Hence, as compared to other regions of Karnataka, the old Mysore region did not respond enthusiastically to the Sanghi agenda for these historical reasons. Thus, the BJP has not done well in this region so far.

But over the past thirty years, especially in the Modi era, the changes taking place in the socio-economic and political culture of Old Mysuru and Mandya district in particular, have begun to change this balance that has been shaped over a period.

Besides, the agrarian crisis, migration, unemployment, the crisis of livelihood leading to insecurity and identity crisis, personal and social anxieties generated by the neoliberal economy over the last three decades, coupled with the Brahminisation of the upper strata of the dominant castes, namely Vokkaligas and the Sanskritisation of the Nathapanthic Vokkaliga monasteries, the inertia and slow inaction of the progressive movements, and the zeal, resources and destructive zeal of the right-wing forces have brought about many fundamental changes in the politics of Mandya region which have become glaringly visible in the past few years.

Some Examples:

During the 2018 assembly elections, the upper strata of the dominant Vokkaliga caste declared their priorities as “Kumaraswamy for the state, Narendra Modi for the country,” the mobilisation of the dominant castes to defeat AHINDA (the acronym for Minorities (Alpasankhyata), Backwards (Hindulida) and Dalits) politics of Siddharamiah lead Congress. For the last 10 years, the Sanghis have kept Tipu’s capital Srirangapatna in a constant state of planned communal tension, with the BJP candidate who lost in that constituency in the 2023 elections getting four times more votes than the previous election.

They have tried unsuccessfully to change Tipu history during elections by fielding Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda (the mythical characters created by the Sanghis to propagate their vicious narrative that these two Vokkaliga heroes assassinated Tipu and that he did not die a martyr in the battle field), the JD (S), which lost badly in the 2023 elections, not only aligned with the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but also ideologically aligned with the Sanghi fascist Muslim-hating Brahmanical Hindutva.

The inauguration of the regional office of the RSS at Pandavapura, which was the main centre of the farmers’ union (Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha), the hoisting of the saffron flag at Keregodu and the manufactured communal tension in the area, which has been otherwise in the sphere of influence of the progressive movements like Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) and the farmers’ unions, soon after the elections, etc. are examples of the social and political changes that demonstrate that the Mandya-Mysuru region is increasingly turning towards Hindutva.

The communal violence in Nagamangala is a continuation of this phenomenon and not an exception. No matter from where the instant spark or stone fell to provoke communal riots on the day of Ganesh Utsav this year, the rest of the script was already planned as decided by the Sanghis. This is because this is part of the well-planned strategy of the Sangh Parivar to achieve its organisational and political hold over society.

In fact, thirty years ago in the coastal regions of the state—where polarisation has reached its peak today, there also existed communal co-existence like the Mandya-Mysuru of today. The Coastal Lab has provided the Sanghis a blueprint to root their politics of hate in society. They are now implementing the same experiment in Mandya in a phased manner, employing a strategic approach.

It is, therefore, imperative to understand the history of the growth of the Sanghis and its political arm, the BJP (Bharatiya Jana Sangh before 1980), and the strategies adopted by them at various levels, and move forward to build the political and grassroots organisations needed to defeat them.

The path treaded by the BJP and its growth in Karnataka

The Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the original form of the BJP in Karnataka, has been contesting elections in Karnataka since 1952. In the first two decades, the Jana Sangh, which contested in tens of constituencies in Hubli, Bidar, Bangalore, Kolar and coastal regions, had garnered an average 2-5 % of votes placing itself at a distant second or third place in some constituencies. In the 1967 elections, it won four seats in the Legislative Assembly for the first time. For comparison, except for the 1957 elections (in which the Jana Sangh got 1.34 per cent of the votes and the undivided CPI got 1.92 per cent of the votes) the left parties have never got more votes than the BJP in any of the elections until now.

In any case, after Emergency, the Jan Sangh, emerged as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following the demise of the Janata Era in 1980. In 1983 it won 18 seats with a vote share of 7.83 percent. Its vote share fell in the 1985 election. But since the 1989 elections when the BJP won four seats with four per cent of the vote, continued to expand its vote base over the following decades as part of a several stages of Hindutva expansion projects across the state and country.

