As Ram Temple inaugurated in UP, reports arrive of communal incidents from five states

As the Ram Temple’s inauguration was set to take place in Uttar Pradesh, extensive reports of violence and communally charged rallies arose from places such as Mumbai, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana. Mobs and a group of celebrators reportedly unleashed havoc and violence. These incidents also show that these groups, in their celebration, singled out religious minorities during the celebrations leading up to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya. Following the inauguration ceremony on January 22, violence by groups celebrating the event and reportedly affiliated to VHP and Bajrang Dal also spread across the nation. As news of the grand celebrations in Ayodhya took place, the atmosphere in the country was charged with tension.

 So far, 13 people have been arrested after the Ram Temple related violence that took place in Mira Road, Mumbai. According to the Indian Express, communal incidents surfaced in various parts of Maharashtra including Mira Road, Panvel, and Nagpur. These were coupled with smaller altercations scattered across different regions which involved sloganeering and poster tearing. Similarly, Sabrang India has reported on a recent incident in Gujarat’s Mehsana district where a Shobha Yatra rally turned violent on the eve of the Ayodhya consecration ceremony as stone pelting erupted. Police have reportedly stated that the loud DJ music and firecrackers led to the stone pelting. Police reportedly fired at least three rounds of tear gas shells at the incident. According to the report, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Gandhinagar Range, Virendra Yadav has stated that, “The situation is under control as a police team was escorting the procession. We are in the process of registering an offence.” 

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Similarly, according to the report, the police have reported another incident occurring at Mira Road on January 22nd in the evening as well, as Maharashtra flared up as well. Instances of violence also unfolded in Naya Nagar and Bhayander. Furthermore, seeming to anticipate conflict the government had also reportedly tightened security measures for the occasion as reports state that commandos from the Anti-Terrorist Squad were also installed as a measure. The Indian Express further reported that Panvel too witnessed incidents on both the 21st and 22nd of January. 

Furthermore, a video surfaced on January 22nd of a Muslim man being forced to say “Jai Sri Ram’ during a rally by Hindutva groups in Mumbai. The incident was caught on camera and shared online. 

Similarly, The Observer Post reported of communally charged incidents at a Muslim cemetery in Bihar’s Khirma village in the Darbhanga district. At the village, some men came during a celebratory procession on the inauguration of the Ram temple at Pathra and set fire to a Muslim graveyard. 

Similarly, a page called Hate Detectors on X shared videos from Delhi, in the locality of Jaitpur, which saw people raising objectionable slogans who also carried out vandalism in a Muslim locality. This further led to the police’s intervention to prevent the conflict from escalating. 

In Madhya Pradesh, on the 21st of January, a group of men climbed atop a church and put saffron flags on it, according to The Quint. The men were chanting “Jai Sri Ram” as they climbed the church which is located in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. Pastor of the church Narbu Amaliyar, spoke to The Quint narrating how approximately 25 men came quickly and suddenly after their afternoon prayers, started saying loud slogans and proceeded to unfurl the saffron flags on top of the church. Jhabua’s Superintendent of Police Agam Jain, has reportedly told The Quint that as of now no FIR has been officially lodged in connection with the incident.

Moving south, Telangana too witnessed attempts to incite communal tension. In the Nalgonda district of Telangana a gathering of 200-250 people reportedly affiliated with Hindutva groups such as VHP and Bajrang Dal came together upon an open plot which was just adjacent to a mosque. They were demanding the construction of a Hanuman Temple and were reportedly conducting rituals at the site.

According to the Hate Detectors on the social media site X, senior police officials swiftly reached the scene and held a meeting the following day to address the situation. 

According to the Siasat News, January 22 also saw a right-wing Hindutva mob setting fire to a shop owned by a Muslim vendor as it conducted its rally from Daulatabad in Hathnoor mandal. A police complaint has been reportedly filed with regards to this incident. 

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