After being accused of instigating communal violence on Ram Navami between the two communities, Hindutva groups – affiliated with the ruling BJP in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh – have given a call for the economic boycott of Muslims.
Several videos have appeared in which members of Gayatri Pariwar – a religious organisation founded by Shri Ram Sharma Acharya in Uttarakhand – can be seen administrating an oath to the people urging them not to buy goods from Muslim shopkeepers.
Though Gayatri Pariwar claims to be a non-partisan, spiritual, religious organization, it’s penchant for Hindutva ideology is not hidden.
In another viral video, a van on which a big loudspeaker is mounted can be seen urging people to buycott Muslim shopkeepers.
In order to put pressure on the police, a Hindu organization pasted posters all over the city on April 17 which said that “Hindus will not open their shops till appropriate action is taken…You are requested to support (the demand)”.
Meanwhile, Gajendra Patel, BJP MP from the violence-hit district, has given an inflammatory speech in a religious event in which he can be heard saying that Hindus should be prepared to fight for their religion.
Patel, as per the local media, said that “stones were pelted during the Ram Navami procession…”. He said that the entire Hindu society should unite in protest against violence.
#KhargoneRiot के लगभग 15 दिन बाद जिले की कसरावद तहसील में सांसद @gajendra4bjp ने युवाओं से कहा की संकल्प ले लो जिन्होंने पत्थर बरसाए हैं उनको बड़े ईंट- पत्थरों से जवाब देने के लिए तैयार रहना। @zoo_bear @KashifKakvi @alishan_jafri @Sreya_Chattrjee @ShyamMeeraSingh pic.twitter.com/H4oby7vOi1
— Vishnukant (@vishnukant_7) April 26, 2022
Though the Khargone police has denied the existence of videos calling for the boycott of Muslims, the district administration has started the work of installing 121 CCTV cameras at different locations including spots where stone-pelting was reported during the Ram Navami celebration on April 10.
So far, the Khargone police has registered 64 FIRs and 175 people have been held in connection with the violence. Relaxation in curfew was also announced for 9 hours, said the local media.
This article first appeared on nationalheraldindia.com