshipped deity of the majority society and the life of Shri Ramchandra is still accepted as an ideal of conduct by the entire society. Hence, now the conflict that has arisen as for and against over the dispute should be ended” (Singh, 2024).

Both, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shri Mohan Bhagwat, emphasized on values of compassion, unity and inclusion and bringing all disputes and controversies pertaining to the construction of the temple to an end. Lord Ram was presented as unifier of the country. There can be no two opinions about what the Prime Minister and Bhagwat spoke. India needs to be united on the values of inclusion, equality and justice.

Lord Ram is worshipped for being Maryada Purushottam who stands for righteousness, justice and truth. One who upholds dharma, who chose to sacrifice his claim to the throne in order to honour his father’s promise and accepted 14-year exile in forest? Mahatma Gandhi and Kabir’s Ram had all the attributes that human beings must have. In his war against adharma, Lord Ram took everyone along, including smallest creature – squirrel.

However, contrary to these attributes, the Sangh Parivar converted the Maryada Purushottam’s calm and serene qualities into a symbol of a belligerent fighter, ready to shoot his arrow and used this image throughout their campaign for Ram Janmabhoomi Temple vilifying Muslim community and targeting them. Lord Ram, to them is an instrument to establish hegemony of one community over other.

“Jai Shree Ram” became a slogan of a war of Hindu nationalists against Muslims forcing their targets to chant it if they wanted to escape atrocities and violence being inflicted upon them. This became a slogan of Hindu nationalist processions entering minority inhabited areas to assert their power and establish their domination with belligerent intentions. It also became an instrument to tease the political opponents of the BJP and provoke a reaction, as they did with Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal. These war cries have never appeared like religious chants. Is the Sangh Parivar now sincere about their offer to end all disputes and revert back to hold Lord Ram as symbol of righteousness, compassion, justice and truth? If the answer is in the affirmative, it would be welcome and all disputes would end. However, the track record of the BJP led government does not inspire confidence that this will actually happen.

The Centre for Study of Society and Secularism has documented instances of violence that accompanied Ram Navami processions in 2022 and 2023, and the “shaurya” yatras in Muslim inhabited areas and organized under the pretext to collect donations for the construction of the Ram temple.

The intention of those in these processions to assert their power and domination over the minority community and the areas inhabited by them was evident from their conduct, behaviour and preparations.

The partisan behaviour of the BJP ruled states in inflicting collective punishment on the minority community did not seem like the state was inspired by the Maryada Purushottam and observing its maryadas – the laws and the Constitution of India.

We revisit of some incidents documented by the CSSS teams what unfolded during Ram Navami processions in recent years. The Prime Minister and Shree Bhagwat chose to remain silent over such behaviour in the name of Ram by the Hindu nationalists and did not remind them about what Lord Ram stands for. Lord Ram, was transformed into a tool of mobilization leveraging the sentiment of Hindu pride against a constructed adversary—the Muslim community.

The processions organised by the Hindu nationalists were often equipped with various weapons, such as swords, rods, trishuls, and sticks, in violation of the conditions upon which administrative permissions for such events are granted.   The politically motivated Hindu nationalists would often deviate from the permitted route of the procession and meander into minority inhabited areas looking for trouble and shouting political, and even abusive slogans.

In Ujjain for instance, during the procession of Ram Navami, the slogan, “Baccha baccha Ram ka, chachiyon ke kaam ka” rented the air. The subtle meaning of the slogan implied sexual relation between the progeny of Ram (Hindu men) and Muslim women. In Koderma (Jharkhand), those in Ram Navmi processions are seen in a viral video dancing ecstatically and abusing Muslims using the worst anti-women expletive in chorus. These processions are accompanied by loud and even deafening DJ vans and halt outside the mosques for a very long time during their prayer time. This stands in stark contrast to the traditional processions of Ram Navami organised by the residents of specific neighbourhoods that are also traditionally welcomed by the minorities and offered snacks and drinks.

In the Ram Navami procession in Vadodara organised by Hindu right wing in 2023, the participants of the procession shouted slogans, “Hindustan mein rehna hoga to jai shri Ram kehna hoga” and “hum aayenge toh nazar niche Karni padegi”. The participants in the Shobha Yatra vandalised the Dhuldoyawad Masjid and Hazrat Kalu Shahid – Balu Shahid Dargah. They also shouted the aforesaid slogan.

