Tension Grips Maharashtra as Bangladesh Violence On Hindus Sparks Outrage.

Tensions Simmer in Maharashtra as Hindutva Group Demands Action on Bangladesh Attacks on Minority Hindus.

Meanwhile, Muslim groups demonstrated against a Hindu religious leader’s purportedly inflammatory statements about Islam.

Shibani Shinde | HENB | Mumbai | Aug 17, 2024:: Maharashtra witnessed communal tensions in multiple districts on Friday, as the Sakal Hindu Samaj, a coalition of Hindutva groups, observed a statewide bandh to condemn the recent violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. According to reports, tensions flared in several areas, including Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalgaon, and Ahmednagar districts.

In a separate incident, Muslim groups staged protests in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalgaon, and Ahmednagar on Friday, condemning Hindu religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj’s alleged derogatory comments about Islam and Prophet Muhammad. The controversial remarks, made at a recent event in Nashik, were widely circulated on social media, prompting the protests, as reported by The Indian Express and Press Trust of India (PTI).

In Nashik, communal tensions escalated into violent clashes between the two groups, resulting in stone-pelting and injuries. According to The Indian Express, the confrontations left six police personnel, including two inspectors and the deputy commissioner of police, and two civilians, injured. The situation remains volatile, with authorities working to restore calm and maintain law and order.

Nashik Police Commissioner Sandeep Karnik stated that additional security measures were put in place, including the deployment of State Reserve Police Force personnel, to maintain peace and stability in the area. In a social media update on Friday, the Nashik City Police confirmed that they are taking swift action, registering cases and apprehending individuals responsible for the unrest, in an effort to restore order and prevent further violence.”

The statewide bandh called by the Sakal Hindu Samaj resulted in a shutdown of commercial activities, with shops remaining closed in Nashik and Jalgaon, according to a report by The Indian Express.

In Jalgaon, a protest march organized by the Sakal Hindu Samaj against anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh turned violent, with unidentified individuals targeting an automobile showroom. According to a police official, the incident occurred on Friday morning, resulting in stone-pelting at a two-wheeler showroom. However, by Friday evening, Nashik Central MLA Devyani Farande confirmed that the situation had been brought under control.

Maharashtra Police have filed multiple FIRs against Ramgiri Maharaj for his controversial remarks, as reported by PTI. Cases have been registered in Thane, Yeola (Nashik), and Vaijapur (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) districts. Specifically, the Mumbra police in Thane district have booked Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections 353(1)(B)(C), 353(2)(3), 299, 302, 196(1)(9), 356, 352, 351 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for uttering words with intent to hurt religious feelings and others for outraging religious feelings, promoting enmity between groups over religion, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and criminal intimidation, etc.

These charges reflect the severity of the allegations against Ramgiri Maharaj.

A FIR was filed in Vaijapur based on a complaint by Rafehasan Ali Khan, who alleged that Ramgiri Maharaj’s remarks had hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and created a rift between the two communities, as reported by PTI. Notably, amidst the ongoing controversy over Ramgiri’s statements, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde shared the stage with him at an event in Nashik district on Friday and referred to him as a “saint”, according to PTI.

Ramgiri Maharaj stood by his controversial comments, stating they were a response to the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, as reported by PTI. In an interview with Marathi news channel ABP Majha, he emphasized, ‘Hindus should remain alert. I have spoken what I wanted to, I am firm on it, and I am ready to face its consequences.’

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government, had assured him of protection for Hindus and all religious minorities in the country. However, in a social media post, Yunus clarified that he had informed Modi that reports of attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh ‘have been exaggerated’.

However, it is well acknowledged  that the marginalized Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh have indeed faced unimaginable violence perpetrated by Muslim extremists, allegedly instigated by Jamat and Hefazat collaborators, amidst the anti-Quota and anti-Hasina students’ movement in the country. This violence has had a devastating impact on the lives of these communities.
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_Inputs from PTI, Indian Express and ANI.