Ram  and  Hanuman  in  Bengali  popular  psyche

To  come  down  to  brass  tacks,  Ram  and  Hanuman  had  always  been  butts  of  ridicule  in  Bengali  popular  sayings.  To  quote  one  –  “Kala  khelo  jato  bandor,  rajya  pelo  Ramchandar”  (Ram  acquired  the  throne  due  to  the  banana-chewing  monkeys) .   The  followers  of  Ram  are  looked  down  upon  as  exploiters  and  humbugs,  as  the  following  saying  indicates:  “ Ram  nam  mukhey,  chhuri  rekhey bukey”  (They  swear  by  the  name  of  Ram,  while  threatening  us  with  a  dagger  at  our  chests).  (Re:  Sushil  Kumar  Dey:  Bangla  Prabad).

In   Bengali  colloquial  slang,  the  name  Ram  is  often  used  in  a  derisive  and  derogatory  sense   –  like  the  term   Ram-chhagal  (a  goat  named  Ram)  to  describe  a  fat  goat.  It  is  also  used  as  a  suffix  in  terms  like  Boka-Ram  (a  foolish  Ram)  to  dismiss  someone  as  an  idiot.   The  trend  of  demystification  of  Ram  in  Bengal  reached  its  height  when  the  Bengali  poet  Madhusudan  Dutta  in  the  mid-nineteenth  century  composed  the  iconoclastic  epic  poem  Meghnad Badh  Kavya,  where  he  paid  homage  to  Ravana’s  son  Meghnad  (known  also  as  Indrajit)  who  more  than  once  defeated  Ram  and  Lakshman  in  the  battlefield  as  described  in  Valmiki’s  Ramayana.  In  his  poem,  Madhusudan  denounced  Lakshman  for  resorting  to  the  devious  mode  of  killing  Meghnad  by  sneaking  into  Nikumbhila,  the  prayer  hall  where  Meghnad  was  engaged  in  praying.  Taking  advantage  of  his  unarmed  state,  Lakshman  murdered  him.  Explaining  his  decision  to  valorize  Meghnad,  Madhusudan  in  a  letter  to  his  friend  Rajnarayan  Basu  wrote:  “I  despise  Ram  and  his  rabble,  but  the  idea  of  Ravana  elevates  and  kindles  my  imagination;  he  was  a  grand  fellow.”  (January  25,  1824).

Despite  this  tradition,   this  year,   a  Bengali  BJP  leader  managed  to  organize  a  Ram  Navami  procession  in  Kolkata  by  recruiting  the  local  unemployed  youth  –  promising  them  jobs  if  they  bring  BJP  to  power.  He  allured  them  by  repeating  Modi’s  slogan  of  `double-engine’,   meaning                 the  engine  in  the  states  can  only  function  if  they  are  aligned  to  the  central  engine  in  Delhi  run  by  the  BJP.

Homogenizing  the  diverse  Hindu  people  under  the  hegemony  of   Ram 

The  centralizing  authoritarian  Modi  government,  which  is  running  into  conflict  with  Opposition  ruled  states,  and  threatening  the  spirit  of  federalism  that  is  embedded  in  our  Constitution,  is  trying  to  justify  its  misdeeds  by  invoking  the  name  of  Ram,  playing  on  the  religious  sentiments  of  the  majority  Hindu  population.  After  attempting  to  impose  Hindi  as  a  national  language  all over  India  and  crush  linguistic  diversities,  the  Modi  government  is  now  trying  to  project  the  Hindu  god  Ram  as  a  national  icon  in  the  name  of  unifying  all  Indians  under  the  umbrella  of  nationalism.  Anyone  refusing  to  worship  Ram  and  join  Ram  Navami  processions  will  be  hauled  up  for  blasphemy.

