Hindutva mobs target mosques in Uttar Pradesh during Holi celebrations
Lucknow: BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh witnessed a series of disturbing incidents during the Holi celebrations, where Hindutva mobs targeted mosques. These attacks appear to be deliberate attempts to provoke tensions, despite heavy security measures that were supposedly meant to prevent such incidents.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in the communally sensitive Sambhal district, a group of Hindutva individuals vandalized a mosque by spraying colors inside the religious place of worship and writing “Jai Shree Ram” on its entrance, sparking outrage among the local Muslim community.
In a separate incident in Aligarh, a similar act of provocation occurred during a Holi procession. A group of people, while celebrating the Hindut festival outside the Abdul Karim Masjid at Abdul Karim Chowk, attempted to throw color on the mosque, despite it being covered with tarpaulin to protect it from such acts.
The situation was made worse by the Hindutva mob’s provocative behavior, as they danced and sang to inflammatory songs while chanting communal slogans. This was seen as a deliberate attempt to stir tensions in the area and provoke the local Muslim community.
What is particularly concerning is that these attacks occurred despite heavy security preparations by the authorities. A day before the Holi celebrations, police in Sambhal conducted a flag march, and drones were deployed to monitor sensitive religious sites and areas of celebration. Furthermore, authorities covered at least 100 mosques with tarpaulins to safeguard them from such incidents. Despite these measures, the fact that such provocative acts were carried out questions the efficacy of the security arrangements and raises alarm about the potential for further unrest in the state.
