Violent attacks during Hindu festivals have become the new norm in recent years. Despite innumerable efforts of the so-called liberals and the secular media to spin the ‘Musalman khatre mein hai’ and ‘Dara hua Musalman’ bogey, history is a testimony to the fact that it is the Hindus and their festivals that have regularly been targeted by radical Islamists.
Many incidents of stone-pelting, arson, and vandalism during the celebration of Hindu festivals have been reported in recent years, and each year the intensity has only increased.
This year, like other previous years, has been no exception. Whether it’s a Hindu religious procession for Hanuman Jayanti, Ram Navami, or Saraswati Puja, Islamists haven’t missed an opportunity to wreak havoc. Though the list is endless, we have tried to chronicle a few of the wanton attacks against Hindus below.
Islamists run amok during Hunaman Jayanti Shobha Yatra
Jahangirpuri, Delhi: In the latest incident of ongoing attacks on Hindu religious events, a Hanuman Jayanti procession came under stone pelting at Jahangirpuri in Delhi today, April 16, 2022. After the procession was attacked by stone-pelters from rooftops in the area, some people in the procession also retaliated with stones. After that, the mob attacked police with stones and gunfire, and several cops and civilians were attacked. One sub-inspector of Delhi police was injured after he was shot by the mob. Several vehicles were damaged in the attack on the Hanuman Jayanti procession.
Several videos had emerged on social media showing the violence during the Hanuman Jayanti procession.
Roorkee, Uttarakhand: On April 16, 2022, a Muslim mob in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, pelted stones and fired at Hindus participating in the Hanuman Jayanti Shobhayatra. Over 10 people, including Police personnel, got injured in the attack. As per reports, Bajrang Dal activists and villagers were taking out a Shobha Yatra (procession) on Hanuman Jayanti in the Bhagwanpur Police station area of district Haridwar. When the procession passed through the village Dada Patti, a Muslim mob pelted stones from the nearby houses.
Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh: A similar attack was reported from the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, where stones were thrown at a Hanuman Jayanti yatra in Holagunda. The procession and ‘loud music’ are said to have ‘irritated’ people gathered inside a local mosque for an Iftar meal, resulting in stone-pelting and violence. 15 people have been injured, and 20 have been arrested.
When Islamists unleashed mayhem on the Hindu festival of Ram Navami
Recently, five states came under attack by Islamists on the occasion of Ram Navami. The birth anniversary of Lord Rama, an extremely auspicious occasion for the Hindus, witnessed stone pelting, targeted attacks, arson and vandalism when processions to celebrate the festival passed through the so-called ‘Muslim dominated areas’.
Ram Navami procession in Jharkhand: On Sunday (April 10) evening, a Ram Navami procession and fair came under attack in Bhokta Bagicha in Hirhi village in the Lohardaga district of Jharkhand. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Sadar Police Station.
Islamists pelted stones at the Hindu procession and set several vehicles, including 10 motorcycles, on fire. More than 16 people were injured during the attack. About 3 of the victims are said to be in a critical state.
Two incidents of stone-pelting and arson in Madhya Pradesh: As per reports, a Ram Navami procession that began in the Talab Chowk area had to be abandoned midway after it came under a volley of stones. Several vehicles were set on fire.
The cops resorted to firing tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. During the orgy of violence, a total of 24 people were injured (including 6 police personnel). Even the Superintendent of Police (Khargone) had sustained bullet injuries.
A similar stone-pelting incident was also reported during a Ram Navami procession in Sendhwa town of Barwani district where a police station in charge named Baldev Singh Mujalde and five others were injured. The situation was brought under control and the procession continued peacefully thereafter.
Ram Navami procession attacked in West Bengal: On Sunday, a Ram Navami Procession in Howrah in West Bengal was attacked, and the devotees had to abandon the procession due to the attack by local Muslims. Several participants of the procession were injured in the attack including stone-pelting.
Several videos were posted on social media, showing the Ram Navami Shobha Yatra coming under attack in Howrah, the twin city of Kolkata. According to Twitter users from the city, the Muslim mob pelted stones at the procession, while the police remained mute spectators.