The provocative and demeaning slogans during Ram Navami processions and loud DJ music, serves as a deliberate strategy to incite and provoke the Muslim community into some sort of a reaction. Given the abusive slogans, loud music in front of mosques for long period, it is not possible for the community to restrain every Muslim from reacting. The participants in the processions use even a minimal reaction from Muslims to such provocations as a pretext for launching violent attacks on the Muslim residents.

The years 2022 and 2023 witnessed a staggering 28 communal riots directly linked to Ram Navami processions. Disturbingly, the state apparatus, instead of quelling the violence, aid and abet the rioters by either being silent spectators or actively using force on the Muslim community.

Police actions in the aftermath of these riots have been widely perceived as one-sided, resulting in the disproportionate arrest of Muslims, a significant number of whom are innocent. Their homes are raided. In Vadodara, Muslim women were assaulted. The local administration demolish the homes of Muslims as witnessed in Vadodara, Himmatnagar, Khambhat, Ujjain, Indore, etc. The properties owned or occupied by Muslims are declared as “illegal” and demolished without following the due process of law, and without notices, hearings etc.

“Jai Shri Ram” once a benign greeting now has become a war cry. The invocation of “Jai Shri Ram,” culturally an innocuous salutation, has undergone a transformation into a rallying cry with ominous connotations.

This evolution is underscored by the haunting imagery of Tabrez Ansari, who was tied to a pole amidst a jubilant crowd cheering. The assembled mob, comprised of men, women, and children, demanded that the injured Tabrez chant “Jai Shri Ram.”

Despite his compliance, Tabrez succumbed to grave injuries inflicted upon him during a lynching perpetrated by the mob. In another incident, Shahrukh Halder, a madarsa teacher, was beaten up and thrown off a moving train for refusing to say “Jai Shri Ram”. There are other such incidents where this chant was used to humiliate and kill non-Hindus.

Such an instrumental use of Lord Ram by those in the Ram Navmi processions organised by Hindu nationalists and their belligerent behaviour has not come from nowhere. It is the essentially politically-motivated, Hindu nationalist ideology, as propagated by the Sangh Parivar that misrepresents and distorts history wherein the Muslim rulers are presented as oppressors of Hindus who were out to destroy the Hindu culture, demolish their temples, forcibly convert the Hindus and sexually assault Hindu women. That is why the Prime Minister once asserted that Hindus were enslaved and colonised for over a thousand years. The Prime Minister also asserted once, contrary to facts, that all terrorists are Muslims, subtly associating terrorism as an instrument rooted in Islam. The BJP leaders, including the Home Minister Shri Amit Shah in Bihar, asserted that if the party loses elections there will be celebrations in Pakistan – a country, which the Hindu nationalists are taught to treat as an enemy state. This subtly establishes that Indian Muslims are loyal to Pakistan and that country is where they belong. Muslims are often called upon to migrate to Pakistan. It is the persistent vilification of Muslims as enemies of Hindus that has misled those under the influence of Hindu nationalist ideology and made them violent towards Muslims. In order to end the conflict, a Ram temple in Ayodhya alone would not be sufficient.

What we need is that the Hindu nationalists learn truth from historical and cultural facts and respect the cultural, religious, ethnic, linguistic and social diversity of the country.

Will the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya inspire the Hindu nationalists to reconcile, accept, and adhere to truth?

Will it inspire them to overcome their ideologically constructed resentment of Muslims? Will they learn from Lord Ram his serenity, calm, adherence to truth and not be attached to power and hegemony?

All communities and peoples need to do so. We hope that the Prime Minister and Shri Bhagwat condemn instrumentalisation of Lord Ram as a symbol of hegemony and exclusion as manifested during the Ram Navmi processions in the past.

References:

Indian Express. (2024, January 22). Retrieved from Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/pm-modi-ram-mandir-speech-highlights-9121495/#:~:text=%E2%80%9COur%20Ram%20has%20arrived%20today,centuries%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20PM%20Modi.&text=Prime%20Minister%20Narendra%20Modi%20Monday,PM%20Modi%20said%20in%20Ayo

Singh, A. K. (2024, January 21). Times of India. Retrieved from Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ayodhya-reconstruction-an-occasion-to-move-on-end-the-bitterness-bhagwat/articleshow/107026633.cms?fr

The post Will Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram in Ayodhya mark the end of all conflicts? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

What happened at Mira Road?

On the night of January 21st, tensions ran high between two groups as a group which consisted of more than 50 people pelted stones and vandalised four cars and 10 motorbikes adorned with “Jai Shri Ram” flags near Hyderi Chowk. This reportedly took place after a rally of bikers went through the neighbourhood shouting religious slogans.

