By Sardar Khan Niazi
Muslims in India face hate speeches and attacks on their properties. After the creation of Pakistan, the Narendra Modi government’s treatment of Muslims has been the worst. They continuously face inhuman partiality and their rights are at risk.
A Hindutva crowd belonging to Bajrang Dal, a noisy and extremist Hindutva group, on Monday night in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani district assaulted a group of Muslim men offering Taraweeh — special prayers offered during the holy month of Ramzan — in the basement of the private house of a Muslim advocate in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani city.
According to residents of the area, the Hindutva goons beat some of the worshippers including the imam. The worshippers got several injuries. Taraweeh is being offered there for over a decade. The Muslims used the basement as a mosque as there were a small number of Muslim families in that area.
Following the disruption of Taraweeh, Muslims held a protest in front of Kotwali police station in the city demanding firm and speedy action against the culprits. An official at Kotwali police station in Haldwani said that an FIR was lodged against forty persons on the complaint of Imam Mohammed Shahid.
Unfortunately, out of the forty, only one person was named in FIR. The house, belonging to Zafar Siddiqui Advocate, where Taraweeh was being offered has also been sealed off as some members of the Hindu community had objected to the building of the mosque in a private house.
According to a worshipper, “Hindutva goons barged into the house and manhandled the imam and others. After that, the police came and pushed us back. We want legal action against them. We do not want to take the law into our hands. We have faith in the law and the constitution.”
According to a report by a Hindi daily Dainik Jagran the imam was also slapped and pushed around in front of the magistrate. This angered local Muslims who blocked the Nainital Highway. The road blockade remained until a prominent Islamic scholar intervened after being persuaded by the police.
Uttar Pradesh Police served notices on 10 Muslims under CrPC 107/116 (a preventive measure to preempt a breach of peace) and directed a Muslim family to hold any group prayers after Bajrang Dal protested against the group of Muslims offering prayers at a private warehouse.
Police also asked the members of the Muslim community why not they should pay Rs 5 lakh each as a penalty for “disturbing peace” in the area.
On Saturday, Bajrang Dal state president Rohan Saxena and along with a group of Hindu men barged into the godown of a Muslim man named Zakir Hussain in Moradabad’s Lajpat Nagar, and stopped Taraweeh, a congregational prayer on Ramadan nights.
Though the police sent notice to Muslims, Moradabad SSP Hemraj Meena also sent out a message to people at large that no person has the right to interfere in the religious affairs of others. “If a person is offering Namaz, Taraweeh, or doing Pooja Paath, then some other party should have no objection to that. If someone indulges in such activities, then strict action shall be taken against them,” he said.
In August last year, twenty-six Muslims were booked for Namaz at the houses of two Muslim men in Moradabad because of the fabricated video provided by the main complainant Chandra Pal Singh, a member of the Bajrang Dal.
Many leaders and activists have condemned the Modi government for mistreating the Indian minorities. All peace-loving countries and human rights defenders must join hands to protect the rights of minorities in India.
