Amidst growing incidents of attacks against Muslims and Christians in the state and the public display of arms during the week-long festival of Dussehra, the Popular Front of India (PFI) on Wednesday asked the state government to take action against the intimidatory tactics of Hindutva organisations.
Dussehra in the state was marked by a spike in hate crimes by Hindutva organisations including incidents where supporters of these groups made public displays of drawn-out swords and tridents and delivered speeches exhorting people against Muslims and Christians.
In the Nargund area of Gadag district, men and women draped in saffron colour dresses marched in the streets with swords raised in their hands on October 13. The rally was organised by the extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad in the name of Durga Puja.
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The right-wing supporters also shared photos on their social media pages showing them worshipping guns and swords during ‘Ayudha Pooja’.
Similarly in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district, the posters for Puja programs said that Trishuls would be distributed to Bajrang Dal members to fight against “Love Jihad”, a bogus theory that assumes Muslim men entice Hindu women into relationships in order to convert them to Islam.
An event of the same nature was held in Kalladka of Dakshina Kannada where weapons were worshipped by right-wing supporters. Thousands assembled in Udupi and took out a rally while violating Covid-19 restrictions. Unfortunately Police didn't filed any case on such a large Covid violating protest. @tv9kannada @publictvnews @TimesNow@dhanyarajendran
8/n pic.twitter.com/omuy6NZUgX— Undefeated_Faith (@Shaad_Bajpe) October 16, 2021
In Belagavi, hundreds of Hindutva supporters wearing saffron colour caps and scarves danced on roads carrying swords and daggers. Here weeks back a Muslim man Arbaz Mullah was brutally murdered by members of the Ram Sene outfit over an interfaith relationship weeks ago.
This is extreme than ever, Belgaum where two weeks back Arbaaz had been killed brutally by Ram sene. Look at this procession
Sanghparivar members dancing with Illegal & terror Weapons openly in the middle of streets. @SPBelagavi are you still silent?
Where is Nation leading?
9/n pic.twitter.com/fmE5CFU7W5— Undefeated_Faith (@Shaad_Bajpe) October 16, 2021
Former minister Patan Shetty and RSS leader Anand Kulkarni, BJP leaders Umesh Wandal, Ramesh Bidnor made speeches calling for turning India into a Hindu Rashtra. They were seen holding swords while exhorting the crowd.
“The Bhagwa should be raised in Vidhan Sabha, Parliament, Red Fort. Muslims & Christians must be removed from the country, Secularism is wrongly written in Constitution, this is not secular India this Is Hindurashtra & we all are working to make it so, said Anand Kulkarni. Swords drawn, Bajrang Dal workers dance on Belagavi road. Part of Dasara celebrations, the outfit claims. The gathering is being probed by district police. @TheQuint pic.twitter.com/K0O9eIWZal— Nikhila Henry (@NikhilaHenry) October 18, 2021
Locals alleged that the members of Sangh Parivar were making preparations for large-scale communal violence in the state and accused police and administration of turning a blind eye towards hate crimes by the Hindu right-wing.
Stating that the exhibition of such weapons in public is against the law, the PFI’s Bengaluru unit president Ilyas Mohammed said that the chief minister must take action to ensure that such incidents do not occur again.
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Rushda Fathima Khan is the Staff Reporter for The Cognate.
