Team Clarion
PILIBHIT — A viral video of Uttar Pradesh Bajrang Dal chief Vivek Mishra calling for an economic and social boycott of Muslims has sparked widespread condemnation.
The incident of Mishra administering an oath to a group of his supporters to that effect in Puranpur in the state’s Pilibhit district has ignited tensions in the area. The video, recorded during a meeting at Sai Shraddha Banquet Hall in Puranpur, captures Mishra instructing attendees to take an oath stating, “I will not buy goods from any Muslim shopkeeper.” He further added that no Hindu should maintain friendships with Muslim youth, accusing them of spreading “love jihad” by forming such relationships.
The meeting was convened in response to a case filed against Sanjay Mishra, the Bharatiya Bajrang Dal district chief, and other workers, following an incident on the night of September 1, where a young man named Genghis Khan was reportedly assaulted in the Puranpur Kotwali area. The case has already stirred tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities in the region, and the recent video has only exacerbated the situation.
The video has since gone viral on social media, prompting a wave of reactions from various quarters. Many have condemned the content of the video, expressing concern over the growing atmosphere of hostility and division in the area.
Locals are worried about the rising tensions. One resident, speaking anonymously, said, “This kind of rhetoric is dangerous and only serves to divide our community further. We need to promote peace and unity, not hatred.”
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.