On January 22^nd, evening, people reportedly affiliated with Hindutva groups targeted a couple of parked auto rickshaws in the area, resorting to stone-pelting, as reported by the police. In light of these events, security measures were heightened at Mira Road station on Tuesday, and were accompanied by a police march in and around Naya Nagar. The Bajrang Dal had voiced slogans outside the railway station on Tuesday evening, only to be dispersed by law enforcement. This rally was reportedly live streamed by the participants. Maktoob Media posted a video where a group of people can be seen vandalising an auto rickshaw and beating a young man in a truck after forcing him to come out. Maktoob Media further spoke to the father of a young man who was forced to come out of the truck, Abdul Haqq Chaudhary who said that the mob was planning to burn the truck with the people inside as well which is why his son was forced to come out. All three who were in the truck, according to Chaudhury, have been grievously injured.

Following the episode of stone-pelting in Mumbai’s Mira Road, the Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar police issued a directive to administrators of groups to not let inciteful forwards, jokes, or videos related to the recent clashes be shared on social media platforms in order to maintain communal harmony. The police explicitly instructed that administrators of such groups would be held accountable and face repercussions if found violating this directive.

Similarly, Indian Express reported the Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took to the social media platform X on Monday stating his no-tolerance approach. He says he has urged the police to undertake the most stringent measures against those responsible for the violence that unfolded on January 21st. “Law and order is the highest priority and concern of the state government. There will be zero tolerance against anyone who tries to take the law into their own hands and attempts to disturb the law-and-order situation in Maharashtra.”

According to the Indian Express, subsequently, the police have arrested a total of 13 people on the following day, with nine of them being formally arrested while the remaining four have been identified as minors. The 15 people arrested face charges under Section 307, including serious offences such as attempt to murder.

However, according to police authorities as per Indian Express, approximately 13 FIRs have been filed after complaints filed by people involved in the incidents. According to the IE, four of these complaints are from the Muslim community. However, no arrests have been made in connection to these four FIRs. Following the initial incidents of violence, the Mira-Bhayander municipal corporation, under police protection, have also undertaken demolition of alleged illegal structures in the area which reports reveal belong to Muslims from which some were rented out to members of the Hindu community as well, according to a report in Scroll.

BJP MLAs’ ultimatums to the authorities

As tensions persisted in Mira Road, particularly in the Naya Nagar area, the area was reportedly fortified with police presence according to reports. Students did not attend schools and coaching centres. However, what was disturbing amidst this turmoil is the reported presence and constant urging by local BJP MLAs. For instance, BJP’s MLA Nitesh Rane attempted to enter Naya Nagar in the late evening, but was prevented from doing so by the authorities.

Sabrang India spoke to Sadiq Basha, a resident of the area and a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), “After the Naya Nagar incident on Day 1, the police have arrested 19 people. Another 40-50 people are slated to be arrested as the people are looking at CCTV cameras. The police are doing their job. However, local electoral representatives such as Geeta Jain and Nitish Rane are doing the opposite. They took out a rally yesterday to remove the barricades. They are trying to spoil the environment, despite taking an oath in the constitution to uphold communal harmony, they are making attempts to spoil it. They are urging the police to tell the (police) commissioner to remove the barricade, they want rallies to pass through the area again and want to intimidate the minorities.”

Sadiq notes how he and some citizen-activists and artists are preparing to take legal action in order to prevent further violence. “We, as citizens, are planning to take legal action in order to prevent the situation from getting worse and prevent the representatives from spoiling the environment. People are being intimidated by elected representatives. Tensions are high. However, as of now, further violence is not happening, because the police have done a commendable job.”

In a video shared by Geeta Jain’s X account, she can be seen speaking to ANI, saying why are people being asked to show their Aadhar card to cross the (Mira-Bhayandar) area. She further stated that Nitesh (Rana) has also stated that if the barricades are not removed in the next 24 hours, then they will come again and remove it themselves. Geeta Jain is an MLA from the Mira-Bhayandar constituency. She and Nitesh Rane have both been observed to have engaged in rousing communal sentiments in Maharashtra in the past year.

बस अब और नहीं चलेगा…! #जयश्रीराम #miraroad #bjp #india #BJPIndia #bjpmaharashtra #DevendraFadnavis #MiraRoad #connectgeeta #MiraRoadriot #miraroad pic.twitter.com/G5gcOhyDKB

— Geeta Bharat Jain (@MLAgeetajain) January 23, 2024

Furthermore, Nitesh Rana, a BJP MLA for the Kankavil constituency in Maharashtra further posted on X a seemingly incendiary tweet, talking about beating people and picking them ‘one by one.’

