In the pious month of Shravan, when the Kanwar Yatra and Kashi are witnessing lakhs of pilgrims performing religious activities by carrying Ganga Jal to Shiva mandirs, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Varanasi to review the development work of Shravan Darshan. While speaking at the inauguration of a national seminar on tribal icon ‘Dharti Aaba’ Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the Chief Minister stressed the need to remain vigilant against the divisive forces.
He made a strong statement regarding Muharram processions. He said, “Recently in Jaunpur, a large Tazia was carried out in procession and it came into contact with a high-tension wire, causing the death of two people. The people blocked the road in protest. When police officers asked me what to do, I told them to drive the miscreants away with batons because that is the only way to treat such people who are not listening to the rules made by the administration”. The UP administration has set a limit of tazia height in order to avoid any such mishaps.
He added, “Earlier, Muharram processions would often lead to arson and riots. Our sisters and daughters could not step out on the streets. At that time, nobody spoke about it. When I said Tazias should not be too tall because they might come in contact with high-tension wires, a tree in path of procession is cut down that takes 40 to 50 years to grow. I said this will not happen,”
CM Yogi also recalled an incident from three years ago, saying, “Once, during an arson incident, I ordered stopping the action and extracting video footage. In the CCTV footage, a person comes wearing a saffron towel and sets fire, but accidentally, ‘Ya Allah’ comes out of his mouth. It is extremely necessary to identify such hidden enemies of society in time.
Kanwar Yatra faces biased media trials
“On the other hand, you must have seen that the Kanwar Yatra is going on. This Yatra has no distinctions of caste, region, class or community. From labourers to the upper class, everyone participates. People walk 200 to 300 kilometres with devotion to collect holy water. But even this Yatra undergoes a biased media trial,” he said. “It has become a regular habit of some people to defame Sanatan culture.”
“The Kanwar Yatra is defamed. Some individuals even call the Kanwariyas hooligans or terrorists. This is the same mentality that wants to insult India’s heritage in every possible way. These are the same people who incited tribal communities,” he added.
Fake accounts being used to incite caste conflict
“There are people with particular ideologies or communities that have always insulted India’s faith. There are the people who are now creating fake accounts on social media platforms to spread caste-based conflicts. These things reveal that there are people who want to spread hatred in society,” the CM stated.
“In our Sanatan Dharma tradition, it is not written anywhere that only those who visit temples are Hindus,” Yogi emphasised. “There are many hidden enemies of society walking among us in our day-to-day life. They must be identified in time to expose these elements who create obstacles to disrupt the harmony and unity of society. This is the greatest need of the present time,” he said. Yogi also reiterated, “The enemies within society must be identified in time.”
The basic and fundamental question arises: why did he make such strong comments on Tazia and the Muharram procession? The reason is the riots, anarchy, and other mischievous activities associated with them. It has been noticed that during the earlier government’s tenure, media coverage of conflicts during Muharram was very low for unknown reasons. When Yogi Adityanath took charge as Chief Minister, he introduced several rules and regulations. Despite these measures, there are still people trying to create chaos in the state.
A detailed timeline analysis of happenings covered by the national media group are mentioned
In 2012, a clash occurred in Meerut during the Muharram. Violence erupted between two Muslim sects over the issue of beating drums, which one group objected to during the gathering. Stone-pelting and even firing were reported from both sides, leading to injuries to over 26 people. Several victims were admitted to local hospitals for treatment. This incident highlighted intra-community tensions and the religious practices during Muharram.
Kanpur’s Param Purwa and Rawatpur areas had witnessed a major communal clash during a Muharram procession in October 2017. A violence broke out when the procession deviated from its designated route and intersected with a Hindu religious procession. Heavy stone-pelting, vehicles and shops were set on fire, noticed by the administration. Police personnel attempted to control the situation, but they were also attacked, leaving five of them injured. In total, around 30 people sustained injuries.
In 2018, Muharram-related violence flared up in several parts of Uttar Pradesh. In Gorakhpur, tension escalated when a Tazia accidentally touched a live wire during a procession, injuring several youths. In retaliation, the mob attacked police, assaulted two police officers and set police vehicles on fire. Heavy stone-pelting was reported, and people fled to safeguard their lives and shops. Several people were detained in connection with the violence. Similar unrest was reported from other areas where youths blocked roads.
In 2019, Prayagraj witnessed communal tension during a Muharram procession near Mutthiganj area. The procession turned out to be violent when a car was attacked, and its passengers were beaten up. This triggered public outrage, and as residents gathered and blocked the intersection, demanding immediate arrests.
Clashes erupted between Hindu and Muslim communities during a Muharram procession in Bareilly’s Bhojipura police station area in August 2022. In this dispute, the playing of DJ music during the procession led the other community to oppose because of its nature. Stone-peltting broke out between these two groups. The Superintendent of Police stated that no new traditions will be followed, including the playing of DJs, which would not be allowed in Muharram processions going forward, stressing the importance of maintaining religious discipline and order.
In July 2023, a Muharram procession in Godhana village of Jaunpur turned controversial, when individuals from a community raised anti-Bharat slogans. This video was circulated rapidly on social media, leading to the arrest of the accused and booking under several sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Muharram procession in the Aurai police station area of Bhadohi district in July 2024. A controversy sparked when the participants were seen waving a Palestinian flag and chanting slogans against India. This procession was held without official police permission.
Similar to the previous year’s conflicts, incidents were also reported at several places this year. Yogi referred to the incident in Jaunpur, where two Muslim youths died of electrocution after a high-tension wire came in contact with the Tazia.
In the past seven years, reports of such conflicts have been officially filed and proper news coverage has been given on a priority basis. Ignoring these grassroots issues will affect social harmony and create a chaotic situation in society, which often leads to the loss of life and property, also increasing enmity among different sects.