For example, in 1994, BJP got 17 percent of the vote and 40 seats. In 1999, 20.69 percent of the vote and 44 seats in 2004, 28.33 per cent of the vote and 79 seats, becoming the single largest party. In the year 2008, it received 33.86 percent of the vote and 110 seats. In 2013, though it splintered into three factions, the BJP’s total vote share remained the same if you include the vote share of the factions since all of them returned to the fold of BJP, subsequently.

In the 2018 assembly elections BJP secured 36.2 per cent of the vote and 104 seats. In 2023, although it got 36 percent of the votes, the number of seats fell to 66. However, in 2024 Lok Sabha elections it gained 46 percent votes and 17 out of 28 parliamentary seats well beyond the expectations of all pundits.

Therefore it can be concluded, in general that after 1989, the Sangh Parivar and the BJP have grown in Karnataka and the country in three stages, without major setbacks to their political and ideological agenda.

The first stage -hidden agendas, high dramas

In the first phase, in the new territories it enters, this combine will project itself as a cultured, honest, god-fearing, anti-corruption, patriotic party to enhance its image and influence. In this regard, it strengthens its image by bringing into its fold the elite of other parties and the elite of society, film actors, retired army officers-bureaucrats etc. And, also lures those castes and communities ignored by the mainstream party, i.e., the Congress, with party positions and other allurements.

In 1989, when the Congress made Bangarappa the chief minister after removing the Lingayat leader Veerendra Patil from the chief minister’s post, the BJP realised that the dissatisfaction of the Lingayats with the Congress was at its peak and immediately made Yeddyurappa, the Lingayat leader of the party, as the president of the BJP and thereby captured the support of Lingayat Mutts.

At the same time, LG Havanur, who was known as the harbinger of social justice in the state, economist Venkatagiri Gowda and other renowned people joined the BJP. At that time, they were only promoting pro-people, pro-farmer issues on the face of it while the combine was secretly carrying out its Hindutva campaign through other organs of the Sangh Parivar.

That’s the first phase.

In this first phase, it behaves such that its communal agendas go unnoticed in the region. Those who join the BJP are also at first joining only on the basis of caste, personal prestige etc. But while all parties do the same, the BJP is different because of its RSS structure and approach system and ideological agenda.

The second stage is consensual Hindutvaisation

Once the Lingayats migrated to the BJP for anti-Congress reasons in a significant way, the Sangh Parivar’s affiliate organisations began to organise the community on a number of issues, keeping in constant touch with the Lingayat mutts and its social elites and also the masses. For example, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) unifies all Lingayat-Veerashaiva seers as Hindus and brings them on a single platform for ‘Hindu protection’. Gradually, the anti-Brahminism among the Lingayats is vanquished and converted into Hindutva. The “Vachan Darshana’, the Sanghi  interpretation of 12^th century verses of the founders of Lingayatism, brought out by the Sanghis recently is a continuation of this project. Although the entrepreneurs and upper classes of the community have built up empires in the educational and other service sectors and are dependent on the support and cooperation of the state, these sections within the community have become Brahmanised, forgetting the Kayaka culture and pursuing their coveted business interests.

It is as a result of all this that it becomes an acceptable spokesperson for the Hindutva agenda.

This is the second stage.

The same trend is now prevalent in South Karnataka, especially among Vokkaligas. The erstwhile senior seer of the Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt, worshipped by the Vokkaligas, was made the vice-president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Their mutts are not only Sanskritising and Brahmanising, but also socially and culturally complementing Hindutva, without taking a politically overt stand. While the Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt took a clear stand on the Uregowda-Nanjegowda issue as senior Vokkaliga leaders of the Congress and the JD (S) were influential, the Mutt and the Vokkaliga community continue to have a soft spot for Modi on Hindutva. During the course of the text revision initiated by the VHP to undo secular texts and introduce Hindutva lessons, Lingayat mutts talked about only Basavanna, Vokkaliga mutts talked about Kuvempu, a great writer incidentally hailing from the community and after it was revised with minimal changes, there was silence. Moreover, none of them condemned the BJP’s removal of the text about Tipu Sultan. Neither did they stand in opposition when the name of a popular train bearing the name Tipu Express was changed by the then BJP government.