Yet,  in  the  southern  states,  people  treat  Ram  and  Sita  and  worship  them  in  different  ways  that  are  in  stark  contrast  with  the  practices  followed  in  the  Hindu-Hindi  heartland.  The  Ramayana  that  the  Tamilians  read is  the  version  by  Kampan,   the  12^th  century  author  of  Iramavataram,  which  in  certain  sections  vastly  differ  from  Valmiki’s narrative, and puts  Sita  on  a  higher  pedestal.   Similarly,  Telegu-speaking  women  in  Andhra  Pradesh  and  Telangana  have  invented  a  Ramayana  of  their  own  by  composing  and  singing  songs  that  domesticate  the  travails  of  Sita  in  terms  of  their  own  diurnal  experiences.  In  Kerala,  the  Rama  story  is  visualized  through  puppet  plays,  which  reduce  the  size  of  the  monumental  epic  characters  to  that  of  dolls  to  be  manipulated  by  the  puppeteers  from  behind  the  scenes.  (Re:  Many  Ramayanas.  The  Diversity  of a  Narrative  Tradition in  South  Asia.  Ed. Paula  Richman.  OUP.  New  Delhi.  1992)

Given  these  diverse  interpretations  of  Ramayana, and  the  different  understanding  of  Ram  and  Sita   in  popular  perception,  varying  from  one  region  to  another,  the  Modi  government’s  attempt  to  impose  Ram  as  a  hegemonizing  icon  on  all  Hindus  cannot  work.  Further,  his  determination  to    elevate  Ram  as  a  Hindi-speaking  god  is  alienating  the  Hindus  of  the  southern  states.  Their  chief  ministers  are  protesting  against  the  infliction  of   Hindi  on  their  official  correspondence.

Positioning  Ram  and  Hanuman  against  Muslims,  depicted  as  present  followers  of  Ravana.

The  state-sponsored  elevation  of  Ram  through  ceremonies  like  Ram  Navami  are  aimed  at  unifying  these  diverse  and  often  mutually  conflicting  sections  of  the  Hindu  population.  But  such  ceremonies  are  also  becoming  tools  in  the  hands  of  the  Hindu  fanatical  outfits  like  Vishva  Hindu  Parishad  and  Bajrang Dal  who  deliberately  organize  demonstrations in  front  of  mosques,  shouting  slogans   insulting  the   Muslim worshippers  there.  Shops  run  by  Muslims  are  being  forcibly  closed down  by  the  goons  of  these  outfits  during  Hindu  religious  festivals.  Muslim  pedestrians  are  being  harassed  by  these  goons  who  force  them  to  shout  `Jai  Shri  Ram.’

Defending  the  weaponization  of  Ram  Navami  by  the  Sangh  Parivar,  a  BJP  leader  from  West  Bengal, Dilip  Ghosh  while  recently  addressing  a public  rally  in  the  North  24-Parganas  district  there  proudly  claimed:  “Ten  years  ago,  people  didn’t  know  what  Ram  Navami  processions  were.  Today,  such  processions  are  being  held  in  every  locality  because  Hindus  have  realized  they  need  to  unite.”  He  then  advised  Hindus  to  keep weapons  at  home  for  self- protection.  (Re:  Times  of  India.  April  18,  2025).   By  admitting  that  ten  years  ago  Bengalis  didn’t  know  what  Ram  Navami  processions  were,  he  acknowledges  that  it  is  a  newly  imported  festival  under  the  auspices  of  the  BJP.  Not  satisfied  with  imposing  Ram  Navami  as  a  national  ceremony  on  all  the  diverse  sections  of  our   people,  the  Sangh  Parivar  is  now  demanding  that  privilege  for  Ram’s  army  general,  the  monkey-god  Hanuman.  Hanuman  Jayanti  was  celebrated  on  a  massive  scale  this  year  in  BJP-ruled  states,  where  the  governments  spent  money  from  their  exchequer  to  subsidize  these  celebrations.  It  is  necessary  to  remind  our  people  that  this  money  is  being  diverted  from   the    taxes  that  they  pay  which are  accumulated  in  the  exchequer.  Do  all  the  tax-payers,  coming  from  different  religious  denominations,   want  their  taxes  to  subsidize  the  religious  ceremonies  of  a  single  community,  the  majoritarian  Hindus  ?

Agitation  against  the  Waqf (Amendment)  Act  –  considered  as  Na-pak  by  Muslims

The  enactment  of  the  Waqf  (Amendment)  Act  has  become  the  proverbial  last  straw  on  the  camel’s  back.  The  Muslim  community  could  not  bear  it  any  more  and  they  have  come  out  in  the  legislature  as  well  as  in the  streets  to  voice  their  protest.  The  Act  is  a  controversial  piece  of  legislation.  Some Muslim  organizations  have  expressed  apprehensions  that  it  would  curb  the    Waqf  board’s  power  to  distribute  charity, and  its  control  over  its  properties.   Some  other  Muslim  groups  have  reserved  their  opinions.