“मीरा रोड मद्ये जे काल रात्री झाल..

एक याद रखना..

चुन चुन के मारेंगे !!!

जय श्री राम “

मीरा रोड मद्ये जे काल रात्री झाल..

एक याद रखना..

चुन चुन के मारेंगे !!!

जय श्री राम

— nitesh rane (@NiteshNRane) January 22, 2024

It was noted by journalist Rana Ayyub that this tweet by Rane had several people commenting and urging for the implementation of “bulldozer action”, and as noted, after this tweet demolitions took place at the Mira Road area.

The responses to this tweet ask for bulldozer action against Muslims, some ask for 92 to be repeated. Few hours later bulldozer runs in Mira road. pic.twitter.com/EzCn85Amde

— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) January 24, 2024

Coordinated online hate

The BJP IT Cell seems to be on a roll. Social media site, X, saw Mira Road trending nationally. By looking through the posts that featured in this trend, many online users of X can be seen endorsing the violence against Muslims. Many were seen justifying it and saying that this was only a matter of time as they shared several videos of the mob vandalising private property.

One account by a man named Manoj Tiwari, who has written sports journalist in his bio, wrote the following tweet. This tweet was incidentally eerily identical with another tweet posted by another account.

“Maratha’s teaching peace to peacefuls since 6th June 1674.Now watch retaliation by Hindus against riots in #MiraRoad (मीरा रोड), Thane, Mumbai.”

Maratha’s teaching peace to peacefuls since 6th June 1674.

Now watch retaliation by Hindus against riots in #MiraRoad (मीरा रोड), Thane, Mumbai.

pic.twitter.com/NrkuqP6smm

— Manoj Tiwari (@ManojTiwariIND) January 24, 2024

Another tweet, that was just as identical as the one above, was posted by an account with a woman’s display photo that goes by the name Prarambhi. The account has about 13000 followers.

“Maratha’s teaching peace to peacefuls since 6th June 1674. Now watch retaliation by Hindus against riots in #MiraRoad (मीरा रोड), Thane, Mumbai.”

Maratha’s teaching peace to peacefuls since 6th June 1674.

Now watch retaliation by Hindus against riots in #MiraRoad (मीरा रोड), Thane, Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/4n7O1n0vfe

— Prarambhi (@HBPrar) January 24, 2024

Another account by a man named Deepak Sharma, with over 37,000 followers tweeted the following, seemingly alluding to the residents of Mira Road being “Jihadis” with “heat”, “मीरा रोड मुंबई के जिहादियों में ज़्यादा गर्मी थी.”

Furthermore, there were several posts re-sharing Geeta Jain’s video statement. Many were asking, like the one below, whether India was still a majority Hindu nation.

This is BHARAT NOT PAKISTAN

It seems they are running their our own country as ” Mini Pakistan”

Barricading has been done , in whole locality entry allowed only by Aadhar Card,

Are we still a Hindu Majority Nation ?? #Miraroad #MiraRoadriot मीरा रोड pic.twitter.com/EHqnOj66or

— NAVEEN JAGLAN (@Dr_NvnJaglan) January 23, 2024

According to Times Now, in the aftermath of the communal clashes in Naya Nagar, Mira Road, on January 23rd, Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik met with the Mira Road Commissioner and reportedly issued an ultimatum where Sarnaik called for the immediate arrest of all people accused of involvement in the recent violence. He issued a warning, stating that if the accused are not arrested within the next 48 hours, Mira Road will witness a complete shutdown on January 25. Sarnaik said that the Mira-Bhayandar area is known as “mini-India” and an incident like this has never happened before. The Times of India has reported that community leaders and local politicians, such as Haji Babu (from the Shiv Sena Shinde faction) have been trying to maintain peace in the area and prevent tensions from escalating. Sabrang India tried reaching out to authorities handling the case. However, they could not be reached despite several calls.

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The day Calvin stripped the Emperor: Jan 23, 2024

The post Tensions high at Mumbai’s Mira Road as local BJP MLAs give ultimatum to police appeared first on SabrangIndia.

(sourced from social media)

It is unfair to stand in judgement of a newspaper’s front page, which is more dynamic (as in evolving) than most other sections, until we make an attempt to understand what must have gone through that hard-to-pin-down impulse called the collective mind of the newsroom.