This is another example of the second phase of Hindutvaisation. It is not a coincidence that the Vokkaligas in South Karnataka voted for the BJP more than ever in the last elections. After the official alliance of BJP-JD (S) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Hindutva mobilisation of the Vokkaliga community has gained momentum. It is also fuelled by the latent intolerance and suspicion towards Dalits and Muslims harboured by Vokkaligas

The third stage is militant Hindutva

The third phase is the phenomenon we are seeing in the coastal region and in Uttar Pradesh. At this juncture, the victims of Hindutva’s politics of hate are blinded to the extent that any amount of corruption, injustice, problems of life and the startling cruelty that shakes humanity are unable to wake them up.

The relative reduction of votes for the BJP in the coastal belt in 2023 and 2024 is rather a sign of dissatisfaction that the BJP is not as militant Hindutva as they would like it to be not the sign of coastal belt getting secular. The BJP’s vote share is also steadily increasing as it is moving smoothly from phase one to phase two and phase two to phase three.

And except for the usual sporadic protests by democrats and resistance by Dalits and Muslims to communalism there is no effective opposition to communalism in Karnataka.

Sanghi politics in Karnataka is in the second phase in Kittur and Central Karnataka and is speedily moving towards third phase. The coastal region is already in the third phase.
The Bengaluru, Kalyana Karnataka and South Karnataka where Mandya district and Nagamanagla is situated is moving towards the second phase with great speed.

The incidents in Srirangapatna, Keregodu, and now Nagamangala are examples of that.

In the first stage, it expands its base by using caste, prestige, defection. Soon the second phase begins. So even though ostensibly communal polarisation is not as visible in south Karnataka as in the coastal belt, it should not be forgotten that it is the first step in the same process. Therefore, the increase in the vote share of the BJP in all the constituencies of South Karnataka, even where the BJP has lost its deposits, and the visible characteristics of the second phase of Hinduisation in all these places, should be a cause for concern among the democrats and not a consolation.

At least the occurrences of planned communal riots in the Mandya region should shatter that false sense of relief.

Sanghi fascism is not invincible – but there is no alternative to people’s organisation

This does not however mean the BJP is unbeatable.

However, the last year-and-a-half of Congress rule has made it clear that the party’s politics, ideology, and organisation – even in the Rahul Gandhi era – have no intention of defeating or countering the Sangh’s Hindutva. It is, thus, a historical fact that it is the Congress’s compromising, soft Hindutva politics that has contributed to the growth of Sanghi politics.

Fascism is not just a cultural phenomenon as many liberals of Karnataka make it out to be. Even though Fascism as an ideology can be found in the society and the polity for a long time, it finds its social base and grows feeding on the growing social and economic crisis in society, fuelled by the failure of existing forces to resolve it.

The corporate crony, neo-liberal economic policies, Brahminical social policies, which the Congress and the BJP have all unanimously implemented, are exacerbating the crises and anxieties of the majority of the people and opening the highway to the fascists and fascism The growth of fascists cannot be stopped unless these are radically transformed into pro-people and socialistic policies. In the meanwhile its speed can only be controlled occasionally and temporarily but unless a formidable, credible ideological, political and organisational alternative is provided, fascism thrives.

Thus, Hindutva fascism can be defeated only through a popular democratic movement rooted in the oppressed people who can change both the capitalist and Brahminical system.

But unfortunately, the Left parties, which had previously built such movements, are now gasping. Today, the BJP is getting ten times more votes than the Left parties in their own strongholds.

On the other hand, no mass movement in Karnataka is today left with the capacity to mobilise people in great numbers to challenge both the government and Sangh fascism. Not only during the BJP government, but also during the present Congress government, protests have been reduced to tokenisms. The blockade at Freedom Park (a designated place in the Bangalore city for the protests) needs to be broken, people’s power resoundingly displayed as resistance power to jolt the government. This is not meant as a criticism of anybody but is meant as a collective self-criticism.

Therefore, until the time that we are able to build a strong mass movement and eradicate Hindutva from the minds of the people, until we are able to build true democratic aspirations among all peoples, neither will Hindutva be defeated nor the BJP could be unseated in the country.

The recent Nagamangala communal riots also sends out the same warning for those who can see and hear.

