Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) approached the Maharashtra Police seeking preventive action against the scheduled rallies and mochas organized by the Hindu right-wing extremist outfits “Sakal Hindu Samaj” and “Hindu Janajagruti Samiti” in Ratnagiri on August 17, 2024 and in Rahata, Ahmednagar on August 21, 2024, respectively. As per the complaints, both the organizations are known for having notorious hate offenders speak at their events. T. Raja, Pramod Muthalik, Meenakshi Sharan, H.H. Sambhajirao Bhide, Kalicharan Maharaj and Suresh Chavhanke, have been associated with HJS, and participated in these activities. A post from last year shows that all these hate offenders, and more, got together and participated in an event organised by the HJS for the establishment of Hindu Rashtra.
CJP mentioned in its complaint states that SHS and HJS are running a campaign advocating for the passing of anti-Love Jihad laws in Maharashtra. Extremist Right-wing Hindu groups have been using the term “love-Jihad” loosely now, wielded by an aggressive majoritarianism, woven into a dominant Hindu caste narrative of religious extremism, Islamophobia, and communal hatred. It has also been provided on their website that HJS has been conducting regular workshops to make Hindus “aware” of the consequences of autonomous and free choice marriages, derogatively and provocatively termed ‘Love Jihad.’ This Right-wing extremist organisation has also organized various events in the past advocating for the boycott of Halal and the economic boycott of Muslims in India. Other than this, their websites have also provided a communal colour to issues such as religious conversions and cow slaughter.
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It has further added in complaint that in the current environment of oppression and otherization of the Muslim community, such religious issues when portrayed in a prejudicial or hysterical way, without any rational basis to that questioning, with an intention to pitch views of only one segment/community amounts to stigmatizing of an already marginalized section.
CJP Complaint before Ratnagiri Police, August 17, 2024
On August 17, CJP seeks preventive action against the published event of “Muknidarshan” organized by Hindi Janajagruti Samiti held at Athawada Bazar, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. According to the complaint, just two days back, in Nashik reportedly there were incidents of violence when such a rally by Sakal Hindu Samaj was allowed to take place by the local police. (https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tension-in-maharashtra-amid-stir-over-anti-hindu-violence-in-bangladesh/article68535381.ece–)
Tension in Maharashtra amid stir over anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh –Stones were reportedly hurled at a vehicle showroom in Jalgaon when Sakal Hindu Samaj, an umbrella body of several outfits, took out a protest march; police resort to lathi charge after two groups clash during bike rally of outfit in Nashik.
The complaint can be found here:
CJP complaint before Rahata, Ahmednagar Police, August 20, 2024
On August 20, CJP files complaint before the Rahata, Ahmednagar Police for preventive action against “Hindu Janakrosh Morcha”organized by right-wing organization “Sakal Hindu Samaj” held at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial in Rahata, Ahmednagar on August 21, 2024 at 10 AM.
CJP highlighted before the Police that according to the information available on their SHS poster and information that aired on Sudarshan News Channel, the said event is going to be held at Rahata, Ahmednagar on August 21. The said event is being called as “Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha”.
The complaint raised before the Maharashtra Police mentioned that in the said event habitual hate offender and member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and editor-in-chief of Sudarshan news, Suresh Chavhanke is likely to attend. Chavhanke has strong communal and hate provocative antecedents as he is indulged with various right-wing activities like targeting minorities, and broadcasting hate-ridden and provocative debate shows in their news channel. As per the content of their poster extracted from a video uploaded by Sudarshan News channel in its X handle https://twitter.com/SureshChavhanke/status/1825857688057581574. It is near certain that hate-ridden and provocative speeches will be delivered and calls for violence will be made, given the recent track record of the organization and speakers invited and the ‘principles’ that they stand for.
The complaint can be found here: