September 2022 bore witness to a series of atrocities against Muslims during Ganesh procession and Dussehra festivities. The festivities were more than a mere celebration of Hinduism; they exemplified how Hindu festivals become a ground to further hate against minorities in India.
This article is a part of Siasat.com’s monthly hate-crime tracker which chronicles atrocities against Muslims in India.
1 September: Outrage broke out on Twitter over a screenshot of a request by a Swiggy customer in Hyderabad who did not “want a Muslim delivery person”.
Following the outrage, the company on September 2 responded that the assignment of orders is entirely automated. The food delivery app also mentioned that attempts are being made to validate the authenticity of the screenshot.
11 September: Communal violence erupted on Thursday, September 10, during a Mahavir Akhara procession in Bihar’s Siwan district, prompting the arrest of a 70-year-old man and an eight-year-old Muslim minor boy along with many others.
The march, which passed by a mosque, was made up of saffron-clad males who were reportedly armed with clubs and shouted communal sentiments. This allegedly resulted in stone pelting in Barharia’s Purani Bazar neighbourhood.
Houses of Muslims were vandalized, shops were set on fire and looted by Sanghi mob. Sanghi goons can be seen in multiple videos but Bihar Police is taking unilateral action. It is going to be 48 hours till now 8 year old Rizwan and 70 year old Yasin have not been released. pic.twitter.com/mx5cM5AE23
— Meer Faisal (@meerfaisal01) September 10, 2022
11 September: A Ganesh visarjan procession, organised under the banner of the Hindu Mahasabha Ganesha Visarjan Committee by Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, in Sirguppa of Ballary in Karnataka witnessed a large number of Hindu devotees.
As the procession passed by the Soudagar Sunni masjid, located in the Muslim-populated area of Sirguppa, an alleged member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) flung his slipper towards the mosque, which was recorded by cameras nearby.