Related:

Nationwide surge in Anti-Muslim violence: September 15-17 sees unprecedented attacks and discrimination

Tensions escalate in Himachal and Uttarakhand, multiple protest and rallies against mosques

Eviction tragedy in Assam: Two killed during eviction drive as police firing sparks allegations of government bias

The post Is Mandya becoming the new right wing capital of Karnataka? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In Najafgarh, Delhi, members of the Bajrang Dal organized yet another rally, chanting alarming slogans, “Desh ke gaddaron ko, Goli maro salon ko (shoot the traitors of our country),” along with cries of “Jai Shree Ram.” The people at the rally spoke about protecting ‘Sanatan Dharma’ and engaged in fear mongering. The divisive rhetoric employed by the demonstrators raised apprehensions about the potential for violence and further polarisation in the area.

Moving to Kurukshetra, Haryana, the Samast Hindu Samaj orchestrated a march that caught public attention due to the use of a bulldozer in the procession. Participants in the rally also chanted the same incendiary slogan, “Desh ke gaddaron ko, Goli maro salon ko,” while police vehicles accompanied the march. One particular poster at the rally demanded that people coming from ‘outside’ should fill an ‘Ajnabi Padthaal’ form, further escalating the tensions and anti-Muslim atmosphere currently in the region. A video, subsequently shared by Daily News, provided recorded evidence of the disturbing rally.

Location: Kurukshetra, Haryana
Date: August 2, 2023

Samast Hindu Samaj organized a march with bulldozer and raised hateful slogans: “Desh ke gaddaron ko, Goli maro salon ko (shoot the traitors of our country).” pic.twitter.com/mM9UPyVjgt

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 3, 2023

Roorkee, Uttarakhand, was also not spared from the divisive atmosphere either. Members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad organised a rally in the Civil Lines area, raising derogatory slogans against the Muslim community. The slogan, “Na mullon ka na qazi ka, yeh desh hai Veer Shivaji ka (Roughly translated as: This nation doesn’t belong to Muslims),” highlights the divisive and harmful nature of the rally, fuelling fears of communal disharmony.

In Dehradun, Uttarakhand, too both the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal joined forces to organise another rally that was marked by hate speech targeting Muslims and their faith. One leader spoke virulently claiming the suppression and murder of Hindus had long occurred, and he continued, “Now the ‘fundamentalists’ from mosques are scared since the Hindu has awakened.” The footage shared on social media by Hindutva Watch showcased the alarmingly violent rhetoric used during the rally.

Location: Dehradun, Uttarakhand
Date: August 2, 2023

Vishwa Hindu Parishad & Bajrang Dal members organised a rally filled with hate speech against Muslims & their faith. pic.twitter.com/ojlhFxaYhs

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 3, 2023

Adding to the concerns was an incident reported at Karnal Committee Chowk in Meerut, where Bajrang Dal members took out a rally shouting the slogan “Jai Shri Ram”. They took the rally without police permission. The demonstrators clashed with the police personnel, attempting to enter a Muslim area. The rally was seemed to be increasing the sense of fear unrest and threat of riots, raising significant alarms about the potential for violence and community disharmony.

In Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, VHP members organised a rally that resounded with hateful slogans, “Desh ke gaddaron ko, Goli maro salon ko (shoot the traitors of our country).” The demonstration echoed similar rallies held in other regions, expressing a concerning rise in divisive rhetoric aimed at sowing seeds of discord and hostility.

Meanwhile, in Jind, Haryana, Monu Manesar’s Guru & Gau Raksha Dal Haryana President Acharya Yogendra Maharaj led a massive rally that sent shockwaves through the community. The demonstrators chanted provocative slogans that called for violence against Muslims, with one particularly distressing slogan, “Jab Mulle kate jayenge, Ram Ram Chilayenge (When Muslims would be chopped, they would cry Ram Ram).” Such explicit calls for violence and hatred only add to the growing communal tensions in the region.

Location: Jind, Haryana
Date: Aug 2, 2023

Monu Manesar’s Guru & Gau Raksha Dal Haryana President Acharya Yogendra Maharaj organized a massive rally with slogans calling for violence against Muslims.

“Jab Mulle kate jayenge, Ram Ram Chilayenge (When Muslims would be ch0pped,… pic.twitter.com/zfyzUgkMws

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) August 3, 2023

The escalating incidents in Northern India amidst the violence and attacks on Muslims in Haryana have drawn widespread condemnation from various quarters, calling for immediate action to quell the rising communal tensions. While local authorities in Haryana have implemented an internet ban, these rallies continued to take place yesterday.

Related

Nuh Haryana: Who cast the first stone?