The  opposition  to  the  Act  took  a  violent  communal  shape  in  the  Murshidabad  district  of  the  Trinamul-ruled  state  of  West  Bengal.  Islamist  fanatical  groups  (Muslim  counterparts  of  the  Hindu  fanatical  Bajrang  Dal  and  Vishwa  Hindu  Parishad)  attacked  Hindu  homes  and  killed  a  father  and  son  duo.  They  alleged  that  stones  were  thrown  on  their  anti-Waqft  demonstration  by  this  Hindu  family.  A   Muslim  man  has  been  accused  and arrested  in  this  connection.  At  around  the  same  time,  a  Muslim  youth  was  killed  by  police  bullets.  There  are  unconfirmed  reports  that  Islamic  terrorists  from  Bangladesh  have  infiltrated  into  Bengal  after  the  present  Yunus-led  caretaker  government  (which  is  anti-India  and  has  lifted  ban  on  Islamic  fundamentalist  organizations  and  allowed  them  to  cross  over  to  Bengal  to  create  unrest). Yet,  if  we  go  back  to  the  past  in  Bengal,  there  had  always  been  a  general  public  recognition  and  grateful  acknowledgment  by  Hindus  also,  of  Muslim  owners  transferring  their  lands  and  properties  to  the  Waqf  board  for  charitable  purposes.   We  come  across  an  old  Bengali  document  signed  by  one  Habibullah  Bahar       who “Waqf  koriya  Islamer  sebaye  bilaya  diyachhilen”  (donated  his  property  in  the  name  of  Waqf).  (Re:  Byaboharik  Bangla  Abhidhan.  Bangla  Academy.  Dhaka.  1992)

The post Ram and Hanuman Vs Ravana of anti-waqf (amendment act) agitation appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh (UP) a group of Bajrang Dal members were seen provocatively shouting and sloganeering just near the Mosque in Muratganj area at the time of Zohr (afternoon) namaz. In Bengal, a video emerged of men and women taking out a grand rally celebrating Ram Navami, even as some of them could be seen flaunting weapons, including sickle and trident, in defiance of numerous court orders, where the courts have urged the State to ensure that no arms or weapons are carried out in the rallies. While no instance of violence or escalation was reported in these incidents, in at two of these incidents, the presence of communal elements like Bajrang Dal and Raja Singh suggests attempts to vitiate the harmonious religious environment. In fact, T. Raja Singh went on social media to ask his supporters to participation in the Ram Navami rally, after Hyderabad Police cancelled his rally, and eventually uploaded a video of his participation in the crowded rally as the “reaction” to the “action” of the police denying his own rally. 

In the morning, Indian Express reported that Bengal remained on high alert as police fortified the State with all its resources to prevent any untoward incidents or breach of law and order. Reportedly, some 5000 rallies were planned this Ram Navami in the state of West Bengal by Hindu Jagran Manch, an extremist Hindu right-wing organisation. 

Just yesterday the Calcutta High Court had also allowed the rallies to taken out by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Anjani Putra Sena on their originally planned route on the occasion of Ram Navami, but had cautioned the organisers and administration to make sure that no breach of law and order takes place, no arms are flaunted and no DJs join rally. 

In addition, the Ranchi Police (Jharkand) had used drones to detect the presence of stones on the terraces of some of the residents a day before Ram Navami, and had sent notices to the homeowners instructing them to remove stones from their roofs and “warned them if any dispute arises during the procession, they will be held accountable”, The Free Press Journal reported.

Related:

Majoritarian Politics via Ram Navami Processions and Opportunist Muslim Elites

Ram Navami violence by Aaj Tak calls into question the lopsided portrayal of communally sensitive news

Police to closely monitor Ram Navami processions in Hyderabad and Mumba

The post Attempts to create communal tension reported during Ram Navami celebration in parts of Bengal and UP appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The Bihar police have said that Bajrang Dal convener of Nalanda district Kundan Kumar was the mastermind behind the communal violence that took place during the Ram Navami festival in Bihar Sharif, reported Times Now, NDTV, Telegraph and Scroll.in. Kumar was arrested on April 8 after he surrendered as the administration began to attach his properties, said the police.

“He [Kundan Kumar] is accused of gathering a huge crowd in the name of a Ram Navami procession in Bihar Sharif without proper permission,” Nalanda Superintendent of Police Ashok Mishra told The Telegraph on April 8. “That mob went out of control and violence started.”

On March 31, 2023, the day after Ram Navmi processions, communal violence had erupted in the town in Nalanda district as Hindus and Muslims clashed during the event. One person had died during the clashes that also led to arson, looting and vandalism of shops, homes and educational and religious establishments belonging to both the communities, reported the newspaper.

As many as 13 persons, including two police officials, were injured on March 31 after clashes broke out between Hindus and Muslims during the Ram Navami processions in Nalanda district’s Bihar Sharif and Rohtas district’s Sasaram.

On Sunday, April 9, the police stated that Kundan Kumar and Kishan Kumar, another accused person, had planned and executed the communal clashes in Bihar Sharif through social media and a WhatsApp group that had 456 members, reported NDTV. After several other reports over the past ten days, the breakthrough came on April 10 through NDTV.

The member of the Hindutva group was the admin of WhatsApp group that was formed days before the Ram Navami festival, Jitendra Singh Gangawar, Additional Director General of Police told the news channel. Through the WhatsApp group, Kundan and Kishan Kumar spread fake videos about Muslims instigating the viewers to incite violence against them.

The police have registered 15 first information reports in the case, in which a total of 140 arrests have been made, reported ANI. Meanwhile, Kundan Kumar has claimed that he has been framed even though he was with the officer in charge of the a police station in Bihar Sharif on the day of the violence, reported The Telegraph.

“I have surrendered because my family’s property was being attached,” he had told reporters on April 8. “The incidents happened because of the inadequate arrangements made by the administration.”

The original tweet announcing the police claims may be read here. 

Bihar Sharif Ram Navami violence: ‘Mastermind’ Bajrang Dal Convenor surrenders, Says Policehttps://t.co/cuqa3a742i

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) April 9, 2023

Related:

Muslims attacked while offering Namaz in Haryana

Section 144 imposed in Jamshedpur; arrests made in Bihar and Maharashtra over instances of violence during Ram Navami

Violence breaks out after controversial route of a procession passes Mosque in Karnataka’s Haveri, 15 detained

MP: A group of 4-5 men stabbed an Imam while he was on his bike

Iftar observed by students of all faiths; Muslim students break their fast while non-Muslim students serve food and beverages

The post Bajrang Dal convener mastermind of Bihar Sharif violence, say police appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Kolkata: Clashes and violence over the Ram Navami procession at Rishra in Hooghly district of West Bengal on April 2 were instigated by the processionists, the state government has informed the Calcutta High Court.

Chandernagore City Police, under whose jurisdiction Rishra comes, on Friday evening, submitted to the court a detailed report on the clashes.

Sources aware of the contents of the report said that it mentions that those participating in the procession had been constantly “instigating” the local people by using “abusive and offensive” language constantly since the beginning of the procession.

As per the report, although initially a section of those participating in the procession restricted themselves to using offensive language, later, some of them started pelting at the local people. Also, DJ was used in the procession without police permission and some of the participants even brandished lethal sharp weapons.

The report has maintained that such use of such offensive language and pelting of stones instigated the locals who retaliated by resorting to counter stone-pelting. It said as police tried to restrain both sides, attacks were led against the cops and some of the police vehicles were vandalized.

On April 2 evening, clashes first broke out at Rishra over the Ram Navami procession. Among those injured were BJP legislator Biman Ghosh and some police officers. Tension escalated and continued till April 3 night, when violent mobs started pelting stones at trains passing by in Rishra.

The police report submitted to the Calcutta High Court also detailed the situation over the continued tension on April 3.

As per the reports, that evening when the police contingent was patrolling at Rishra Rail-Gate area, a group of around 500 people suddenly attacked the cops with sticks, stones and bricks.

They also started pelting stones at the trains passing by. The police had to resort to lathi charge and charging of teargas shells to bring the situation under control.

