Year after year, violence, vandalism, and rioting against Sri Ram Navami Shobha Yatra follow the same pattern. This year too, riots against Shobha Yatra were reported from West Bengal, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country.
It has three dimensions of regional, national, and international dimensions. Without caring for lost lives of Hindus, and vandalism during the sacred yatra, political parties like Congress. JDU-RJD and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena got united to slam Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over clashes in Bengal, Bihar, Maharashtra and other States. Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC), which fails every year in containing violence and controlling Islamic fundamentalists, blamed BJP. This lie was then spread nationally, and then internationally, and organisations such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) were brought into the fray. The general secretariat of the OIC had issued a statement that expressed deep concern over “acts of violence and vandalism targeting (the) Muslim community in several States in India during the Ram Navami processions”, including the burning of a madrasa and its library by a “mob” in Bihar Sharif on March 31. As per eye-witnesses, it was Muslims, who set fire to madrasa and library. Locals claim that over 500 people were missing in the area after Islamists attacked the Ram Navami processions. Stones were pelted, bombs were hurled, gunshots were fired and what not. However, the Ministry of External Affairs has dubbed the OIC statement as a “communal mindset and anti-India agenda”.
“When BJP realises it is getting weakened, then they incite riots and polarise people…” Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters. Sanjay Raut, ex-Maharashtra Chief Minister and Uddhav Thackeray’s strongman, said, “Violence happening in Bengal is planned, sponsored and targeted by BJP… wherever elections are near or where BJP is weak, there are riots.” It is strange because Balasaheb Thackeray-led Shiv Sena always witnessed intense rioting by Muslims in different parts of the State when they organised Shivaji Jayanti Yatra. Yet opposition is hell-bent on calling violent perpetrators as “mob” and not Muslims.
“Mob” or Muslims?
In 2018, Sri Ram Navami procession that was scheduled to take place in Raniganj (West Bengal) was disrupted when Muslims objected to the use of loudspeakers. Soon the heated debate turned violent, and police personnel and Hindus were attacked with bricks and stones. Bombing with crude bombs started as soon as the mob became violent. Arindam Dutta Chowdhry, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarter), who reached the spot to monitor the situation, got injured in the bomb attack with his right hand almost blown away in the blast.
Similarly, in 2019, a Shobha Yatra was taken out in Asansol, from Barakar Marwari Vidyalaya, in which most Hindus on bikes, were pelted with stones when they attempted to pass through the Barakar Bazar, which is a Muslim-dominated area. When they retaliated, the face-off turned violent.
Besides the heinous attacks on Hindu festival processions, there have been myriad instances of attack on Temples by Islamists
In the same year, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, a communal clash broke out on April 13, when a section of Muslims threw stones at Sri Ram Navami procession. Some vehicles were set on fire and mobs stoned houses and clashed with police injuring two cops in Vyapariyon ka Mohalla in Soorsagar police station.
In 2022, Ram Navami fell on April 10 2022, in the first part of the month of Ramzan. The country witnessed violence across multiple States. Violent clashes were reported which led to the death of a person in Gujarat. Several shops were burnt and vehicles were damaged. Police had to fire tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. Various incidents of clashes took place in Khambat and Himmatnagar. The clash in Himmatnagar started when the procession entered the Muslim-majority area where verbal altercations were followed by sloganeering after which, the Muslims started stone-pelting on the bike rallies. There are also reports of two deaths and hundreds of people injured.
In the same year, clashes were reported at least two places in Bokaro and Lohardaga of Jharkhand. In Bokaro, a few youths were attacked on their way to Shobha Yatra. In Lohardaga, violence was on a larger scale with the rioters setting afire several vehicles. At least 12 people were injured in the clash that included stone-pelting.
An Annual Affair
It seems rampant violence by Muslims, rioting and stone pelting during Hindu festivals and Shobha Yatras have also become a part of the ritual. It seems Muslims are making it an annual affair to disrupt the peace and festivity of Hindus. On April 16, 2022, communal clashes broke out between Hindu worshipers and Muslim locals when a Hanuman Jayanti procession was passing through the area of Jahangirpuri in North West Delhi. Many people including Delhi policemen were injured.
The fact is that violence, death and destruction occurred in April 2022, mainly around Ram Navami and Hanuman Janmotsva on April 16 in Himmatnagar and Khambat in Gujarat; Lohardaga, Koderma and Bokaro in Jharkhand; Khargone and Sendhwa in Madhya Pradesh; Jahangirpuri and the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi; Karauli in Rajasthan; Mankhurd, Malad and Amravati in Maharashtra; Mormugao in Goa; and Bankura and Howrah in West Bengal. It was repeated this year as well.
Ahead of the Hanuman Jayanti festival on April 6 (when this report went to print), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) asked States to ensure law and order and monitor factors that could disturb “communal harmony in society”. Will the States where Muslims are given free-hand to commit violence would listen? Perhaps West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has an answer. Banerjee cornered Hindus saying, “They are taking rallies out without permission. They are intentionally entering minority areas.” She further added, “There should not be any atrocities against Muslims in the month of Ramazan. My Hindu brothers and sisters will protect them and save them in every village.” But what about the annual atrocity against Hindus on Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, and other festivals? It seems the political opposition of the BJP wants Hindus to live in subjugation forever.