Maharashtra: Sakal Hindi Samaj allows hate speech to go unchecked

Nuh Clashes planned and coordinated, more such violence likely before 2024 Polls: Satyapal Malik

When I hear bloodthirsty slogans of ‘Jai Sri Ram,’ I remember Fr Camille’s ‘Ram Katha’

The post Large Scale Mobilisation, Hate Speech a common factor in North India appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On social media the pictures of these events get posted but what kind of actual training is imparted and what are they motivated to fight for, one can only imagine. Togadia himself has been a repeat hate offender, persistently speaking against the Muslim community, hence, these training are bound to ring alarm bells. Yet, the administration and law enforcement in these states do not find these events to be violating any law, even though they are violating laws, specifically the Arms Act.

Under the Arms Act, section 9, anyone under the age of 21 is prohibited to possess or acquire any firearm or ammunition.

In these trainings held in Surendra Nagar (June 25) and Ahmedabad (June 1) in Gujarat, it can be seen in the video that  men are being trained in using firearms and general physical fitness by conducting exercises. In the training in Surendra Nagar, there are pictures of rifles and young boys and girls being trained.

Location: Surendar Nagar, Gujarat

Firearms training at Rashtriya Bajrang Dal’s Prashikshan Shaurya Varg. pic.twitter.com/9PymWc8pse

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) June 25, 2023

Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Hate monger Pravin Togadia led Rashtriya Bajrang Dal gives firearms training to Hindu youths at “Prashikshan Varg” camp. pic.twitter.com/6C8MXkslot

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) June 1, 2023

The training of Valsad, Gujarat was held between May 27 to May 30.

Firearms training being given to Hindu youths, including minors at Rashtriya Bajrang Dal camp in Valsad, Gujarat. https://t.co/OVh5ku3kOb pic.twitter.com/zyx7LR4K6e

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) June 2, 2023

The training in Fatehnagar, Rajasthan was conducted for middle aged men, as well as young and minor  boys who were being trained in using sticks and swords as well. The said video surfaced on June 6.

Location: Fatehnagar, Rajasthan

Bajrang Dal members organise firearms training for Hindu youths. pic.twitter.com/QGBiBoZGOR

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) June 6, 2023

In Bijnor, UP, the training was held on June 18 and June 19 to young boys, many of these were minors can be seen in this video.

Location: Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh

Firearm training given to participants at the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal’s Shaurya Prashikshan Varg camp.@bijnorpolice pic.twitter.com/HC5mgLHpKT

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) June 12, 2023

In Panchkula, Haryana, a video surfaced on June 19 where young boys were being given training in operating rifles and sword fighting.

Location: Panchkula, Haryana

Rashtriya Bajrang Dal organized the Prashikshan Varg camp, where participants were given firearms training and sword fighting. pic.twitter.com/MU8AYErDc1

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) June 19, 2023

A round up of May firearms trainings can be read here

Related:

Hundreds can be seen repeating the communal and anti-Muslim oath administered by Pravin Togadia

Pravin Togadia urges Hindus to join AHP and Bajrang Dal, to prepare for a battle

Is the VHP above the law in this new age of impunity?

Another call for Hindu Rashtra, this time from Karnataka

Hate Watch: Notice served to BJP MLA Raja Singh for hate speech at Ajmer Dargah: Hyderabad

Hundreds can be seen repeating the communal and anti-Muslim oath administered by Pravin Togadia

The post The Right wing and their agenda to arm the youth appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Pune: A portrait of Bahadur Shah Zafar hung on the wall of a biryani outlet in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur city was smashed up by a group of young men belonging to a right-wing outfit, who termed the last Mughal emperor a “descendant of Aurangzeb”, police have said.

No complaint was filed against anyone regarding the incident that occurred on Wednesday night, an officer of Rajarampuri police station in Kolhapur said on Thursday.

“Some young men, who belong to a right-wing organisation, were visiting the biryani outlet where they saw Bahadur Shah Zafar’s portrait. They objected to it, saying why the picture of a ‘descendant of Aurangzeb’ had been hung on the wall and asked the eatery staff to remove it,” he said.

“The staff agreed, but the portrait was not removed. On Wednesday night, the group visited the eatery again, took down the portrait and smashed it up,” said the officer.

Bahadur Shah Zafar was the 20th and the last Mughal emperor and also an Urdu poet. He died at age 87 in 1862 in Rangoon in Burma (present-day Myanmar), where he had been exiled after the 1857 rebellion.