Courtesy: The Daily Siasat

The post Ram Navami processionists instigated violence in Rishra, Bengal police tell court appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Bihar reported several instances of attacks on Muslims, destruction of their property, looting of homes, destruction of a mosque and a madrassa as well during Ram Navami celebrations and even after. Oit has been reported that in the Mochi Tola area of Sasaram, Bihar, a bomb-like explosion was heard but the police could not confirm if it was a fire-cracker or an actual bomb. At least 43 people have been arrested and residents have claimed that they have heard chants of ‘Jai shree Ram’ all around. On Saturday, 5 people were injured after a bomb blast in Sasaram and the police denied any communal angle to it.

Since last year there is an uncomfortable wariness when one comes to know that a religious procession is being organized. It is likely that such processions will end up in “clashes” between two communities. The common thread in all these “clashes” is that stones were pelted, some police personnel were injured and some slogans raised, while the victim is always the minority community. The narrative usually revolves around, why did the minority community pelt stones in the first place, they are the ones who instigated the crowd and the resultant violence ensued.

In Bihar Sharif, 110 year old Madrassa Aziza in Nalanda district of Bihar was burnt down by a Hindutva mob due to which 4,500 books were reduced to ashes. The mob threw petrol bombs into the mosque while chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’.

What was burnt down along with the books was the legacy of the institution which was established by Bibi Sogra, a well known philanthropist, in memory of her husband, Abdul Aziz. The attacks took place in the afternoon, in broad daylight, however, the police reached the spot at 11 pm, reported Maktoob media. The caretaker of the madrassa told the publication that the library had really old and rare books including Tafsirs of the Holy Quran.

On March 31, Madrasa Azizia was set ablaze by Hindutva mob during Ram Navami violence in Biharsharif, Nalanda, Bihar. At Madrasa, there were about 4500 books. pic.twitter.com/3kT4ajsswD

— Meer Faisal (@meerfaisal01) April 1, 2023

There were disturbing visuals of the mosque burning in flames nas young men with saffron bands tied around the foreheads look on:

A mosque was set on fire by Hindutva extremists during Ram Navami violence in Bihar Sharif, Bihar. pic.twitter.com/FwYRzcpWeS

— Md Asif Khan‏‎‎‎‎‎‎ (@imMAK02) March 31, 2023

There is also a video showing Hindutva mob climbing atop the mosque and waving saffron flag.

Hindutva mob climbed atop mosque, waved saffron flag before vandalising it in Bihar Sharif, Bihar. https://t.co/OFwPu8VxGl pic.twitter.com/x38ZN7kE7N

— Md Asif Khan‏‎‎‎‎‎‎ (@imMAK02) March 31, 2023

“We had just finished Friday prayers when violence erupted at Gagan Diwan locality near Hotel City Palace. A mob then entered the madrasa and started hurling stones. A member of the mosque’s peace committee was threatened and forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. They threw petrol bombs into the mosque and the library, and set vehicles parked on the premises on fire,” Mohd Siyabuddin, the Imam of the mosque, told The Hindu. He added that two children were also trapped in the room and had they not reached there on time, they could have died. The madrasa, spread over six acres with 450 students, was closed for Ramzan, but the miscreants entered the campus by breaking the lock, reported The Hindu.

Historical Madrasa Azizia was burned down by Hindutva mob during Ram Navami violence in Bihar Sharif.

More than 4500 books reduced to ashes.

? : @meerfaisal01 pic.twitter.com/PhUWNPSOb1

— Md Asif Khan‏‎‎‎‎‎‎ (@imMAK02) April 2, 2023

Further, in Sasaram a Hindutva mob allegedly looted and burnt houses of Muslims and a victim claimed that 50 police personnel were present when this happened. The police allegedly asked the victims to leave their burning homes and run. While speaking to local news channel Bihar Tak, Sajjad was distraught and said that he was simply a laborer and looted and burnt down his house as the police watched.