Stone pelting in Ram Navami Shobha Yatra in Himmatnagar and Khambat, Gujarat: A Ram Navami Shobha Yatra or procession organized on April 10, 2022, at Chhaparia village in Himmatnagar of the Sabarkantha in Gujarat was targeted by some local Muslim goons and stones were pelted at it. Apart from stone-pelting, some vehicles were also vandalized in this incident.
A similar incident of stone-pelting on a Ram Navami procession was reported in Khambat town in the Anand district of Gujarat. Stones were hurled by Islamists and damage was caused to shops and vehicles. The police resorted to firing tear gas shells and also arrested 9 people (including 3 Maulvis) in connection to the case. Reportedly, one man was killed during the attack in Khambat.
Ram Navami procession attacked in Karnataka: Communal tensions prevailed in Mulbagal town of Kolar district in Karnataka after a Sri Ram Shobha Yatra was attacked using stones. The incident happened on Friday night when the Shobha Yatra was being taken out ahead of Ram Navmi on Sunday.
As per reports, stones were pelted at the Sri Ram idol which was carried out in the procession. Cars and motorcycles that were part of the yatra were also attacked by the miscreants and a motorcycle was set ablaze by the stone-pelting mob.
Islamists pelt stones, and glass bottles at Ram Navami Akhada procession in Odisha: OpIndia reported on April 12, 2022, how an Akhada procession on the occasion of Ram Navami by Hindu devotees came under attack by some local Muslims in Joda town of Keonjhar district in Odisha.
On April 11, as the devotees with religious flags reached the temple of Lord Shiva in ward number 4, the protesters from the Muslim community blocked the road and began arguing with the devotees. They didn’t allow the devotees to enter the temple area and began pelting stones and glass bottles at them, triggering violent clashes that resulted in several persons getting injured.
Communal ferocity exhibited by the Islamists during Navaratri processions
Islamists unleash mayhem in Karauli, Rajasthan during Navaratri: On April 2, communal violence broke down in the Hatwara Bazaar area of Karauli when miscreants pelted stones at a Hindu bike rally while more than a dozen shops and three bikes were set on fire.
Reportedly, 43 people, including policemen, were injured in the mob attack while the rally celebrating ‘Nav Samvatsar’ (Hindu new year) was passing through a Muslim-dominated area. All were admitted to the district hospital. The condition of a person named Pushpendra is said to be serious. He has been referred to Jaipur.
Four policemen accompanying the rally were also injured in the stone-pelting on the bike rally. The reports said that there were knife marks on the body of the injured who reached the hospital.
Stone pelting, violence in Firozabad after Muslims clash with Dalit Hindus during Navratri celebrations: Like this year, last year too on October 21, people from a particular community pelted stones on Devi Pandal during evening aarti in Village Dikhtauli, Shikohabad, District Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh. As per the reports, people of the Dalit community had built a pandal with Mata Durga’s Moorti in a plot located on the side of the road.
The Dalit community have alleged that since they started the Navratri celebrations, some people from the Muslim community would come and consume alcohol on the vacant land nearby. They also used abusive language during the Aarti. Such incidents led to tension between the two groups resulting in the fight.
The police had, however, denied the communal angle in the case. They further said the reports of stone-pelting on Durga Puja Pandal are also false.
When Durga Puja celebrations were obstructed by radical Islamists
Stone pelting at Durga Puja Visarjan procession in Balrampur as music was not stopped while crossing mosque: In 2019, after the Navratri and Durga Puja had come to an end, a shocking video emerged on social media. In a viral video from Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, that had sparked outrage, a procession for Durga Puja Visarjan was seen getting attacked by heavy stone-pelting. The police responded to the video and confirmed that 8 people had been arrested.
The Additional Superintendent of Police from Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh told OpIndia that the Durga puja Visarjan procession came under attack as it was passing in front of a mosque. Just before the mosque, there is a right turn. The procession that generally has a DJ and plays loud music passes through the mosque.
However, generally, the music is expected to be switched off while the Durga Puja procession passes through the mosque. The music, however, was not stopped and thus, an enraged Muslim community started pelting stones at the procession.
In Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, tensions escalated when meat pieces were found thrown on the procession route: Similarly, in 2019, tensions escalated after meat pieces were strategically thrown on the route of the Durga idol immersion procession. An FIR had been registered against unknown people. Reportedly, 3 different visarjan processions were en route when people spotted meat pieces on the side of the road.
Stones pelted on Durga Visarjan procession in Gaya when passing by Jama Masjid, police beat up the devotees in pandal: The same year, during Durga Visarjan on Vijaya Dashami, stones were reportedly pelted on the procession as well as on the police when it reached the Jama Masjid area. As per reports, the police, while trying to control the crowd, used force and expletives, following which the devotees got angry. In a video that has gone viral on social media, one can see the police roughing up a devotee as it indulged in beating up people indiscriminately.
Stones pelted from the mosque during Durga idol immersion in Jehanabad, 14 people injured: A Muslim mob attacked a Durga idol procession in Jehanabad district in Bihar on October 10, 2019. The horrific attack on Hindus led to a curfew-like situation leading to the imposition of section 144 in the area. According to the reports, around 6 am on Thursday, a group of Hindus carrying an idol of Goddess Durga for immersion were attacked by a mob, which pelted stones from the terrace and rooftops of the mosque with stones near Bihar Studio at Arval Modh. The sudden attack led to a stampede in which around a dozen people, including four policemen, were injured.
Incidents when Islamists displayed Hinduphobia during a celebratory procession on Holi
Muslims arrive to offer Namaz, and attack Hindus in Gujarat: On March 19, 2022, people from the Muslim community arrived on the spot to offer Namaz had brutally attacked the Hindus playing Holi with bricks. Laldhang’s BJP chief Alok Dwivedi lodged an official complaint against the Muslims and said that Hindus were attacked with stones and bricks while peacefully playing with the colours on the occasion of Holi.
Celebration of Holi interrupted, DJ ceased for Namaz in Noida: On Sunday (March 20), the people of the Hindu community were forcefully asked to stop the celebration of Holi by the Muslims who wanted to offer Namaz at the due hours. The Muslims accused the Hindu people of deliberately playing with colours during the Namaz hours and asked them to call off the Holi celebrations. As reported, the Hindu people refused to conclude the celebration following which the Muslims registered an official complaint to the Police.
Hindus attacked for playing Holi in the areas surrounding a mosque in Bareilly: The people from the Muslim community attacked two persons who were playing with the colours in the areas surrounding a mosque. The people from the community in Behari claimed that the two had allegedly thrown colours at the mosque in the city. The youths were allegedly dragged by the mob and were kicked, and beaten with sticks while they were on their bike, heading home after playing Holi. The youths somehow saved their lives.
Namazis pelt stones because Hindus were playing music: In the Amroha, Uttar Pradesh on March 18, the celebration of Holi was disrupted as the members of the Muslim community took offence to the DJ music being played by Hindus as a part of the Holi festival. They pelted stones at the Hindus dancing to the song made by CM Yogi Adityanath while celebrating Holi, in Mohalla Chhanga Darwaza of Amroha UP. Two Hindus- Adesh and Bunty were reportedly injured in the stone-pelting incident.
300 Muslims united to attack Hindus with swords in Begusarai, Bihar: The Muslim community in Begusarai’s Rajour attacked the Hindu community with sharp swords and knives, severely injuring more than 20 Hindus. According to the reports, a petty fight between small children of the two communities led more than 300 Muslims to unite and attack the Hindus on the occasion of Holi. The Hindu organisation in Rajour revealed that the area is considered to be sensitive and now Hindus are feeling unsafe. “The Police also didn’t take action against them”, the organisation had said. The injured are reported serious and are being treated in the hospital.
Islamists halt Holi celebratory procession, pelt stones at Hindus in Jharkhand: On March 18, 2022, the people of the Muslim community pelted stones at the Hindus during the celebration of Holi in Topchanchi, Dhanbad district of Jharkhand. According to the reports, the Islamists first disallowed Hindus celebrating Holi to pass through ‘their’ area and then resorted to stone-pelting when the latter resented. Police vehicles were also damaged by the stone-pelters. The police resorted to lathi-charge to bring the situation under control.
