Days after Islamists pelted stones at a Navaratri Garba event in the Kheda district of Gujarat, eyewitnesses have accused local Congress leader Arif Sheikh of leading the frenzied mob, reported Republic TV.
Sheikh, who contested the civic body polls of 2021 on a Congress ticket, was identified as one of the stone pelters. An eyewitness told Republic TV that a group of men were clicking pictures of Hindu women, participating in the Garba event.
The police were called in and the accused were shooed away. The eyewitness recalled that the men later came back, sat down on a verandah and started touching the women with their legs.
#LIVE: Eyewitnesses claim political link to stone-pelting at Garba celebration at Gujarat’s Kheda, say ‘Saw Congress leader in the mob’; Tune in here – https://t.co/pJdhfo54Pz pic.twitter.com/NS52nJZt8Q
— Republic (@republic) October 6, 2022
“They were made to move from there also… But after 10 minutes, they started pelting stones,” the eyewitness told Republic TV. He further informed that Arif Sheikh, who was present there at the time of the stone pelting, was seen instigating the Muslim men.
“Arif Sheikh fought the election in 2021 on the ticket of Congress, but the BJP candidate won. He has a first hand in instigating youths… Arif and others were sitting with me. They went away and within 5 minutes the riots started,” the man emphasised.
He confirmed, “Yes. Arif along with others was pelting stones.” The eyewitness pointed out that he recorded his statement against the Congress leader with the police. Republic TV reported that 3 people, including Arif Sheikh, are on the run from the law enforcement authorities.
The Background of the Incident
On Monday (October 3) night, a menacing mob of 150 Islamists laid siege on a Navratri Garba event in Undhela village in the Kheda district of Gujarat.
As per reports, they pelted stones at a Hindu temple, which hosted the event on its premises. Islamists had earlier objected to the conduct of the Hindu religious event by the village sarpanch (Head) under the pretext that a mosque was in the vicinity of the temple.
When the Hindu devotees refused to give in to their demands and went ahead with the Navratri Garba programme, the mob of Islamists came to disrupt the event.
While a total of 43 people were named in the case, only about 14 people could be detained by the police. They were brought back to the village on Tuesday (October 4) and allegedly caned by police personnel for pelting stones at the temple. The accused were also asked to apologise to the public.
Deputy Superintendent of Police VR Bajpai informed, “Police detained 13 persons after the FIR was registered at Matar police station. The village sarpanch (head) had organised Garba at a temple. A mob from the Muslim community tried to stop it from taking place.”
A video of the incident has now gone viral on social media. Islamists and their sympathisers quickly hopped on the opportunity to cast aspersions on law enforcement authorities.
