Washington: Indian-American Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has vowed that if voted to power, she will cut every cent in foreign aid for countries which hate America.
She mentioned Pakistan, China, Iraq and other countries, saying “a strong America doesn’t pay off the bad guys”.
The 51-year-old two-term Governor of South Carolina and the former US Ambassador to the United Nations formally launched her 2024 presidential bid earlier this month.
“I will cut every cent in foreign aid for countries that hate us. A strong America doesn’t pay off the bad guys. A proud America doesn’t waste our people’s hard-earned money. And the only leaders who deserve our trust are those who stand up to our enemies and stand beside our friends,” she wrote in an op-ed in the New York Post.
She said that America has spent USD 46 billion on foreign aid last year, which is given to countries like China, Pakistan, and Iraq. American taxpayers deserve to know where that money is going and what it’s doing, she added.
“They will be shocked to find that much of it goes to fund anti-American countries and causes. As president, I’ll put a stop to this fiasco,” she said.
According to Haley, the Biden administration resumed military aid to Pakistan, though it’s home to at least a dozen terrorist organisations and its government is deeply in hock to China.
She said that as the US ambassador to the UN, she strongly supported then president Donald Trump’s decision to cut nearly USD 2 billion of military aid to Pakistan because that country supported terrorists who kill American troops.
“It was a major victory for our troops, our taxpayers and our vital interests, but it didn’t go nearly far enough. We’ve still given them way too much in other aid. As president, I will block every penny,” she added.
She said that the Biden administration restored half a billion dollars to “a corrupt United Nations agency” that’s supposed to help the Palestinian people but in fact covers for deeply anti-Semitic propaganda against our ally Israel. She added the US has given Iraq more than USD 1 billion over the last few years, even though its government is getting closer to Iran.
She said American taxpayers still give money to “Communist China for ridiculous environment programs, despite the obvious threat China poses to Americans.”
“We give money to Belarus, which is Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s closest ally. We even give money to Communist Cuba a country our own government has designated as a state sponsor of terrorism,” she said, adding that it’s been happening for decades under presidents of both parties.
“I am running for president to restore our nation’s strength, our national pride and our people’s trust. Backing American allies and friends like Israel and Ukraine is smart. Sending our tax dollars to enemies isn’t,” she added.
“At the UN, I put together a book of how much money we give other countries and how often they vote with us. It was eye-opening. We are giving huge amounts of cash to countries that vote against us most of the time. That doesn’t make sense. I’ll stop it. America can’t buy our friends. We’ll certainly never buy off our enemies,” she added.
Less than a fortnight after entering the race to the White House, Haley is leading against President Joe Biden in a hypothetical match, according to a latest opinion poll on Friday. But she trails badly against leading GOP candidate former president Trump, Rasmussen Report said based on a survey it conducted between February 16 to 19.
Among the Republicans she comes at the third position after Trump (52 per cent) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (24 per cent).
Born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa to immigrant Punjabi Sikh parents, Haley is the third Indian-American to run for the US presidency in three consecutive election cycles. Bobby Jindal ran in 2016 and Vice President Kamala Harris in 2020.
Before entering the presidential ballot, Haley has to win the Republican Party’s presidential primary which will start in January next year. The next US presidential election is scheduled to be held on November 5, 2024.
Dilbert is a long-running comic that pokes fun at office-place culture.
The backlash began following an episode this past week of the YouTube show called “Real Coffee with Scott Adams.” Among other topics, Adams referenced a Rasmussen Reports survey that had asked whether people agreed with the statement “It’s OK to be white.”
Most agreed, but Adams noted that 26% of Black respondents disagreed and others weren’t sure.
The Anti-Defamation League says the phrase was popularized in 2017 as a trolling campaign by members of the discussion forum 4chan but then began being used by some white supremacists.
Adams, who is white, repeatedly referred to people who are Black as members of a “hate group” or a “racist hate group” and said he would no longer “help Black Americans.”
“Based on the current way things are going, the best advice I would give to white people is to get the hell away from Black people,” Adams said on his Wednesday show.
In another episode of his online show Saturday, Adams said he had been making a point that “everyone should be treated as an individual” without discrimination.
“But you should also avoid any group that doesn’t respect you, even if there are people within the group who are fine,” Adams said.
The Los Angeles Times cited Adams’ “racist comments” while announcing Saturday that Dilbert will be discontinued Monday in most editions and that its final run in the Sunday comics — which are printed in advance — will be March 12.
The San Antonio Express-News, which is part of Hearst Newspapers, said Saturday that it will drop the Dilbert comic strip, effective Monday, “because of hateful and discriminatory public comments by its creator.”
The USA Today Network tweeted Friday that it also will stop publishing Dilbert “due to recent discriminatory comments by its creator.”
The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and other publications that are part of Advance Local media also announced that they are dropping Dilbert.
“This is a decision based on the principles of this news organization and the community we serve,” wrote Chris Quinn, editor of The Plain Dealer. ”We are not a home for those who espouse racism. We certainly do not want to provide them with financial support.”
Christopher Kelly, vice president of content for NJ Advance Media, wrote that the news organization believes in “the free and fair exchange of ideas.”
“But when those ideas cross into hate speech, a line must be drawn,” Kelly wrote.
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#Media #drop #Dilbert #creators #Black #hate #group #remark
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
Raipur: The Congress, in its draft political resolution, on Saturday pledged to bring in laws to prevent hate crimes in the country, if voted to power.
This comes against the backdrop of rising incidents of hate crimes and lynching, the lastest being the burning alive of two people in Rajasthan.
The resolution said, “In the last eight-and-a-half years under the BJP Government, the politics of hate has assumed alarming proportions and religious polarisation has reached its peak. Hate crimes and atrocities have increased manifold.
“Vigilante right wing groups incite violence on various trivial issues. These groups operate with impunity and have started acting like police, spreading anarchy and fear. This fear in the minds of minorities is the aim of the BJP/RSS regime.”
During the course of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, it was clear that the majority of Indians yearn for love, peace and harmony, it added.
The Congress said it believes in our civilisational principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ which means “The World Is One Family”. Minorities form about a fifth of India’s population. Neglecting, marginalising, and alienating them is inhuman, and hits at the unity and integrity of India.