House of Sajjad Looted, and brunt by the Hindutva Mobs in Sasaram, Bihar.
Sajjad said_
“Everything was Looted, and torched, I am poor this is the only Asset I had, which all is destroyed now I am labour, around 50 Police officers were their , but no FIR about this has been taken pic.twitter.com/khjpgsRKaV

— Noor Mahvish (@TheNoorMahvish) April 2, 2023

In Munger, offensive slogans were raised by Hindutva mobs riding on bikes as they were riding through a Muslim locality. They raised slogans of Jai Shree Ram and also “Jai Shri Ram Bolo, Miya Ko Kato. Jai Shri Ram Bolo Miya ki Topi Utaro”.  A resident while speaking to a media person said that even the BJP MLA of Munger, Pranav Yadav was riding on one of these bikes as they were brandishing swords and were hitting shops with these swords on their way. He said there were more than 100 bikes that went through the area on Friday.

Location: Munger, Bihar

During the Ram Navami procession, extremists entered a Muslim locality, brandishing swords and shouting hateful slogans with blatant calls for violence: “Jai Shri Ram Bolo, Miya Ko Kato. Jai Shri Ram Bolo Miya ki Topi Utaro”.

Note: Miya is an… pic.twitter.com/uMUUDZzxp2

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) March 31, 2023

A reportage from The Observer Post showed women from Bihar Sharif alleging that the police misbehaved with them and took away their valuables from their homes. She said that at night they came and held women’s hands, molested them and looted their valuables, jewellery. She said that the men were chased away and curfew was imposed so just women were left at home alone. She said they abused them and used demeaning slurs. Another woman said that a policeman entered their home forcibly and took her son away and when they said they were keeping Roza and they should avoid this commotion, the boy was taken away by the police, while the policeman abused the elderly woman. They took all those without seeing who is innocent and who is not. Another older woman said that the police broke the locks of homes and looted them taking away all money, valuables etc.

Muslim women of Bihar Sharif complain of misbehaviour by the police, who entered their houses and took away their valuables. “Police took away men and forcibly entered our house,” they claim.
“They snatched duppatas and earrings from the ladies,” she added. @meerfaisal01 report pic.twitter.com/tWmgiMzSWe

— Meer Faisal (@meerfaisal01) April 3, 2023

Related:

Aaj Tak’s coverage of Ram Navami violence questions mainstream portrayal of Hindu-Muslim divide

Hindutva’s role in riots and official complicity

What was CJP’s PIL seeking directions for implementation of law for regulation of religious processions all about?

Ram Navami: West Bengal administration on alert as 2000 celebrations planned

Police to closely monitor Ram Navami processions in Hyderabad and Mumbai

The post Hindutva mobs in Bihar run amok, cause loss of Rs. 6 crores appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The list of instances of communal violence that took place across India on Ram Navami keeps growing with more people coming forward and sharing their experiences. Two days after a mob of around 40 people carrying swords, aluminium and wooden rods vandalized the PMGP colony in Mumbai’s Mankhurd area, residents told SabrangIndia about how helpless they felt as they watched their vehicles destroyed.

While Hindustan Times reported that it with a scuffle between two auto-rickshaw drivers that triggered the sequence of events that left 25 vehicles damages, witnesses told SabrangIndia that there was more to it. They say it was communally aggressive behaviour that actually sparked the violence.

According to our source whose name is being withheld at thier request to protect their identity, residents were performing namaz around 8:30 PM when around 15 youths, including the main accused Sonu Chaudhary, came to the area carrying saffron flags and shouted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans.

“We tried to explain to them that namaz is being performed, please do not raise slogans right now. However, they did not listen, finally they left when they saw a huge crowd gathering,” said the resident.

Among the fleeing miscreants, one person left his vehicle and threatened the residents as he fled. An hour and a half later a mob with a strength of 60-70 people came to the area with weapons in hand. On arriving, the goons immediately broke all vehicles in the vicinity including rickshaws.

“They yelled Jai Shri Ram as they destroyed the vehicles, including my auto. It was given to by my father as a means of livelihood. They broke that too and all the vehicles nearby,” said the source.

When the police finally came, officials wrote down names of the miscreants and resident alike. The police said they will investigate the matter and asked residents to call them if required. As of April 12, the police have not contacted residents. Locals reported that many of the assailants were from outside the area while the rest were youths from nearby places.

“We were all scared to see this attack. Our vehicles were destroyed in front of our eyes. But we couldn’t do anything. There were too many of them. They had rods. We could barely understand what was going on and they continued to break vehicles while yelling Jai Shri Ram,” said the resident.

