By S.M.A. Kazmi
Dehradun: Amidst growing Islamophobia and several communal incidents across Uttarakhand, including in the capital city of Dehradun, a call for economic boycott and violence against the minority Muslim community was made at a public rally held at Srinagar Garhwal on Thursday.
Lakhpat Bhandari, a local leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took out a “Chetna and Chetavani” rally in the main Srinagar city and openly made a hate speech against Muslims. He called upon the well-attended rally to economically boycott Muslims to “teach them a lesson” , and even allegedly called for “burning of shops” owned by the minority community, who he charged of indulging in ‘Love Jehad’, as reported in various local newspapers.
Eulogising the ‘Hindutva’ elements who were instrumental in forcing out nearly a dozen Muslims from Chauras area last month on alleged charges of ‘Love Jehad’, Bhandari allegedly threatened a particular shop owned by a Muslim, which he said was under his scrutiny.
The BJP leader also called upon women, who had turned up in large numbers, to boycott Muslim fruit-sellers, alleging that they were hiking the prices during the ongoing “Navratra” festival. He appealed to the Hindus majority to instead buy dry fruits during the nine-day long festival.
This story was originally published in newsclick.in. Read the full story here.