Courtesy: The Daily Siasat

The post Maha: Bahadur Shah Zafar’s portrait smashed by right-wing group in biryani outlet appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Bengaluru is the next site for supremacist censorship. First Munawar Faruqui, then Atul Khatri now Vir Das.

A group affiliated to Hindutva supremacism has urged the police to cancel a show by stand-up comedian Vir Das scheduled for November 10 at T Chowdiah Memorial Hall in Vyalikaval. The Goa-based Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) submitted a letter to the Vyalikaval police on Monday, asking for cancelling Das’ show, which “hurts Hindu sentiments and shows India in a bad light” reported Deccan Herald. 

The letter by the outfit’s state spokesperson, Mohan Gowda, cites “derogatory” comments Das reportedly made during a show at the John F Kennedy Center in Washington DC, USA, about India, the prime minister and women.  Stating that Das had said “in India, we worship women in the day and rape them at night” during the performance, the outfit said a case was registered by the Mumbai Police in this regard, and the words involved a a serious offence under the Indian Penal Code.

Given this background, it is not right to allow such a controversial person to hold such a programme in a “communally sensitive area like Bengaluru”, the statement further said, “When Karnataka is already facing many law and order problems due to communal incidents, such events which could vitiate the law and order should not be allowed. We demand that this programme should be cancelled immediately.”

In September 2022, a show by stand-up comedian Atul Khatri could not take place in the city, after the police denied permission, citing the “late, incomplete application” by the organisers for the no-objection certificate.

Earlier, a show by another stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui was cancelled in Bengaluru, as police claimed the organisers had not taken permission. Hindutva organisations also had petitioned the police chief, accusing Faruqui of “hurting religious sentiments”.

A police officer said they had received the letter but said any further action would be taken only after obtaining information about the comedy show.

Related:

Why are right-wing bhakts so easily triggered by satire?

Hate Watch: Bajrang Dal threats force Munawar Faruqui to cancel shows in Mumbai

Delhi: Police complaint against standup comedian Vir Das for ‘maligning India’s image’

The post Police complaint against Vir Das’s show in Bengaluru by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti appeared first on SabrangIndia.

For those who believe in “God”, April is a month of manifesting the teachings and blessings of the heavens. It is this month that Navratri – the nine days of fasting and prayers observed by many Hindus, the month of Ramzan observed by Muslims, and fasting days of Lent, that culminates in Easter celebrated by Christians take pride of place on the calendar. 

Also in this month, are multiple incidents of communal violence, communal instigation reported from various parts of the country. Social media is rife with video clips that show right wing mobs, wearing saffron scarves and caps etc, breaking into loud song and dance, chanting Hindutva slogans outside or near mosques. 

Recently an FIR was filed in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, after a crowd climbed on top of a mosque, and raised religious slogans on April 2. No arrests have been made in the case so far, stated a report in the Indian Express, but the accused have been charged with promoting enmity between two groups. The FIR has been filed “against unidentified people for allegedly raising slogans after climbing atop a mosque in Gahmar village of the district.”

Update: One person has been arrested after an FIR was filed in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, in connection with the April 2 incident when a crowd climbed on top of a mosque, and raised religious slogans ). According to a report in Amar Ujala, “A young man has been identified and arrested” on the basis of a viral video of the incident. The accused under arrest has not been publicly named, According to the news report area SP Rambadan Singh told the mediapersons, “All the people involved in this case are being identified and strict action will be taken against them.” Meanwhile politics is hotting up in the issue and Samajwadi Party MLAs Omprakash Singh and Suhaib Ansari have reportedly warned of an “agitation” in this matter. The FIR was filed “against unidentified people for allegedly raising slogans after climbing atop a mosque in Gahmar village of the district.” 

According to police, residents of Hindu dominated Gahmar village take out the ‘Ram Kalash Yatra’ to mark the start of the Hindu New year, in which both men and women participate. Station House Officer, Gahmar police station, TL Sen is quoted in the report saying, “On April 2, residents of the village took out the Ram Kalash Yatra. When the procession reached near a mosque in the village, a few youths climbed on it (mosque) and raised slogans of ‘Jai Shree Ram’. When those present at the spot scolded them, the youths immediately came down.” 