I have hence steered clear of commenting on pages with which I am not directly involved. But I am breaking that resolve today, possibly putting EP Unny, the cartoonist, ill at ease.

Most English newspapers I saw today has religiously stuck to the straight and the narrow, reporting what happened in Ayodhya yesterday. As I said, there must be a collective mind behind that decision. Amid the tide of cynicism, I would like to believe that the newspapers did so to ensure that they do nothing to inflame the fraught situation. Unlike some TV and social media outlets, most newspapers have managed to retain their responsibility on days that run the risk of spinning out of control. In that sense, straight reporting without any hint that may tip the scales over the precipice with terrible consequences is the right decision, I feel.

So, after such a long preamble that shows how uncomfortable I am writing this, I must now mention the headline of The Indian Express New Delhi edition.

After a strapline or kicker in red ink that quotes Prime Minister Modi as saying “Not a date on calendar, origin of a new kaal chakra”, the main headline is just the date: January 22, 2024. (Visual below)

As I said, the headline states a fact, not provoking but respecting the intelligence of the reader to figure out whether what happened was just. This is a widely accepted form of journalism, especially so soon after such a polarising event marked by naked triumphalism endorsed by the State.

At the other end of the spectrum, a question does exists whether it is not the duty of a newspaper to send a reassuring message to those who must have felt wounded by this triumphalism. I suppose to err on the side of caution is better than taking a chance that can inflame passions. Besides, it is the editor’s prerogative, which should not questioned by an editor-at-large.

Then, I stumbled on Unny’s pocket cartoon, which, by definition, lurks way below, almost unnoticed, locked, loaded and ready to strike like a viper.

I do not know whether it is by design or happenstance. Unny also plays on dates — and the outcome is a stiletto thrust that kills but spills no blood.

The disjointed but sequential calendar in the pocket cartoon shows three dates: January 22, 26 and 30. Then Unny’s Calvin, the bespectacled lad that gives the strip its leitmotif, if not mascot, takes over and goes on to demolish Modi, Bhagwat and yesterday’s spectacle with one fell blow.

“A great way to begin the year — thinking of Ram, the Republic and a Ram bhakt.”

The banner headline  (a single date) took up eight columns in light font at the top with some white space to spare —  a design device to enhance the impact.

The strip in netherland takes up only one-eigth of the column space of the headline and uses far fewer words than the kicker and the headline. Yet, the kicker has not left anything unsaid. It is more evocative and more powerful than any editorial on the subject I have seen. In fact, it has become the shortest yet loudest signed editorial — a rarest of rare statement that newspapers seem to have forgotten these days, probably because  editors realise how hollow they sound.

Unny has produced several world-class cartoons. But Calvin’s Calendar takes the podium as far as I am concerned. I wonder, I marvel: what if the headline writer also had thought up the same idea? Who would have yielded ground then? How would the three dates have looked in eight columns with Calvin’s thought bubble? We can only wonder. What a wonderful place the newsroom will become then!

As I said, I don’t know if the Express did so by design. If so, it is worthy of a Pulitzer. If not, it is still worthy of a Pulitzer because it shows how a newsroom that allows diverse opinions to thrive can deliver masterstrokes untrammelled by one another.

I hope some university will add this page to their syllabi for journalism.

Why is it that it usually takes children to shout out that the emperor has no clothes? All of you must have seen Adarsh Raj, the boy who is telling it as it is to a Godi Media propagandist.

I was hoping some newspaper would be audacious enough to make Adarsh the lead story of the day. It does not cost anything to hope.

The clarity of Adarsh is out of the world. So is that of Unny’s Calvin. The kids are all right, unlike us.

Then my friend Jayan sent me a video (below Video 2 ). It is in Malayalam but language is not a barrier here. It shows a thief being chased at the Kannur bus terminal yesterday. He has stolen a lamp — so that he can light it as singer Chitra had exhorted Malayalis. Chitra’s call shocked several Malayalis — she is free to light any number of lamps but how can she exhort others to do so?

 Turns out the thief was part of a street play ridiculing Chitra’s call without mentioning her at all. The play ends with the question, unknowingly taking Calvin’s observation to the next level: on January 30, there were two Ram bhakts. One was assassinated, the other called Nathuram pulled the trigger. “ON WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU?” the protagonist in the play asks.

The guy speaking out is not a boy, for a change.

Adarsh, Calvin and the Stage Workers — they have proved that they can communicate better than the loudest and ugliest propaganda machine in India.

There is a lesson for those of us who give up hope — and our fight — so easily.

The post The day Calvin stripped the Emperor: Jan 23, 2024 appeared first on SabrangIndia.

So far, 13 people have been arrested after the Ram Temple related violence that took place in Mira Road, Mumbai. According to the Indian Express, communal incidents surfaced in various parts of Maharashtra including Mira Road, Panvel, and Nagpur. These were coupled with smaller altercations scattered across different regions which involved sloganeering and poster tearing. Similarly, Sabrang India has reported on a recent incident in Gujarat’s Mehsana district where a Shobha Yatra rally turned violent on the eve of the Ayodhya consecration ceremony as stone pelting erupted. Police have reportedly stated that the loud DJ music and firecrackers led to the stone pelting. Police reportedly fired at least three rounds of tear gas shells at the incident. According to the report, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Gandhinagar Range, Virendra Yadav has stated that, “The situation is under control as a police team was escorting the procession. We are in the process of registering an offence.”

Similarly, according to the report, the police have reported another incident occurring at Mira Road on January 22nd in the evening as well, as Maharashtra flared up as well. Instances of violence also unfolded in Naya Nagar and Bhayander. Furthermore, seeming to anticipate conflict the government had also reportedly tightened security measures for the occasion as reports state that commandos from the Anti-Terrorist Squad were also installed as a measure. The Indian Express further reported that Panvel too witnessed incidents on both the 21st and 22nd of January.

Furthermore, a video surfaced on January 22nd of a Muslim man being forced to say “Jai Sri Ram’ during a rally by Hindutva groups in Mumbai. The incident was caught on camera and shared online.

In #Maharashtra‘s #Mumbai, #Hindutva group members forcing a #Muslim man to chant #JaiShriRam at #MiraRoad! pic.twitter.com/dt2F5IvlYu

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) January 22, 2024

Similarly, The Observer Post reported of communally charged incidents at a Muslim cemetery in Bihar’s Khirma village in the Darbhanga district. At the village, some men came during a celebratory procession on the inauguration of the Ram temple at Pathra and set fire to a Muslim graveyard.

In Bihar, a procession celebrating the inauguration of the Ram temple at Pathra graveyard in Darbhanga set the graveyard on fire. The incident occurred during the festivities at Khirma Panchayat. pic.twitter.com/KAtAgAllNJ

— The Observer Post (@TheObserverPost) January 22, 2024

Similarly, a page called Hate Detectors on X shared videos from Delhi, in the locality of Jaitpur, which saw people raising objectionable slogans who also carried out vandalism in a Muslim locality. This further led to the police’s intervention to prevent the conflict from escalating.

In Madhya Pradesh, on the 21st of January, a group of men climbed atop a church and put saffron flags on it, according to The Quint. The men were chanting “Jai Sri Ram” as they climbed the church which is located in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. Pastor of the church Narbu Amaliyar, spoke to The Quint narrating how approximately 25 men came quickly and suddenly after their afternoon prayers, started saying loud slogans and proceeded to unfurl the saffron flags on top of the church. Jhabua’s Superintendent of Police Agam Jain, has reportedly told The Quint that as of now no FIR has been officially lodged in connection with the incident.

Moving south, Telangana too witnessed attempts to incite communal tension. In the Nalgonda district of Telangana a gathering of 200-250 people reportedly affiliated with Hindutva groups such as VHP and Bajrang Dal came together upon an open plot which was just adjacent to a mosque. They were demanding the construction of a Hanuman Temple and were reportedly conducting rituals at the site.

Communal tension in #Telangana‘s #SangaReddy after mob with #SaffronFlag‘s gathered to dance in front of a masjid. pic.twitter.com/6FupPS1GQQ

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) January 22, 2024

According to the Hate Detectors on the social media site X, senior police officials swiftly reached the scene and held a meeting the following day to address the situation.

According to the Siasat News, January 22 also saw a right-wing Hindutva mob setting fire to a shop owned by a Muslim vendor as it conducted its rally from Daulatabad in Hathnoor mandal. A police complaint has been reportedly filed with regards to this incident.

Miscreants burnt shops of Muslims in Daulatabad #Sangareddy #Telangana during the rally conducted on eve of #PranPratishthaRamMandir pic.twitter.com/P1WFOAUtc4

— Mubashir.Khurram (@infomubashir) January 22, 2024

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The post Five states report communal incidents following the inauguration of the Ram Temple in UP appeared first on SabrangIndia.