On Thursday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cited the occasion of Ram Navami to indicate that Hindus create violence in the so-called “Muslim areas” during Ram Navami processions and attack the community. She extended her support to the Muslim community and stated asked Hindus to be ‘peaceful’.
She also asked the Hindus to avoid going to “Muslim areas” because it is the month of Ramzan. “I want to request those who are taking out the Ram Navami procession, please do but do it peacefully. Kindly avoid Muslim areas as Ramzan is going on. Celebrate peacefully but don’t try to create violence. Don’t get provoked,” she said.
I want to request those who are taking out #RamNavmi procession, please do but do it peacefully. Kindly avoid Muslim areas as Ramzan is going on. Celebrate peacefully but don’t try to create violence. Don’t get provoked. Some BJP leaders are saying they will move with swords and… pic.twitter.com/8Exp7vRX0g
— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2023
CM Banerjee further stated that the state of West Bengal would take action against Hindus if they are found creating violence. “Some goon has said that on the day of Ram Navami, we will come out with weapons and do a procession.” I will not stop the procession of Ram Navami, but if weapons come out then action will be taken by the government. The month of Ramzan is also going on and during this time if anyone tries to do any wrong thing, he will not be spared. No one has the right to practice riot,” she noted.
The BJP took cognizance of the incident and slammed CM Mamata Banerjee for being anti-Hindu. BJP’s National Vice President Dilip Ghosh said that Mamta Banerjee’s love for Hindus is fake.”Mamata Banerjee stops BJP president from performing Ganga Aarti and then shows fake love by performing Ganga Aarti herself. She allowed two days holiday on Eid and no holiday has been given on Ram Navami,” he pointed out.
Ram Navami or the birth anniversary of Lord Rama is an auspicious occasion in the Hindu calendar year. On that day, Hindus seek blessings from Lord Rama, provide food to the needy, perform rituals, take out processions and so on.
Politicians normalise lawless Muslim ghettos
Several such processions are attacked by radical Muslims as they tend to pass through the so-called ‘Muslim areas’, leading to stone pelting, targeted attacks, arson and vandalism. The Muslims, who were backed by Banerjee today, usually pelt stones at the processions and also attack the Hindu participants. Last year stone pelting, arson and violence were witnessed in several Indian states during Hindu festivals and politicians who fail to maintain law and order, usual bring out this “Muslim area” excuse.
Also today, radical Muslims attacked the Ram Navami procession in Vadodara, Gujarat. The Muslims pelted stones and caused damage to several vehicles including big cars. According to the reports, around 200-500 Muslims arrived on the street during the procession and began pelting stones at the procession and the Hindu participants. The procession was attacked as it passed by the mosque in the city.
Notably, such violent attacks on Hindus are reported to have happened in Muslim-dominated areas. In the recent anti-Hindu Leicester violence case also, a fact-finding report revealed that the area where the violence happened, East Leicester is a Muslim-dominated area. It has a minority presence in the Hindu community. The report noted that the attack on Hindus was a direct fallout of territorial tensions and localized majoritarianism (of the Muslims in East Leicester).
“Symptoms of territorial ethnic cleansing were found through the analysis of the different slogans and speeches made by the majority community of East Leicester and the temporary displacement of Hindu community as a result of the unrest,” report by Centre for Democracy, Pluralism and Human Rights (CDPHR) noted.
Also, in the 2022 Jahangirpuri violence case, it was reported that the Hanuman Jayanti procession was attacked by the Muslims under the leadership of the main accused, Mohammed Ansar Sheikh. Ansar allegedly had a meeting seven days before Hanuman Jayanti to plan the attack on the Shobha Yatra, which would take place on that day.
Ansar, who lives in Jahangirpuri’s C block, is said to be the area’s Muslim leader. When the procession reached the Masjid, he began an argument, and when the conversation heated, the procession was attacked violently.
Following Jahangirpuri violence, several reports came up mentioning that Ansar was an Aam Aadmi Party worker and was closely involved in the operations and functioning of the party in his area. Ansar had made the ‘Jhukega Nahi’ gesture from the movie Pushpa when he was arrested in the case.
Lawless Muslim ghettos attack not just Hindus, but police and healthcare workers too
What Mamata Banerjee is normalising here, is lawless Muslim ghettos where even Police personnel and healthcare workers are attacked. The apologists of Islamic terror, so-called ‘secular liberals’, and appeasement-centric politicians who have failed to uphold law and order in their states often cite this ‘Muslim area’ excuse to shift blame.
As per them, a procession passing through a ‘Muslim area’ is a provocation that triggers the violence. They indirectly blame the non-Muslims for committing the crime of passing through a ‘Muslim area’, rather than holding the violent elements accountable.