According to the report the SP, Ghazipur, Ram Badan Singh said the police were trying to identify the accused who were seen in a purported video of the incident on social media. The men were  allegedly seen waving a flag after climbing on a mosque and shouting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ slogans. The police told the media that the area has remained peaceful

However this is not an isolated incident, another video on social media has shown another Hindutva group, wielding swords and axes, taking a procession out on April 3, this was near the Saifiyan Masjid in Raju Park, area of Khanpur, Delhi. The group played loud music, sang and danced, chanting slogans of Jai shree ram, waving their weapons in the air.    

 

 

 

 

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This is just the latest in a growing list of incidents from across the country where right wing groups have allegedly vandalised, desecrated, shrines revered by Muslims. Here are a few since January 2022:

Karnataka 

In March Karnataka based Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Tejasvi Surya had organised a cycle rally from Bangalore to Kolar. However, it too was greeted by a saffron flag waving crowd that gathered outside  the Hussaini Makan Masjid of Kolar. The crowds chanted “Jai Sri Ram… Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ki jai” and played music that’s often played by the specialised religious  “DJ” groups of North India. This in Karnataka where open targeting of Muslims, and Christians is a matter of record.

Earlier in March, in Karnataka’s Aland in Kalaburagi district Union Minister Bhagawanth Khuba, led his colleagues, and a large a right-wing mob for a ‘purification’ ceremony at a reported Shivling (symbol of Hindu god Shiva), named the Raghava Chaitanya Shivalinga in the Ladle Mashak Dargah. 

The Ladle Mashak Dargah authorities had planned a procession and Shab-e-Barat, on March 1 and right-wing organisations also announced they will conduct a  ‘purification puja’ there as it was also the occasion of Mahashivaratri. Even though Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner Yeshwanth Gurukar imposed Section 144 in Aland from February 27 to March 3, barring entry of Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Mutalik and right-wing activist Chaitra Kundapur, and Siddalinga Swamy, head of Andola Karuneshwara matth in Jewargi taluk, the right wings mobs entered. And a clash between the two communities ensued, stated news reports. Arrests followed, but mostly of Muslims. 

Uttar Pradesh

Also in March, in Uttar Pradesh’s Rewari Buzurg area of Fatehpur, on the eve of  Holi and Shab-e-Barat which was being celebrated/ observed on the same day this year, a Muslim tomb dedicated as a dargah or shrine of a Pir or holy man named Syed Baba revered was was vandalised and desecrated. Vandals broke the shrine  and scratched ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on it.   

Madhya Pradesh

A similar case was reported from Narmadapuram, in Hoshangabad district, of Madhya Pradesh where a 50-year-old dargah vandalised,and  painted saffron. According to news reports, the local police acted on the case only after the villagers blocked the state highway-22, after their previous complaint had gone unheard.

Himachal Pradesh

In January, vandals and goons claiming to be members of Hindu Jagran Manch Himachal shared a video vandalism at a dargah in Himachal Pradesh. The vandals were seen breaking the grave and the shrine with massive hammers and the video was posted by one by Kamal Gautam (a member of HJMH as well as RSS as it proudy  features on his email address ) on his Facebook page.  

Gujarat

The issues around Gujarat’s Pirana dargah continue to escalate. As residents of  Pirana village, that lies around the 600-year-old dargah (shrine) of Imam Shah Baba, a figure revered by Muslims, Hindus and others, have alleged “acts of aggression” saying that a major transformation had taken place inside the dargah compound which had been closed until recently, for massive conclave of Hindutva groups, in March. They have alleged that when they visited the shrine mark Shab-e-Barat they saw that there were statues of Hindu gods installed in the dargah compound!

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Men belonging to Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) sat down and sung Hindu bhajans in a Karnataka church, and alleged that the church authorities were “conducting forced religious conversions”.

The Bairidevarkoppa Church in Hubli has said no conversions were taking place. According to news reports, the group of men all belonging to right wing groups, allegedly forced their way into the church on Sunday morning. They sat at the back of the church, without masks and sang a bhajan, rather repeating the chant “Sri Ram jai Ram jai jai Ram”. 

The men were reportedly claiming this was their way of `protest’ and they alleged that there were forced religious conversions taking place there. The video clip of the incident showed that there were dozens of other women and men sitting inside the church at the time. According to a report in NDTV, the local MLA Arvind Bellad of the Bharatiya Janata Party, “blocked a highway demanding the arrest of pastor Somu Avaradhi.” It was reported that both, members of the church and the activists of the right-wing organisations, have alleged that they were also attacked over the incident. “Pastor Somu and some of his associates were admitted to hospital with minor injuries,” stated the news report adding that he has “been named in a complaint under the law for protection of Scheduled Castes and Tribes as well as one against “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings” and was arrested while three others were let off after questioning.