Hindu’s auspicious Kanwar Yatra comes under attack from Islamists
Like all other Hindu festivals, the annual Kanwar Yatra, when Hindu devotees begin their annual pilgrimage on foot to holy places of Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch sacred waters of River Ganga and bring them to their local Shiva temples, have also come under attack from radical Islamists.
Muslim mob attacks Kanwar Yatris in Jaipur, sets buses on fire: In 2019, a Muslim mob in Jaipur had hurled stones and attacked a bus carrying Kanwariyas which was on its way to Haridwar. More than a dozen buses had been lit on fire injuring more than 30 Kanwars during the incident.
According to the reports, the incident occurred on the day of the Eid festival, when a Muslim mob got into an argument with Kanwars. At the night, as Kanwars began their journey towards Haridwar to continue their annual Kanwar Yatra, a large angry Muslim mob gathered near Idgah at Delhi Road and allegedly resorted to stone pelting on the bus and later torched the bus damaging more than 10 buses.
During this incident, hundreds of devotees were trapped in a nearby Hanuman temple. Police started evacuating the devotees to protect them from the terror inflicted by the Muslim mob on the Hindus. Somehow, the people extracted the Hindu devotees from the temple and moved them into a safe place. Reportedly, due to the stone pelting of the Muslim mob, their vehicles were damaged.
Vehicle carrying Kanwaris in Uttar Pradesh pelted with stones in front of Idgah during Eid Namaz: Same year, another incident of attack on Kanwariyas had emerged from Budaun in Uttar Pradesh. The incident of stone-pelting on Kanwaris took place in the Islamnagar area in Budaun when they were near an Idgah while returning with holy water.
According to reports, when a tractor-trailer carrying Kanwariyas was passing near an Idgah during the Bakrid Namaj, some miscreants attacked the vehicle with stones. It is reported that Kanwaris were attacked for driving the tractor and playing music on the vehicle during Namaz.
Seeing the imminent danger, the tractor driver sped away from the place to protect the passengers. But the miscreants followed the vehicle for around 2 kilometres on the Budaun Bisauli road and surrounded it near Nai Basti forcing it to stop. There the attackers started pelting stones at the Kanwariyas, which caused injuries to several persons.
A similar incident of attack on Kawariyas was reported in Bihar: In Siwan, Bihar a 62-year-old Kanwariya was dragged from a vehicle and was beaten to death by a local mob. According to reports, a vehicle carrying Kanwariyas from Babadham had brushed a bike about 5 km from Lohgajar village. The young man in the bike reportedly called almost a dozen of his associates and the mob started assaulting the Kanwariyas in the vehicle.
Kanwariyas lynched for saying ‘Bol-Bam’:
In just one week in 2019, at least three separate incidents had been reported where there had been attempts to either attack or incite violence against the Kanwar yatris for carrying out their annual yatras. On the first Monday of Saawan on July 22, 2019, two Kanwariyas were beaten up by men of the Muslim community for chanting ‘Bol-Bam’ in the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
Jihadis attack Hindus during Saraswati puja celebrations
Over the years, there have been umpteen incidents of attacks on Hindus by Muslim mobs during the Saraswati Puja celebrations as well.
Rupesh Pandey, a minor, was killed during an attack on the Saraswati Puja idol immersion procession: Rupesh Pandey was murdered by a mob of Muslims in a fight that emerged at the time of Saraswati Puja’s Idol Visarjan on 6th February 2022. The 17-year old son of Sikandar Pandey was part of the religious procession which faced unexpected opposition from the mass of Muslims while passing from an area called Lakhna Dulmaha Imambada of the Nai Taand village in Hazaribagh. The spot comes under the Barhi police station. The mob engaged in a ruckus with the Hindu devotees. In this, Rupesh Pandey was badly beaten. He was declared dead when taken to the hospital.
Four incidents of Saraswati Puja processions attacked in Jharkhand: Four separate incidents of attack on Hindus during the Saraswati Puja celebrations by Muslim mobs have been reported in various places of Jharkhand in the year 2020.
The first occurred in Jharkhand’s Vidyasagar, wherein Muslim mobs attacked Hindus who were carrying out a procession of Goddess Saraswati ahead of idol immersion. As they crossed a locality dominated by Muslims, the local residents objected to Hindus playing religious songs near the Karmatar area.
In another incident in Kathbari village, the idol was immersed under the supervision of the police administration after a clash erupted over the issue of playing loud musing near the mosque. As the procession passed in front of the mosque, a clash erupted between the two groups.
Another incident of stone-pelting was reported in the Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand during a Saraswati Puja idol immersion procession. An argument broke out between Muslims and Hindus resulting in a scuffle between two communities during the idol immersion of Saraswati at Lakhe Sundi Basti near Hazaribagh. A Muslim mob reportedly attacked the procession and even indulged in stone-pelting leading to the damage of the vehicle that was carrying the idol for immersion. Four youths were injured in the incident
A fourth such incident was also reported in Beldiha village. The Muslim mobs resorted to stone-pelting against the Hindu community, resulting in serious head injuries to two youths. Five others have also sustained small injuries. Since the attack on Hindus, a tense situation is prevailing in the village.
Reportedly, the Hindu community were carrying out a procession of the Saraswati idol, which was being taken to Yogini Chowk in the village for the idol immersion. However, the Muslims in the village objected to Hindus taking out a procession in their locality. A clash broke out between two groups in which a Muslim mob attacked the Hindu procession.
The Muslim mobs began to pelt stones at the procession causing serious head injuries to Uttam Kumar Paswan and Suprabath Paswan.
Attack on Saraswati puja idol immersion procession in Patna leads to fighting between students and locals with bullets, bombs and stones: Tension had gripped Ashok Rajpath in Patna, Bihar after violent clashes broke out between two groups during the Saraswati idol immersion procession.
The students of Patna College and the people of Lalbagh pelted stones, fired at each other and hurled bombs which led to chaos in the surrounding areas. The brawl, which lasted for over two hours left several injured.
According to reports, the miscreants also attacked the police with bombs and bullets. Several people, including police personnel, were reported to be injured in the attack. According to a report by Jagran, inspector Manoj Kumar and a constable of Pirbahore police station have been injured in the ensuing.
According to sources, two cars have been completely burnt in the incident, while dozens of vehicles parked on the road were damaged. Bricks and stones are scattered on the Ashok Rajpath near Lalbagh. Many passers-by have also been hurt due to the stone-pelting, firing and hurling of bombs.
Vishwakarma idol procession attacked by Islamists
In September 2020, an irate Muslim mob attacked a group of 10-15 Hindu devotees when a Vishwakarma idol immersion procession was passing through a Muslim dominated locality in Motihari, Bihar. In an incident that took place on September 18, in the Tarnia village, Motihari block, Bihar, Muslim goons attacked the Hindu group with lathis and bamboos. Several people were injured and the Lord Vishwakarma idol was also reportedly damaged in the ensuing.
In 2019 also, a violent confrontation broke out between two communities when an idol immersion procession was passing in front of the Dalalji ki Masjid in Alamganj in Patna, leaving over a dozen policemen injured.
Communal tension during Janmashtami
In 2019, communal tensions prevailed in Bareilly district’s Baheri tehsil on the occasion of Janmashtami. In Makri Nacada village, people from the Muslim community started pelting stones at devotees during a procession to celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna.
The above instances are, by no way, an exhaustive list of attacks carried out by Islamists in recent years. There have been many more attacks across the length and breadth of the country that the Hindus have endured at the hands of the Islamists. The aforementioned list, thus, provides a window into the murderous Islamist ideology that fuels pathological hatred against non-Muslims and drives fanatics to attack processions carried out by Hindus to celebrate their festivals.
Besides the heinous attacks on Hindu festival processions, there have been myriad instances of Hindu Temples and places of religious worship coming under attack by Islamists. Hindu shrines and Hindus, in general, have been at the receiving end of the Islamist attack since time immemorial because for the fanatics, Hindus represent the quintessential idol-worshipping ‘Kaafirs’ that their religious dogma ordains to attack and exterminate.