“The culture of hatred, nurtured and propagated by BJP, RSS and their acolytes violates the tenets of all religions. We need to create a sense of security among each and every Indian, regardless of their region, religion, caste, class or gender,” it further said.
It also said that crimes against weaker sections of society have also increased. Atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SCs) have increased by 1.2 per cent in 2021, according to the NCRB. Violence against Dalit and adivasi women has also risen. Cases of rape against SC women, including shockingly, minors, account for 7.64 per cent and ST women account for 15 per cent out of the total cases reported.
“Congress will pass a new law to prevent and punish hate crimes,” it concluded.
Nava Raipur: The Congress is likely to propose a legislation against hate crimes in the country as part of the party’s 56-point political resolution to be adopted at its 85th plenary session on Saturday, sources said.
In its political resolution, Congress is likely to allege that the judiciary is constantly threatened by direct and indirect measures, which create apprehensions in its mind.
The party has been alleging that the law minister himself is leading the blatant attack on the judiciary.
The Congress will promise that the independence and integrity of the judiciary will be maintained and protected at all costs, the sources said.
The opposition party is also likely to promise that if voted to power, it would bring a legislation to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, gender or language in the supply of goods and services.
The Congress will deliberate and finalise three resolutions — one each on political, economic and international affairs — on Saturday.
The party will finalise three other resolutions on agriculture and farmers’ welfare, youth and employment and social justice and empowerment on Sunday, the final day of its three-day plenary session.
The 85th plenary session of the Congress started here on Friday. Congress leaders would brainstorm on the party’s strategy to prepare for the state Assembly polls scheduled to be held this year and the 2024 general election during the plenary session.
The sources said the opposition party will also prepare a “vision document” for 2024 following the largest-ever mass contact programme organised by it, encompassing the issues of unemployment, poverty eradication, inflation, women empowerment, job creation and national security.
They said the Congress must reverse the current regressive path of growth that has failed to improve the lives of the poorest.
“Our growth mantra must have a human touch, creating livelihoods and employment opportunities,” a Congress leader said.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday observed that everything which is said could not be equated with hate speech, stressing: “We have a common enemy, that is hate. That is the only thing. Remove hate from your minds and just see the difference.”
A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and B.V. Nagarathna, hearing a batch of petitions seeking directions against hate speech, also considered a plea by Shaheen Abdullah in connection with an event organised by a body known as the Sakal Hindu Samaj in Mumbai earlier this month.
The top court had directed the Maharashtra government to record the event scheduled on February 5, and stressed that the government has to ensure that hate speeches are not made, while seeking a report on it.
During the hearing on Monday, the bench queried Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, did they make any hate speech, and he replied, according to his instruction: “No”.
Justice Joseph then told advocate Nizam Pasha, representing one of the petitioners in the matter, said: “Two days back we stayed the proceedings against (Delhi Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal… involved Section 125 of The Representation of the People Act… he brought a list of decisions of this court, as what is (Section) 123A. It is not everything is said amounts to hate speech. So, we have to be careful only in terms of (what) this section means, as interpreted by this court, will involve the offence. Correct. Bear that in mind also…”
Pasha submitted that reading of transcripts in these cases will help convince “my lords, that in these particular cases what is said amounts to hate speech”.
At this, the bench observed: “The problem is what is hate speech as such… we have to fall back on (IPC’s Sections) 153A and 295A… these are the provisions to deal with this kind of propensity… there has to be some vilification.”
Mehta said the counsel wants many things and “we were served yesterday, let us ascertain what he says is right or wrong”.
The bench told Mehta that it had asked him to give the report and video of the religious event and he said that it will be filed.
The bench asked Pasha if the meeting took place and he said that it did but was not on a large scale.
Justice Joseph orally observed: “We have a common enemy that is hate. That is the only thing. Remove hate from your minds and just see the difference. Everything will be clear.”
Concluding the hearing, he added: “We have got such a great, great civilisation… unparalleled in the whole world. Our civilisation, our knowledge is eternal.”
The top court scheduled the matter for further hearing on March 21.
The plea filed by Abdullah said: “The mass participation at these rallies being organised not just with the consent and knowledge of government authorities but with their active participation, pose a serious threat to the very foundation of our nation as a secular nation. The hatred being taught and the radicalisation of youth being carried out with such impunity will inevitably lead to communal disharmony and violence of an unfathomable scale across the country.”
The plea said rallies have been organized by the Sakal Hindu Samaj, an umbrella body of Hindu right-wing organisations under the banner of “Hindu Jan Aakrosh Sabha”. The last such rally took place on January 29 in Mumbai and more than 10,000 people attended a rally organised by Hindu far-right groups seeking boycott of goods from shops owned by Muslims and a law against “love jihad” and “religious conversions”.
“That the aforementioned Sakal Hindu Samaj will be organising yet another rally, of a similar nature, on February 5 in Mumbai. At least 15,000 people are expected to participate in the said rally. The very nature of all the previous rallies clearly indicate the kind of hate speeches that will in all likelihood be delivered at the same,” added the plea.
In October last year, the apex court had directed the Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand governments to come down hard on hate speeches, promptly registering criminal cases against the culprits without waiting for a complaint to be filed.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday observed that there is a growing consensus around hate speech and stressed there is no scope for hate crimes on the basis of religion in a secular country such as India.
“There cannot be any compromise on hate speech at all,” the top court said and added that it is only if the State acknowledges the problem of hate speech that a solution can be found.
It also said that it is the primary duty of the State to protect its citizens from any such hate crimes.
A bench of justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna said, “When action is not taken against hate crimes then an atmosphere is fostered which is very dangerous and it has to be rooted out from our lives. There cannot be any compromise on hate speech at all.”
The top court was hearing a plea of a Muslim man who has alleged that he was assaulted and abused in the name of religion on July 4, 2021, by a “screwdriver gang” of criminals as he had boarded a car to go to Aligarh from Noida, and that the police has not bothered to register any complaint of hate crime.
The bench told Additional Solicitor General (ASG) KM Nataraj, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, that, “Nowadays there is a growing consensus around hate speech. There is no scope for hate crimes in the name of religion in a secular country like India. It has to be rooted out and it is the primary duty of the state to protect its citizens from any such crimes.”