Meanwhile the church authorities told the media that they also filed a complaint on Monday. Labu Ram, the Commissioner of Police for Hubli-Dharwad said, “The investigation is going on. Only Somu Avaradhi has been arrested. So far, we have not received any complaint from the church.” However, according to Cedric Jacob, a senior member of the church, “When they started chanting bhajan in our church, the pastor Somu Avaradhi came. He was gheroed by them. A few ladies were also there who sustained injury during the heated situation and the pushing pulling.” 

Raghu Sakleshpora, the State Convenor of the Bajrang Dal alleged, “A man called Vishvanath was taken there for conversion. He went to the police station from the church and filed a complaint against Pastor Somu and others. Later, our members assembled inside the church and in order to protest, started singing Hindu bhajans.” The case against the pastor was filed by Shashi, a Bajrang Dal member, alleging forced conversions and accused the pastor of abusing him in the church when he chanted Hindu prayers.

Anti-Christian vigilante on the prowl

The Archbishop of Bengaluru recently reacted strongly to the reports of Karnataka’s Backward & Minority Welfare Department’s proposed survey of “Christian missionaries and places of worship”. The Church leader has said that such a decision can lead to targeting of Christians, especially their religious places and leaders, as incidents have already been reported from North Karnataka. On Friday, Archbishop of Bengaluru Archdiocese Peter Machado wrote, “We are sad that the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Basavaraj Bommai, whom we regard highly as a broad-minded and enlightened person, succumbs to pressures from fundamentalist groups, who wish to indulge in disturbing the peace, harmony and peaceful co-existence in society.” 

The Archbishop said that the proposed survey of the Christian missionaries and places of worship was a “futile and unnecessary” exercise “no good will come out of it”. He reminded the authorities that “in the background of the conversion bogey and anti-religious feelings that are being whipped up, it is dangerous to make such surveys. With this our community places of worship as also pastors and sisters will be identified and may be unfairly targeted. We are already hearing of such sporadic incidents in the north and in Karnataka already.”

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The post Hate Watch: Right-Wing group sing bhajans in Karnataka church as “protest”  appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Vadlamudi’s cartoon, which was published on her Facebook and Twitter pages on April 10 and 11, shows the Hindu gods Ram and Sita discussing “the issue of abduction and violence against women in India. The message in the cartoon does not in any way insult Sita or Ram; instead it poses a question to the public,” the statement says. 

The NWMI has noted that since April 10, Vadlamudi has been targeted with “online abuse by Hindutva groups, where some users have threatened that she will meet the same fate as Gauri Lankesh and the murdered cartoonists of the Charlie Hebdo magazine in France,” adding that the Hindu Sanghatan has also filed charges against Times NOW Chennai Deputy Editor Shabbir Ahmed, who shared Vadlamudi’s cartoon on Twitter. According to the NWMI, another cartoonist, Satish Acharya, has also received abuse and death threats. 

The statement has highlighted that Vadlamudi’s cartoon has been shared at least 8,000 times on Facebook, and received several thousand ‘likes’, a clearly indication that it “touched a chord among the Indian public which in the recent past has seen abductions, brutal gang-rapes and murders of women and children in different parts of the country, from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir to Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, Surat in Gujarat and elsewhere.” NWMI has stressed the significance of cartoons in the news media, saying they “hold a mirror to the current world in a particularly effective manner that goes beyond what is captured by words (spoken or written), photographs or videos. In a vibrant democracy such an art and the artists who create it should be encouraged to thrive instead of being stifled by hate groups.” 

The NWMI has demanded that the Hyderabad Police should immediately drop all charges against Vadlamudi, Ahmed, and any other individuals against whom cases have been filed in this context. Moreover, it has called on the police to take “prompt action” against anyone abusing Vadlamudi, Ahmed, Acharya, and others. The organisation has also urged the Editors’ Guild of India and the Press Council of India to take suo moto cognisance of such attacks on media professionals, particularly women, and called on them to “come out strongly” to support and defend anyone being attacked. 

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