Hindutva goons attack Muslim shop owner in Himachal Pradesh
Shimla: In yet another shocking incident of Islamophobia and religious intolerance in Modi-ruled India, a Muslim man’s shop in Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district was attacked, looted, and vandalized by Hindutva goons in presence of police.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the attack was triggered by a WhatsApp status shared by the shop owner, Mohammad Rafiq, depicting an animal sacrifice.
Despite police presence, the attackers, carrying saffron flags and chanting Hindutva slogans, broke into Rafiq’s shop in Nahan town, destroying and looting its contents.
The incident has left Rafiq and other Muslim shop owners in the area living in fear.
“The police were right there, but they did nothing to stop them,” said Rafiq, visibly shaken by the ordeal. “They just stood by and watched as the mob destroyed everything I had worked so hard to build.”
Local residents and human rights organizations have condemned the incident, stating that the authorities turned a blind eye to the incident.
“This is not the first time such an incident has occurred,” said Saba Begum, a community leader. “There is a growing sense of insecurity among Muslims here. We feel targeted and abandoned by those who are supposed to protect us.”
“This is a blatant act of communal violence, and it is unacceptable,” said Amina Khan, a spokesperson for the All India Progressive Women’s Association. “The police’s inaction is equally condemnable. They must be held accountable for failing to protect citizens.”
The attack on Rafiq’s shop is a grim reminder of the rising anti-Muslim hatred in BJP-ruled India where discrimination and persecution of the followers of Islam and other religious minorities have become a norm.