“If a person comes to the police and says that I was wearing a cap and my beard was pulled and abused in the name of religion and still no complaint is registered, then it is a problem,” it said.
Justice Joseph said action of every state officer augments respect for the law. Otherwise, everyone will take the law into their own hands, he said.
The bench, which sat till 6 pm hearing the matter, said, “Will you not acknowledge that there is a hate crime and you will sweep it under the carpet? We are not saying anything adverse. We are only expressing our anguish. That is all.”
Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the petitioner Kazeem Ahmad Sherwani, said it was on January 13 that this court had asked the state government to produce the case diary that police had registered the FIR after two years and that too with all bailable offences barring one.
Nataraj conceded that there were lapses on part of police officials and said that a special investigation team has been constituted headed by an ACP-rank officer and disciplinary action has been taken against erring police officials.
The bench said, “You set an example and let such people face consequences for dereliction of duty. It is only when you take action against such incidents that we will come at par with developed nations. Yes, there has been clear lapse and there is nothing wrong in admitting a mistake”.
Nataraj said that on July 4, 2021, when the alleged incident had taken place, the victim had gone to a police outpost in Sector 37 in Noida where no senior police official but constables were present. Hence, no complaint was registered, he said.
“Then he went to the hospital in Jamia Nagar and gave a statement to the Delhi Police that he was robbed, assaulted and suffered injuries. No where he said that it was a case of hate crime or was assaulted because he was Muslim,” Nataraj said.
Justice Nagarathna said, “At any point of time the victim cannot be met with disparaging remarks. Victim should not make it look as if he is a perpetrator of crime”.
Justice Joseph said be in minority or majority, certain rights are inherent in human beings. “You are born into a family and raised in one. We have no choice on our religion, but we stand out as a nation. That’s the beauty, the greatness of our nation. We have to understand this,” he told Nataraj.
Justice Joseph referring to a recent incident in Rajasthan said a mute person was attacked but it was later found that the victim was Hindu. “If you ignore this (hate crime), then one day it will come for you,” he said, adding that there is no doubt that some people have a communal attitude.
The ASG said that eight FIRs have been registered against the gang members and action has been taken against them.
The bench then asked when the first FIR was registered against the gang members and how many people were arrested and were they the same people, who attacked the victim and when were they bailed out.
Nataraj said he will file an affidavit giving details of all the FIRs but pointed out that the first FIR was registered in June 2021 against the “screwdriver gang” members and they have not discriminated in attacking Muslims or Hindus.
Advocate Ahmadi said it took two years to acknowledge that there was a criminal incident and in two affidavits filed by the Uttar Pradesh government, police have said that there was no hate crime.
“On July 5, 2021, a police patrol had come to my house and asked not to press for hate crime angle”, he said, adding that the victim’s beard was pulled and stripped and made fun of for being circumcised in a car.
The bench said that it cannot issue a pan-India direction on the victim’s petition under Article 32, as it may not be a case symptomatic of what is happening across the country or otherwise it will flood the courts.
Nataraj said police has not denied that there was not a criminal incident but no where it was found that it was a hate crime and the victim has tried to take advantage of media hype and changed its statements.
The bench asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file a detailed affidavit and posted the matter for further hearing on March 3.
On October 21 last year, the apex court had asked Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi to crack down hard on those making hate speeches, observing, “where have we reached in the name of religion, what have we reduced religion to is tragic”.
Holding that the Constitution of India envisages a secular nation, the court had directed the three states to promptly register criminal cases against the offenders without waiting for a complaint to be filed.
The Delhi police issued a notice to Molitics media house for covering a priest’s genocidal rant against Muslims and Christians during a Hindu Parliament at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The “Dharma Sansad,” called for the murder of Muslims and Christians on Sunday at Jantar Mantar in the nation’s capital Delhi.
“It has been observed that you are using Social Media for posting offensive, malicious and inciting posts. New Delhi District’s Cyber Police Station, the Nodal Agency for cyber crimes in New Delhi District of Delhi Police hereby issues notice against you under section 149 CRPC for posting offensive, malicious and inciting message which can adversely affect law and order,” read the notice tweeted by DCP New Delhi.
“You are here by directed to refrain from doing so failing which you will be liable for strict penal action under relevant provisions of law,” the notice added.
The event was organized in support of Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, popularly known as Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, a 26-year-old priest of the Bageshwar Dham temple and Sudarshan TV head and hate-monger Suresh Chavhanke. It is worth noting that there were over 400 people witnessing the speech.
“Knife will not work. Keep weapons at home. Kill Muslims and Christians. Weapon should be in one hand and scripture in the other,” said a speaker Mahamandleshwar Swami Bhakt Hari Singh.
There was no police action against hate speech and event so far.
The crowd in the event raised genocidal slogans against Muslims and Christians in the country.
The establishment of Hindu Rashtra, Z plus security for Bageshwar Dham Sarkar, and the recognition of the Ramcharitmanas as national scripture were all demands made by the Hindu Parliament.
Anand Kumar, a retired IPS officer and the leader of the Rashtra Nirman Party, Ragini Tiwari, Suraj Pal Ammu, Aastha Maa, and Annapurna Bharti are among the speakers.
”We’re not demanding anything; we’re only asking to remove the country’s traitors, those who eat in India but sing praises of Pakistan,” said Suraj Pal Ammu.
While hate crimes and attacks on Muslims and minorities today have become a regular occurance, the past year perhaps will be a landmark in India’s modern history for the numerous incidents that were reported all year round. From Islamophobic slurs to the demolition of Muslim homes by state governments, religious bigotry today is in fact exhorted by Hindutva groups.
More importantly, these everyday incidents have also shown us how the mainstream media’s coverage of religious hate crimes is looked at when it comes to Muslims especially. To make sure that there is documentation of the ongoing epoch of Indian society, Siasat.com has been publishing a monthly hate report over the past year.
A major event that reverberated across India was when a flurry of anti-Muslim attacks was reported during the Ram Navami processions across the country. It was something unseen in the country in recent times, given that Ram Navami had never been marked with such violence or incidents of aggression (in Hyderabad now suspended BJP MLA Raja Singh passed derogatory statements at a rally).
Given all that has happened, opposition leaders and activists alike have voiced their concerns over what is happening. Many feel that such attacks on minorities have now mainstreamed hate, and are also an attack on the country’s secular democratic roots post-independence.
To provide a better understanding of what happened over the past year, Siasat.com also compiled a list of the most blatant hate crimes committed in 2022 by right-wing groups and alike.
January
The first month of 2022 witnessed an Islamophobic, misogynist incident wherein a bunch of depraved men decided to ‘auction’ Muslim women online. The whole attack was done on the infamous Bulli Bai app where Muslim women including prominent journalists, activists, and lawyers found themselves being ‘auctioned’.
The app was created on the GitHub platform. Soon after its expose, the Narendra Modi-led central government faced backlash which prompted Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to launch a probe. Four persons – 21-year-old Vishal Jha, 19-year-old Shweta Singh, 21-year-old Mayank Rawat, and key conspirator Neeraj Bishnoi were arrested.
In a separate incident, a group of people on Clubhouse hosted a chat under the topic ‘Muslim gals are more beautiful than Hindu gals’. The conversation soon went viral for its obscene, sexist remarks about Muslim women and their bodies.
One of the users was heard as saying, “See when people like me, RSS bhakts marry Mullis (a derogatory term for Muslim women), then they will ultimately be Hindus.” This was applauded by others, including women.
The two-minute shocking and odious chat even compared sexual intercourse with Muslim women with the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
In the same series of “discussion” on @Clubhouse, a Brahmin guy says that he has an ‘oedipus complex’ for his mother (a Muslim woman). Very sportingly, he is advised to murder his dad (Hindu man) so he can sleep with her “pink vagina”.
The Mumbai police arrested three people – Akash, Jeshnav Kakkar, and Yash Parashar.
Another horrendous hate crime was reported in Ranchi, wherein a Muslim man was allegedly thrashed, forced to lick his own spit, and chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ by BJP workers. The victim had allegedly abused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party’s Jharkhand president.
In another incident, a Muslim man was attacked by right-wing Hindu organisations for travelling with a Hindu woman in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. They took him to the police station and upon investigation, it came to light that they were a married couple.
मुस्लिम लड़का और गैर मुस्लिम लड़की MP उज्जैन से ट्रेन में जा रहे थे, हिंदू संगठन वालों को खबर लगी तो वहाँ पहुँचकर लड़के को पीटते हुए थाने ले गए, जाँच के बाद पुलिस ने बताया कि लड़का और लड़की दोनों शादीशुदा हैं, दोनों में पारिवारिक संबंध भी है, जिसके बाद पुलिस ने उन्हें जाने दिया… pic.twitter.com/Q6u0md3pMC
Here is the detailed report on hate crimes committed in January.
February
February was a melting pot for Karnataka with Hijab row and the murder of 28-year-old Bajrang Dal activist Harsha taking centerstage.
On February 21, Harsha was stabbed to death at Shivamogga following which massive protests broke out. Shops were damaged and vehicles were torched, forcing police to enforce Section 144. “#JusticeForHarsha” trended on Twitter.
Bajrang Dal activist Harsha who was stabbed to death
Six people – Mohammed Kashif, Syed Nadeem, Ashifullah Khan, Rehan Khan, Nehal, and Abdul Afnan – were arrested in connection with the case.
The Hijab ban issue started in December 2021 when six female students were disallowed to enter the classroom wearing hijabs in Karnataka. Soon it snowballed to other states. Incidents from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar were reported where young hijab-clad Muslim students were not allowed to enter educational institutions.
BJP MP Dharmapuri Arvind from Telangana, in a blatant Islamophobic speech, said that Indian Muslims rely on Sharia law to get married four times but also rely on the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for offences like stealing. He then advocated that as per the Sharia law, the hands of robbers should be cut off.
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed in February.
March
March was dominated by several anti-Muslim incidents (including the Karnataka state’s decision to ban the Hijab in religious institutions). Hijab-clad students also fought for their right to wear headscarf in educational institutions. It eventually reached the Karnataka high court, which ruled that it was not an essential religious practice.
The judgement on the hijab row was also marked by other incidents like in Dakshina Kannada district where Muslim shopkeepers were not allowed to do business during temple festivals.
Calls were also made for the boycott of Halal food in Karnataka. There were sudden demands for non-halal meat. #SayNoToHalal started to trend on Twitter. Incidents of Muslim meat shop owners being assaulted were reported, mostly in Karnataka. The state government remained a mute spectator.
Eighteen-year-old Hiba Sheik, who was at the forefront of the hijab row was booked by Karnataka police alongside six other Muslim students over allegations of harassment. She took to Twitter to express that such threats will not intimidate her.
On March 11, Hindutva filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri released The Kashmir Files, based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits during the 90s. Its biggest supporter was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, while addressing a meeting of BJP MPs said, “Jo log hamesha freedom of expression ki jhande lekar ke ghoomte hain, woh poori jamaat bokhala gayi hai pichale paanch-chheh din se (Those who always carry the flag of freedom of expression, this entire group has been rattled these past 5-6 days).”
#WATCH | At BJP Parliamentary Party meet, PM speaks on role of film industry in presenting history. He also mentions ‘The Kashmir Files’; says “People who always raise flag of freedom of expression are restless. Instead of reviewing on facts, campaign being run to discredit it..” pic.twitter.com/mq8iqA6Ajk
Soon after, the film was released tax-free in many Indian states, including Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Tripura, Haryana, and Uttarakhand. Many incidents of Hindus declaring open threats to the Muslim community were reported in theatres across the country.
The month also saw a boycott of Muslim traders and halal food. Vendors, who had been doing business during various temple festivals for years were suddenly stopped and assaulted by right-wing workers, mostly in Karnataka.
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed inMarch
April
Karnataka was once again in the spotlight as calls to ban Muslim traders and businesspersons gained momentum in April. Right-wing organisations including Bajrang Dal, Sri Ram Sene, and Hindu Vedike Jagran rallied stating that no Hindu should do business, buy products or use transportation from Muslims. A 72-year-old Muslim woman was forced to shut down her shop in Karnataka. BJP minister J C Maduswamy justified it by stating the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department (HRICED), 2002.
Muslim push cart vendors targeted outside Hanuman Temple in Dharwad. Sri Ram Sene members vandalize & destroy watermelon & other fruits.Ram Sene says #Muslim vendors shouldn’t do business outside temples. Cops present at the location did nothing to stop the vandalism #Karnatakapic.twitter.com/gu0pCjt0lj
Right-wing leader Bajrang Muni, a mahant of Maharshi Shri Lakshman Das Udasin Ashram in Khairabad town, UP, created an uproar when he gave an open rape threat to Muslim women in the presence of police personnel.
Bajrang Muni
On April 10, videos emerged of Hindutva supporters passing through mosques during a religious procession, who used provocative language. Incidents of arson, vandalism, and destruction of mosques in various Indian states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, West Bengal, Telangana, and Bihar were reported.
In Telangana, the Hyderabad police took cognizance and filed two cases at Shahinayathgunj and Afzalgunj police stations with regard to the Ram Navami procession, wherein BJP Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh sang an offensive song.
Rajasthan’s Karauli district witnessed high-scale riots after a bike rally organised on the occasion of the Hindu New Year, reported stone pelting.
A Muslim victim of Rajasthan’s Karauli violence
The incident occurred when a Shoba Yatra (bike rally) was going through a Muslim-dominated area and people raised anti-Islam slogans. Things went out of control when young Hindu men climbed atop a mosque and waved saffron flags as well as dancing on the roof of the structure.
Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district reported stone pelting incidents after provocative songs were played by a Hindutva rally. It soon engulfed into a full-fledged riot forcing police to use lathi charges and tear gas. However, Muslims bore the brunt when the state government, accusing them of inciting riots, ordered the demolition of their houses.
A similar situation was witnessed in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area where clashes and stone pelting between Hindus and Muslims erupted during a Hanuman Jayanti procession. It soon escalated to arson and damage to public property and Section 144 was imposed to bring law and order under control.
The local administration ordered razing down of Muslim houses and shops, stunning the entire nation. The drive was ordered by Delhi’s BJP chief Adesh Gupta who wrote to the mayor asking him to identify and demolish houses of “rioters”.
As the demolition was going on, Aaj Tak anchor Anjana Om Kashyap climbed onto a bulldozer and said, “You are now watching live images from the crane that is going to demolish an illegal construction.” Her reporting was condemned by many fellow journalists on Twitter.
Amnesty International India. also demanded that Indian authorities stop “apparent unlawful demolitions” of largely Muslim-owned properties in riot-hit cities. Terming it a “violation of human rights laws”, their statement said, “Such punitive demolition of family homes of suspects could also amount to collective punishment, violation of International human rights laws.”
However, India also got to witness incidents of kindness and brotherhood in cities where Muslims and Hindus were seen helping each other.
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed in April
May
In May, senior politician and leader of Kerala Janapaksham (Secular) party P C George made a bizarre claim that Muslims were deliberately mixing infertility drugs in others’ drinks so that they can increase its population.
Bihar’s BJP MLA Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul in a hate speech also said Muslims should be burnt, just like Ravana (a Hindu mythological demon).
This video is from Indian state of Bihar
BJP legislator Haribhushan Thakur delivered a genocidal speech where he called on Hindus to unleash large scale v!olence against Musl!ms. pic.twitter.com/8S1Aj8kkbY
Hate towards Muslims in the country reached different heights level when a video emerged showing the husband of a former BJP MLA councillor from Madhya Pradesh repeatedly slapping a senior citizen and asking if the latter’s name was Muhammad.
Similarly, a college professor was sent on compulsory leave after a video showing him performing ‘namaz’ in the college lawns went viral and Hindutva leaders demanded immediate action against him. Even the act of praying was
Nupur Sharma, the now suspended BJP spokesperson, during a primetime news channel debate, passed derogatory comments on Prophet Muhammad. Alt News co-founder and editor Mohammad Zubair called out Navika Kumar and Times Group Editor Vineet Jain to allow hate to be spilled on prime-time news television shows.
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed in May
June
Suspended BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal who publicly insulted Prophet Muhammad faced the ire of the Muslim community internationally, especially after the Arab world expressed distress over the matter. As damage control, the BJP-run Indian government released a statement calling Sharma and Jindal as ‘fringe elements’ and assured the country is secular at heart.
Many cities saw violence leading to state governments, mostly BJP-run, ordering the demolition of Muslim households. As per the governments, they were accused to be key conspirators of the riots. On June 10, the Uttar Pradesh police arrested over 300 Muslims after violence broke out after Friday prayers.
The UP police also arrested Welfare Party of India activist Javed Mohammad accusing him as the key conspirator for violence. To make matter worse, Javed’s house was bulldozed without prior notice on June 13.
Activist Javed Mohammad (center) with his daughter Afreen Fatima
Alt News co-founder and editor Mohammad Zubair was booked by the UP police for using the word “hatemonger” while addressing Hindutva leaders – Narasinghanand, Mahant Bajrang Muni and Anand Swaroop – in a tweet. On June 27, Delhi police arrested Zubair alleging he had tweeted a questionable image with the purpose of deliberately hurting religious sentiments. Additionally, a journalist from Sudarshan TV lodged another complaint against him over Zubair’s fact-checking.
An Aligarh college professor was sent on a one-month compulsory leave after a video showing him offering Namaz on the college lawns went viral. The incident was reported at Sri Varshney College.
Hindutva priest Swamy Jitendranand Saraswati gave a derogative speech relating to Muslim women and children saying, “Raise loud slogans in such a way that it tears apart the womb of an anti-national woman bearing an anti-national baby.”
[English Caption]
Hindutva extremist Swamy Jitendranand Saraswati delivered hate speech.
He said “Raise loud slogans such a way that it tears apart the womb of an Anti-national woman bearing an anti-national baby” pic.twitter.com/UuPEaqsq0I
‘Economic jihad’ calls also continued as Muslim shopkeepers, auto drivers, etc were continuously targeted by right-wing organisations. In Kanpur, an elderly man selling garments at a nearby roadside was told to leave the premises by Yuva Morcha President of the Hindu Coordination Committee, Tushar Shukla.
कानपुर: कपड़ा बेच रहे मुस्लिम बुजुर्ग को दुकान हटाने को कहता दिख रहा ये शख्स हिन्दू समन्वय समिति का युवा मोर्चा अध्यक्ष “तुषार शुक्ला” है… महोदय @kanpurnagarpol मामले को संज्ञान में लेकर जाँच के बाद आवयश्क कार्रवाई करें… pic.twitter.com/jpLDl1BvHh
In Mangaluru and Belthangady, Hindus were asked to seek services from only Hindu auto and taxi drivers.
In Bengaluru’s famous Lalbagh Botanical Garden, a Muslim popcorn vendor was assaulted and accused of spitting into the oil used for making popcorn.
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed in June.
July
Hate crimes against Muslims showed no signs of slowing down as July bore witness to a series of incidents. Aside from the resurgence of the debate on the hijab ban, communally charged murders also took place.
The boycott of Muslim goods, vendors, and traders continued in July with many Hindu outfits asking not to encourage their (Muslims) business.
During NEET examinations conducted in July, Muslim women claimed they were made to remove their burkha and hijab when they reached the examination centre in Maharashtra’s Washim district.
Seventeen-year-old Mohammad Ashfaq was allegedly accused of posting inflammatory comments against Kodagu goddesses and women. Ashfaq received death threats on social media and calls for his arrest.
Clockwise from top: Praveen Nettaru, Mohammad Mashood, Mohammed Fazil
On July 19, a teenager named Mahood Mashood was killed after he was attacked with glass bottles by Bajrang Dal workers in an altercation in Sullia taluk, Karnataka. On July 27, BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death by unidentified people on a bike in Bellare, Dakshina Kannada. Two days later, 28-year-old Fazil was also hacked to death in Mangaluru in front of a garment shop. This had created suspicion about the killings being murder for vengeance and were communally linked, and tension persisted.
The three back-to-back murders created communal tension resulting in chief minister Basavaraj Bommai visiting Nettaru’s family. He was criticized heavily by the Muslim community for ignoring the bereaved families of Fazil and Mashood.
Following the murder of Fazil, Hindutva leader Rishikumar Swami of the Kali Mutt in Karnataka’s Chikkamagalur made a speech saying, “If that was (murder of Fazil in Mangalore) done by our people, then I’m happy. Nine heads will be pending. There must be 10 heads against 1 head,” reiterated the seer who had called for the beheading of ten Muslims, to avenge the death of one Hindu.
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed in July.
August
As India celebrated her 76th year of Independence, the Muslims of India felt otherwise. In a surprise announcement that shook the nation, 11 convicts of the Bilkis Bano rape case and murder of Gujarat 2002 riots, were released. The state government backed the decision by stating the convicts were released on ‘good behaviour’ and had already spent 15 years in prison. Moreover, they said it was part of the BJP-led Gujarat government’s remission policy.
Many were aghast and taken aback when a video of the 11 convicts in front of the jail being welcomed with garlands and sweets surfaced. They were also facilitated by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a right-wing Hindutva organisation.
After the convicts’ release, many politicians condemned the decision and wide-scale nationwide protests were reported.
Protests at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi (Photo: Twitter/Amarjeet Kumar Singh)
A mob thrashed a 35-year-old man to death at Chakhabi in Bihar’s Samastipur district for allegedly trying to steal cattle. Similarly, a 50-year-old was beaten to death on suspicion of cattle smuggling in the Narmadapuram district of Madhya Pradesh.
In Hyderabad, Masjid Khwaja Mahmood in Shamsabad was demolished by the local municipal corporation in the presence of a heavy police force, following which local Muslim leaders along with common people protested. In a similar incident, Madrasa Jamiul-Huda in Assam was demolished following the arrest of a madrasa operator on alleged terror charges.
On August 20, Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district reported the kidnap and rape of two minor Muslim girls, aged five and nine, by a 25-year-old Hindu man. He took the children on a bicycle on the pretext of buying ice cream and raped them. The elder sibling died while the younger one survived.
इस युवक का नाम कपिल कश्यप है, इसने घर के बाहर खेलती दो मासूम बच्ची सानिया और शिफा का अपहरण किया, गाज़ियाबाद पुलिस ने गिरफ्तारी के बाद जब इससे पूछताछ कि तो शिफा को जीवित बरामद कर लिया गया वहीं सानिया की लाश खेतों मे मिली, मासूम बच्ची के इस हत्यारे को सख्त से सख्त सज़ा मिलनी चाहिए। pic.twitter.com/YTZwkNyUgh
On August 29, a Muslim family in Uttarakhand was allegedly attacked by a mob of 10-14 persons over a dispute with their Hindu neighbours. Though FIR was registered, no arrests were made.
Speaking to The Wire, Parvez Ahmad said, “My younger brother has a gym, which was attacked by a mob of people wearing saffron clothes. While some had their faces covered, we could recognise some members of the mob from their clothes.”
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed in August.
September
September welcomed Lord Ganesha, a Hindu god known as the ‘the remover of obstacles’. From throwing a chappal towards a mosque to playing songs with provocative words such as, “Khoon Se Iss Dharthi Ko Ham Nehlayenge, Hum Tujhko Teri Awkat Batayenge (We will bathe this earth with blood, will show you your social standing.)” and damaging vehicles, the festival was marred with unfortunate incidents.
On September 1, the food delivery app Swiggy received a request from a Hyderabadi customer asking them not to send a ‘Muslim delivery executive‘. The screenshot went viral giving rise to outrage.
In a separate incident, editor-in-chief of Sudarshan TV, Suresh Chavhanke who is known for his extreme right-wing views, told at an event that Muslim girls should marry Hindu boys in order to avoid divorce.
In Bihar’s Siwan district, an eight-year-old boy named Rizwan Qureshi was arrested by the UP police allegedly for inciting communal violence. Rizwan’s brother Azhar told Maktoob Media, “My younger brother was kept in a private ward and my family was initially not allowed to meet him. When my mother saw him, he was handcuffed and scared. He was so terrified that he was unable to recognise his own mother. The child was just crying to go back home.”
Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati, chief of Dasna Devitemple, said at an event organised by the Hindu Mahasabha, that all madrassas should be blown up in the country.
Hindutva supremacist seer Yati Narsinghanand in Aligarh on Sunday said that “all the Madrassas should be blown up with gunpowder & the way China does, all the students of Mardrassas should be sent to camps where the virus called Quran can be removed from their brains.” pic.twitter.com/3iYGdtSwKw
Karnataka was back in the news after a call was made to ban the Karnataka Waqf Board by Hindutva leader and Sri Rama Sene founder Pramod Muthalik. He demanded that after visiting slain BJP worker Praveen Nettaru’s house.
In a heartbreaking incident, a jailer forcefully shaved off the beard of a Muslim inmate calling him a ‘Pakistani’. The incident happened in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district. It soon gained significance with many Muslim local leaders appealing for the suspension of the police official.
International news channel Al Jazeera came out with a special report on how Muslim domestic workers are changing their names to Hindu for employment. According to them, many people, especially Hindus and Jain communities, are afraid to employ a Muslim.
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed in September.
October
As the Dussera-Diwali festival season began in October, many states such as Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Karnataka reported incidents of clashes between the two communities. Garba grounds became another place where right-wing outfits targeted Muslims. Many right-wing organisations declared that no non-Hindu community people should be allowed to participate as they feared the emergence of ‘love jihad’.
in Karnataka’s Udupi district, a massive rally of 10,000 workers was carried out by the right-wing organisation Hindu Jagarana Vedike. Calls for a “Hindu Rashtra” were made and some workers were spotted carrying swords even as the state police walked alongside them. Udupi’s BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat was also spotted at the rally.
In the Kawardha district of Chattisgarh, clashes broke out on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi (the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad) over the hoisting of green crescent flags.
Gujarat police publicly assaulted a few Muslim men who were allegedly accused of pelting stones at a Garba event. The men were tied to a pole and beaten in full public view. The police constantly asked the alleged accused to apologise.
Location: Kheda, Gujarat
Muslims flogged publicly!
In BJP ruled Gujarat, nine Muslim men who were allegedly arrested for throwing stones at a Garba event were tied to a pole and publicly flogged with a cane by the Police while the crowd chanted “Hail Mother India” slogans. pic.twitter.com/nDNPJ5heUW
On October 5, miscreants hoisted a saffron flag and carved Hindu religious inscriptions at an ancient mosque at Byathole village, Kandi Mandal, in Telangana’s Sangareddy district. The village elders including the sarpanch and other leaders of the ruling party hoisted a saffron flag on the mosque and inscribed the ‘Om’ symbol.
A saffron flag atop a mosque in Telangana’s Sangareddy district
In Kolkata’s Mominpur area, on the occasion of Milad-un-Nabi, clashes between two communities were reported after Muslim religious flags were allegedly vandalised. Around 40 people were detained.
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed in October.
November
Election fever gripped Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh with the Modi-Shah-led BJP wrestling with Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party (AAP) and Congress. While a major chunk of the media reported on the assembly elections and the Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) elections which the BJP had held the fort for 15 years before losing to AAP, hate crimes went unnoticed.
A 20-year-old Muslim man was lynched to death in broad daylight in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur. The deceased, whose name the police were reluctant to divulge, was in a relationship with a Hindu girl and had gone to meet her when the girl’s family caught him and assaulted him with bricks and stones.
The Jamia mosque in Srirangapatna town of Mandya district Karnataka came under scanner as Bajrang Dal workers submitted a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) to the Karnataka High Court demanding permission for Hindu devotees to take bath in the kalyani (traditional water body) located on the premises of the mosque.
Jamia Masjid at Srirangapatna in Karnataka
A pediatric doctor working at Silchar Medical College and Hospital allegedly hurled insults at a Muslim couple, whose child was admitted with pneumonia symptoms. A video shows the father of the child accusing the doctor of how could he use words such as ‘topiwala‘ and ‘burkhawali‘.
Karnataka Congress MLA Tanveer Sait was threatened by Bajrang Dal worker Raghu Sakaleshpura over the latter’s announcement of installing the tallest statue of Tipu Sultan in historical towns Mysuru or Srirangapatna.
Raghu, in a video, had said, “I am issuing a warning to Tanveer Sait over his statement of installing the statue of Tipu Sultan. We will not allow the installation of even a one-foot-tall statue of Tipu Sultan. If that happens, it will be your anthima yatra (final yatra).”
A distraught Muslim student of the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) questioned his professor when the latter addressed him as Ajmal Kasab, the terrorist behind the 26/1 1 Mumbai attacks.
“These jokes are not acceptable. No! You can’t joke about my religion..that too in such a terrible manner,” the student stressed. The video, which was recorded by a classmate, went viral on Twitter. The professor was soon suspended by MIT. However, Karnataka state education minister B C Nagesh remarked that the incident was blown out of proportion.
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed in November.
December
A government school principal was arrested for letting his students sing a popular poem called Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua. A middle-aged man was beaten up black and blue for giving a helping hand to a Hindu woman. A young man was beaten because he ‘dared’ to have a coffee with a Hindu friend, December witnessed it all.
A first-year Muslim student accused her history teacher of using Islamophobic slurs during the class. According to her, while teaching a lesson on Gautam Buddha, the teacher mentioned Muslims are ruthless and they have no remorse.
The Jamia Masjid in Srirangapatna in the Mandya district of Karnataka witnessed a huge crowd of Hanuman devotees who tried to forcefully enter the mosque, turning out to be a hurricane task for the police force.
Further, a young Hindu devotee climbed atop a Muslim household where he replaced the green flag with the saffron one amidst chants of “Jai Shri Ram“.
The Kalaburagi railway station, formerly known as Gulbarga railway station, was repainted to white from green after pressure from the right-wing Hindu organisation Hindu Jagaran Vedike. According to them, the dome shape with green walls gave an impression of a ‘mosque.’
Bajrang Dal members interfered with Friday’s namaz in Gurugram’s Sector 69. In a video posted by Live Hindustan, Amit Hindu, a member of the Bajrang Dal, is heard saying, “It doesn’t matter if they have the authorization to pray at six spots or not. If prayers continue in the upcoming weeks, we will step up the protests.” This issue has been a recurring one in the city for several months in the past.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Nutan Hardo village of Kushinagar district, 44 Muslim families received eviction notices from the local administration claiming their houses were built on “encroached lands”. A report from India Tomorrow states that these families have been living there for generations.
Madhya Pradesh BJP MLA Pragya Thakur called on the community to keep sharp objects such as knives in their homes to protect themselves from ‘enemies’.
#WATCH | “Keep your daughters safe and protected. Keep weapons at home. Sharpen the knife used to cut vegetables. If our vegetables are cut well, heads and mouths of our enemies will also be cut well,” says BJP MP Pragya Thakur in Shivamogga, Karnataka pic.twitter.com/LRURt8wPKq
“Love jihad, they have a tradition of jihad, if nothing they do love jihad. Even if they love they do jihad in that. We (Hindus) too love, love the god, a sanyasi loves his god,” Thakur said.
Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone starrer movie Pathaan also made headlines in 2022 with the release of its first sone called “Besharam Rang” where the saffron coloured clothes worn by the actors were condemned by right-wing organisations and BJP politicians such as Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Singh and MP Sadhvi Pragya Thakur.
The worst hit came when the Central Government decided to scrap the Maulana Azad Fellowship (MANU) fellowship, mainly for minority students, explaining that the scheme overlaps with various other fellowship schemes for higher education.
The decision was described as discriminatory, unjust and an attack on an individual’s proper access to higher education.
Here is the detailed report of hate crimes committed in December.
It is right to say that by the end of the year, religious intolerance has solidified its presence in the country.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday lamented that nobody was taking action against hate speeches despite its orders, and observed that the top court will be left “embarrassed again and again” if it is asked to give further directions to curb such statements.
The court’s strong observations were made by a bench comprising Justice K M Joseph, Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Hrishikesh Roy when a plea seeking to prohibit an event scheduled to be held on February 5 by the Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha in Mumbai was mentioned for an urgent hearing.
The bench agreed to hear the plea on Friday subject to instructions and approval from Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud on the administrative side.
“We are with you on this, but understand that the Supreme Court cannot be triggered every time there is a rally notified. We have already passed an order which is clear enough. Just imagine rallies happening all across the country. Every time there will be an application before the Supreme Court. How can that be feasible?
“You ask us to be embarrassed again and again by getting an order. We have passed so many orders yet nobody is taking action. The Supreme Court should not be asked to pass an order on an event to event basis,” it observed.
The observation came after a lawyer mentioned the matter, saying the issue needs urgent hearing against holding of the Mumbai rally.
She submitted that a similar rally was organised a few days ago in which 10,000 people participated and allegedly gave a call to boycott Muslim communities economically and socially.
On continuous persistence of the lawyer, the court asked her to serve a copy of the application to the counsel for Maharashtra.
“Serve a copy on the State, we will list it tomorrow subject to orders of the CJI. Only this case, not the entire batch,” the bench said.
Holding that the Constitution of India envisages a secular nation, the top court on October 21 last year directed the Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to come down hard on hate speeches, promptly registering criminal cases against the culprits without waiting for a complaint to be filed.
It had also warned that any delay on the part of the administration in taking action on this “very serious issue” would invite the court’s contempt.
Hyderabad: Hit with a gag order from the Telangana High Court, suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA T Raja Singh seems to be subverting his restrictions by passing communal and inflammatory remarks from outside the state. The legislator is currently out on bail after he was arrested for his derogatory remarks in Prophet Muhammad last year, which led to several protests.
The High Court had ordered Raja Singh while quashing his detention in jail under the PD Act last year. As part of its bail order, the BJP MLA was told not to make provocative speeches or speak in public. So far, a case has already been registered against him in recent times for violating the court orders (with theMangalhat police station). He was served another notice by the Hyderabad police on January 29 for a hate speech in Mumbai.
His statements come just months ahead of the Telangana state elections, which are due this year. With restrictions on him, Raja Singh is currently unable to carry out political campaigns or hold public rallies as he would have ideally done in the run up to the polls. It is unsure how the state judiciary will react to him making speeches outside, with the logic that it is beyond the HC’s jurisdiction.
The suspended MLA represents the Goshamahal constituency under the GHMC area in Hyderabad.
When asked if the party will lift Raja Singh’s suspension, BJP leaders from Telangana remained tight lipped and said that the decision is for the central leadership to make. “He is popular among some people and they want his suspension to go, so we have to wait and see,” said one leader.
After his Mumbai speech, it is to be seen what Raja Singh does next or if he legally challenges his current inability to speak in public in Hyderabad and Telangana.
Raja Singh’s hate speech came at a rally in Mumbai at a programme organised by the Sakal Hindu Samaj, a conglomerate of Hindutva organisations under the banner of the Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha. It commenced from Shivaji Park in Dadar and ended at Kamgar Maidan in Parel.
The Sakal Hindu Samaj is an organization comprising of various groups like Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and Sanatan Sanstha. As of now, the MLA has not made any plans public, neither is the Telangana unit of the BJP saying anything on the issue.
However, one can expect some fireworks from his side in the upcoming state polls.
During his speech in the public meeting held at T Kamgar Maidan, Raja Singh used repeated his typical aggressive rant and provocative language. This time around his comments were about the inter-faith love affairs. “The chingari (spark) that is lit here will turn into a jwalamukhi (volcano) if love and land Jihad is not stopped. Be aware about ‘love jihad’ and (religious) conversions,” he said while addressing the gathering.
The MLA targeted Muslims and demanded for a financial boycott, “Do not buy goods with ‘halal’ tags on them. Even in Ola, Uber and Rapido check if the driver is a Muslim or a tilakdhari. Doesn’t matter if the commodity is of Rs 1 or Rs. 1 lakh, buy it from a Hindu. If the word halal is mentioned in any product, it should not be purchased,” he said demanding that even Ramdev baba remove the word from the products he sells.
“Why should we have rules that are meant for Islamic countries,” he questioned. He spoke in praise of Shivaji Maharaj, his son Sambhaji and the late Shiv Sena head Bal Thackeray.
The suspended BJP MLA was detained under the Preventive Detention (PD) Act by the Hyderabad police last year. After spending nearly three months in the Central Prison, Cherlapally, he was released after the High Court quashed his detention orders.
Cases were registered against Raja Singh for passing derogatory statements against Prophet Muhammad that brought the city on the verge of a communal riot last year. Raja Singh had released a video with his objectionable remarks after the state government allowed comedian Munawar Faruqui, who had joked about Hindu gods earlier, to hold a show in the city.
The BJP MLA’s video led to several protests for over two days, after which the Hyderabad police put him inside prison. Senior police officials said that they are keeping tabs on him after his release as well.
