22, Jun 2022 | CJP Team

On June 19, 2022, a hardline outfit and regular hate offender group named Hindu Sena reportedly organised an event at Vishwagiri temple in Rajouri Garden, in support of suspended and sacked BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal, reported the New Indian Express.

The event, organised by the outfit’s National president Vishnu Gupta and its Delhi president Deepak Malik, began with the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa and reportedly ended with swords being distributed. Interestingly, while Malik reportedly denied any such claims of swords being distributed, Gupta didn’t.

Malik reportedly said, “We did not distribute swords. People brought swords from their homes as symbols of support for Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.” He claimed that Sena colleagues had brought only three-four swords from a gurudwara and gifted them to people just for clicking photographs, reported the New Indian Express. But Gupta openly said, “We distributed the swords for the protection of our Hindu women. This was only for the purpose of self-defence.” He further claimed that Hindu Sena had distributed around 10,000 in Delhi NCR, reported by the New Indian Express.

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Shockingly, the event was allegedly organised without police permission because it was an indoor and personal programme, claimed Malik. It has been reported that a senior police officer shall be inquiring into the said event.

Amidst all this, it is important to remember that people are prohibited by law from carrying such weapons under the Arms Act, 1959 and Arms Rules 1962 . The use of such sharp-edged deadly weapons for disrupting public harmony or creating an environment of fear attracts punishment under the Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC) as well as the IPC. They are neither allowed to be carried in public places or in public transport. However, A Trishul (traditional trident), for example, is a sharp object and could be used as a weapon. Indeed, its significance in religion comes from it being a weapon wielded by prominent Hindu deities. And though there is no religious mandate for carrying one, these tridents, often their smaller versions, are being distributed by right-wing groups often during socio-cultural or religious gatherings.

You may read more about the legal definition of weapon, and how right-wing groups find ways to subvert the law here.

Hindu Sena’s track record

Recently on June 11, the right-wing group claimed that Delhi Police had detained 12 of its volunteers during a march organised in support of former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Vishnu Gupta told The Quint, “If Ms Nupur Sharma has said something wrong they should take legal action and not terrorise the society with stone pelting. The Indian Government must investigate such rioters under NSA and also investigate international fundings to such rioters.”

On March 6, 2022, the Hindu Sena, which is reportedly affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), allegedly also declared support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Hindu Sabha members allegedly chanted slogans like ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Bharat-Russia Dosti Zindabad’ as they marched in Connaught Place, central Delhi with saffron, Indian and Russian flags in hand. It also supported the ban of hijab inside classrooms, a controversy that hindered education of Muslim girls in Karnataka for at least a month.

Before this in 2019, the Hindu Sena even celebrated Queen Victoria’s birth anniversary, claiming that the British brought India together as a nation! In yet another example, the members of Hindu Sena held a protest on Valentine’s Day in Coimbatore as they reportedly ripped the cards and set them on fire outside the Coimbatore district collector’s office in February 2020.

In January 2021, a protest was organised by Hindu Sena against farmers at Singhu border who gave them an ultimatum to clear the area. In September 2021, the Delhi Police had arrested five members of the Hindu Sena for allegedly vandalising the official residence of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi in New Delhi.

The group’s journey has been traced by The Hindu, “The fringe group, Hindu Sena, which came into existence in 2011, started with 50 members. Though it registered a steady growth till 2014 to boast a membership of 4 lakh, it added only another 1 lakh new members over the past six years.” According to Gupta, the Hindu Sena accepts members “who are already trained in Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh shakhas” or those who “want a Hindu Rashtra”, and that the outfit now has presence in 16 states, and over 10 lakh people have joined it through social media platforms.

*Feature image from Twitter.

Related:

Ukraine invasion: Hindu Sena marches in support of Russia!

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Sheath the swords, while there is still time!

Gujarat:  Antarashtriya Hindu Parishad is stage for anti-Muslim abuse, trident distribution

Trishul Diksha