It is noteworthy that just hours before this, colony members had organised an Iftar party to promote brotherhood among Hindus and Muslims. This event was attended by local Corporator’s son Deepak Sakre and Samajwadi Party politician Jasuddin Sheikh.

Meanwhile, Hindustan Times reported that the Mankhurd police registered a rioting case against Chaudhary and others. The police also registered a case against Abdullah Shaikh who was the first person who objected to the sloganeering, for allegedly causing hurt to Chaudhary.

Related:

Gujarat: Locals blame election politics for Ram Navami violence

Communal confrontations mar Ram Navami celebrations in five states

Sheath the swords, while there is still time!

Aurangabad: Ram Navami procession shows respect to mosque

The post We couldn’t do anything, just watched them destroy our vehicles: Mankhurd residents recall Ram Navami violence appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On Monday, barely a day after communal clashes erupted during a Ram Navami procession in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone, the district administration demolished 16 houses and 29 shops in five areas across the town. According to a report in Indian Express, MP’s Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said that “a claims tribunal” would be formed and action taken against rioters. His colleague, Home Minister Narottam Mishra issued a warning, saying, “Jis ghar se pathar aaye hain, us ghar ko hi patharon kaa dher banaenge (We will turn the houses from where the stones were pelted to a heap of rubble).”

As many as 10 houses were set on fire in Khargone Madhya Pradesh, during clashes between members of a Ram Navami procession and locals. More than two dozen people, including Superintendent of Police (SP) Siddharth Choudhary, were injured on Sunday, resulting in a curfew being declared. The clashes erupted near Talab Chowk mosque in the evening when some people opposed the provocative songs being played during the procession. This communal violence soon spread to other areas.

While the focus should have been on making sure there was peace in the area, on Monday, the state’s Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ordered demolishing of “illegal buildings” reportedly belonging to those allegedly involved in the stone throwing, reported NDTV. Bulldozers were used to raze about 45 houses and the administration has carried out as many as 45 demolitions which according to Indian Express “started in the morning from Chhote Mohan Talkies area, where four ‘illegal’ structures were demolished.” The bulldozers continued demolitions in other areas such as Aurangpura, Khaskhaswadi, Ganesh Mandir and most importantly the Talab Chowk area which was the place from where the Ram Navami procession set off on Sunday. The clash happened “barely 500 metres away” reported IE.

According to the news report, the highest number of demolitions were carried out in Khaskhaswadi, where 12 homes and 10 shops were razed to the ground. This area is reportedly also near the spot from where heavy stone pelting was reported on Sunday. The selection of areas that have seen demolition action speaks for itself.

Adding to the escalating communal stress in the state, its Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Tuesday accused Muslims of “violence and rioting” and defended the government’s demolition drive against those who allegedly threw stones at the procession. According to NDTV, Narottam Mishra said, “If Muslims carry out such attacks then they should not expect justice.” He said that things are normal and the “actions” will continue against “rioters”. 

#Khargone में दंगाइयों के अतिक्रमण हटाने की कार्रवाई आज भी जारी रहेगी।

प्रदेश में कानून का राज है और जो भी इससे खिलवाड़ करेगा, वो इसका नतीजा भुगतेगा। pic.twitter.com/Pxh7lSK7UK

— Dr Narottam Mishra (@drnarottammisra) April 12, 2022

Mishra told the media that “94 people have been arrested. The SP (Superintendent of police), who was shot, is better now. The boy who is on a ventilator is also better than before.”  He added, “Action would be taken against Congress leader and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh” for his Tweet alleging that “Saffron flags were put up at a mosque” on the same day as the violence. The Congress leader later deleted the tweet, the image in it was “not from Khargone but was an old image from Bihar,” the state government had said.

Bulldozer SoP from 2020?

He had used similar words in 2020 saying, “Jahan se pathar aaenge, wahin se toh nikale jaaenge’ (the evictions will happen where the stones came from)”. Narottam Mishra’s was then justifying the demolition of a poor Muslim man’s house. That demolition too was a, act of “instant  punishment” for the Muslim man, after allegations of ‘stone peling’ at a mob were made during a communal clash in Ujjain.

Now Mishra told the media that the demolitions were done “only after it was established that the property was illegal”. He does not explain why the “illegal properties” were not touched before the communal clashes. According to NDTV, he denied that Muslims were targeted and declared, “If anyone triggers rioting in Madhya Pradesh they will be crushed.” 

Related:

Communal confrontations mar Ram Navami celebrations in five states
2021: The year of evictions
Forcibly evicted Khandwa Adivasis decry government apathy
MP: 40 Adivasi families illegally evicted amidst a pandemic!
After communal clashes, more Indore village homes demolished for ‘road-widening’
On whose orders did MP police demolish a Muslim daily wager’s home?

The post Madhya Pradesh’s Home Minister blames Muslims for Ram Navami day violence, justifies mass demolitions appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“Everyone knew something will happen during this year’s Ram Navami procession, but we could do nothing,” said ex-Municipal Councillor Musavvir Yamani told SabrangIndia on April 11, 2022 after visiting various places in Khambat, Gujarat where communal conflicts took place. Although clashes and injuries reigned supreme across India on Sunday amidst various Ram Navami rallies, people of Gujarat condemned the government for taking zero initiative to curb such communal conflagration.

Speaking specifically of Khambat, the three-time elected MC said the yatra is an annual event in the region. However, in sight of upcoming elections, organisers asked for the procession to tour the whole of Khambat town in Anand district. “Ideally, they should not have been given this permission. But the police did and did not arrange for security,” said Yamani.

According to the Indian Express, one person was found dead after incidents of stone pelting and arson. Yamani added that another person is hospitalised aside from the 100 to 150 houses of people from minority communities whose homes were stoned. Further, he alleged that shops and houses of Muslims were robbed and set on fire by people as soon as the procession reached the Sardar tower. Many minority folk live in that region.

Having worked as an MC and a reporter, Yamani received many distress calls from people in the locality. Some even complained about the miscreants brandishing swords, lathis and similar weapons. Anguished he asked, “Where did these people get these weapons and even petrol? If it was simply a religious procession, how did they suddenly get weapons and fuel necessary for this arson?”

Yamani squarely blamed the incident on local politics in light of upcoming Gujarat elections in the summer. Two days before the incident, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) conducted a similar rally in the region. A thousand people and a local MLA joined this rally that set a tense environment in the area. He accused the party of riling up such hate because it “has nothing to say on real issues.”

As for the police, locals told Yamani that houses and shops outside police stations were torched at the time. Yet, the police did little to assist people. The chaos finally ended when the police resorted to lathi-charge and tear-gassing.

Unfortunately, the aggressions had already spread to other regions like Himmatnagar where two successive rallies resulted in stone-pelting between two communities that injured many including police officials. Despite all this, police are yet to confirm an FIR regarding the whole ordeal.

In Vadodara, the Ram Navami procession stopped outside mosques. While no physical violence broke out, local Hamid Khatri said that even when right-wing members try to create trouble, the police look the other way.

What’s worse, certain news media also sympathised with the groups organising the rally that was interrupted, rather than the impact of the violence of injured people from the minority community, and those whose properties were destroyed by rally participants. Some even glossed over pertinent facts of the story such as provocation via communal slogans. Ahmedabad Mirror’s headline “Ram Navami procession targetted in 3 districts, one person loses life” conveniently glosses over the possible provocation factor via communal slogans. The article talked about stone-pelting on the rally “near a Muslim-dominated area” owing to reasons like “high volume”. However, the article neither mentioned the injured among the minority community, nor about the minority-owned shops that were burnt down, or even the fact that fuel to set properties on fire was readily available to participants of a religious procession.

Similarly, persistent supporters of the right ideology, OpIndia and India TV also used titles like “Ram Navami procession attacked in Howrah, several participants injured” and “Ram Navami processions attacked in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Bengal; vehicles set on fire, shops damaged”.

As state elections and the summer heat draws closer, communal confrontations in Gujarat appear to be reaching a boiling point.

Related:

Communal confrontations mar Ram Navami celebrations in five states

Sheath the swords, while there is still time!

Rajasthan: All you need to know about the Karauli violence

Bajrang Muni Das openly threatens Muslim women with sexual assault

Right-wing’s dangerous obsession with mosques and dargahs peaks during Ramzan

Gujarat:  Antarashtriya Hindu Parishad is stage for anti-Muslim abuse, trident distribution

The post Gujarat: Locals blame election politics for Ram Navami violence appeared first on SabrangIndia.