Taking oath in state language becomes a crime: Oath in Urdu leads to FIR in Aligarh

Perhaps, nowhere a person could be booked for taking oath in a language, let alone the state's official language.

But in Uttar Pradesh, taking oath in Urdu can be risky.

Years ago legislators were not allowed to participate in Assembly proceedings because they insisted on taking oath in Urdu. A couple of decades later, the situation hasn't changed.

An elected councillor (corporator) of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) faced opposition from the BJP when he tried to take oath in Urdu in Aligarh.

Further, Musharraf Husain, the BSP leader, was charged with 'malicious intent to outrage religious sentiments' under section 295 (A) of the Indian Penal Code.

The BJP corporators had opposed his decision to take oath, assaulted him and created ruckus. Further, they managed to get a case registered against him, that too of hurting religious sentiments!

Is it democracy? Is it a fair system? Isn't there clear bias visible across the administration--from political parties to the police department? How could the FIR be entertained?

Urdu is one of the official languages recognised by Indian union. Further, it is the language of Uttar Pradesh--UP. There are more than 50 million Urdu speakers in the state, which is the natural homeland of the language. Also along with Hindi, it is the second official language here.

[The problem with Urdu in UP is unique. The institutional bias, communalism and systematic attack on the language is strongest in this state.

READ: Discrimination towards Urdu in UP, language must gets its constitutional rights]

Clearly, the bias is sickening. It reflects the deep seated prejudices. In fact, disciplinary action should have been taken against the policemen who took this action. It is seditious and infringes on fundamental rights when you book someone for using the state language.

"They want to communalise even Urdu which is symbolic of our syncretic culture. Urdu is not related to any religion. So my taking oath in Urdu does not provoke or hurt anyone's religious feelings,” he told The Hindu.

“Till this morning, at least when I woke up, India was still a democracy and as per the law Urdu and Hindi are official languages in Uttar Pradesh. As far as I know the rules an oath can be taken in any of the 22 languages in the Constitution - Urdu is one of them,” he added. Mr. Husain said he would approach the court against the police FIR.

UPDATE: Several days later, under pressure, when there were voices about biased action, police registered the counter FIR against 'unidentified persons' for assault with BSP leader. Of course, no one named in the FIR in this case.

Also, read these links. LINK & LINK

Right-wing fanatics on rampage, attack police, hoist Saffron flag on court

ABOVE THE LAW--that's what this picture clearly tells.

Saffron fanatics ran riot in Udaipur court, attacked police, injured 31 officials and personnel, pelted stones, barged into court and one of them unfurled his flag on the court.

They are supporting a monster--Shambhu Bhawani alias Shambhu Regar, who hacked an innocent man to death, and burnt him, got video shot and it was shared on social media.

Entire nation saw how the radicalised terrorist committed the murder of a Muslim man, just because of his religion. Throughout the year--2017, Muslims all over India have been killed by cow vigilantes and fanactis linked to the right-wing Hindutva ideology.

The picture of Shambhu Bhawani killing Afrazul was equated with that of a man killed by an ISIS terrorist in Syria. But there is a difference. India is not war-torn and it is still a democracy.

That's India in 2017.  No bullets or even rubber pellets were fired when the fanatics supporting Shambhu Bhawani went on rampage. There is open support being expressed in public for the person involved in the monstrous act.

Further, donations have been collected and money is being sent for help for Shambhu. Is this the India, our founding fathers dreamt of? Why there is no strong condemnation of this brazen killing and the manner in which support is being extended to the murderer?

*No strong statement from Chief Minister, Rajasthan as yet
*Forget BJP, even Opposition CONGRESS remains mum
*On the Udaipur rampage, attack on police and ruckus in court, NO WORD from Top Congress Leaders

LINK: PHOTO, STORY on this website

Terrorism in India: Radicalized Hindutva extremist kills and burns Muslim man, gets it recorded, shares it

If this is not terrorism, what else is?

Shambhulal Raigar alias Shambhu Bhawani, a right-wing fanatic, hacked a Muslim man to death, poured kerosene on him and burnt him--an incident that has shocked the nation.

He got the entire scene video-recorded (his own minor nephew was given the task) and seemed to have no compunction for the crime.

The victim--Afrazul, 50, was a poor labourer from West Bengal. He was befriended by Shambhu, who took the former to a desolate spot and then attacked him before burning him alive. The incident occurred in Rajsamand in Rajasthan. The state has witnessed several such crimes--ranging from Pahlu Khan's murder by cow vigilantes to the killing of Muslim folk singer Ahmad Khan.

"Khan is survived by his wife, mother and three daughters. His family is struggling to deal with medical expenditure of his 80-year-old mother who has been bedridden with paralysis for one year", says this report in The Hindu.

The initial reports of the horrific crime started coming from December 6. What was Afrazaul's fault? Nothing, except that he was a Muslim. The hate crime and the level of indoctrination of Raigar, which prompted him to kill the man with such brutality, shows the worrying level of hate in the country.

Who had radicalized Shambhu Raigar?

The initial probe suggested that Shambhu Raigar used to watch lot of videos on his mobile. The videos that peddled hate--talked about 'Love Jihad', a right-wing propaganda accusing Muslims of marrying Hindu girls.

With mainstream TV channels showing inflammatory videos and propaganda day after day, the distrust between communities has grown.

The tweet on the right (above) tells the state of Indian media.

The largest circulated English daily in the world, Times of India, suggests as if Afrazul was involved in any love affair--though it was not the case. Shambhu had become a fanatic, watching this sort of propaganda and videos on phone.

Propaganda is passed off as news on TV channels like Times Now, ZEE news, Sudarshan Channel, India TV and Republic.

The owners of these channels, media houses--Vineet Jain to Subhash Chandra, they can't escape the blame. History will never forgive them for passing off propaganda as news and dividing Indian society on communal lines.

A lie spoken a hundred times, becomes a truth. In India, the kind of hatred that is being fanned by the TV channels--both Hindi and English, apart from irresponsible print media, and the proliferation of social media where inflammatory messages are spread through Whatsapp and Facebook, has created this situation.

Devin Kelley kills 26 unarmed people including children in Texas church but US media calls him 'gunman', NOT terrorist

As many as 26 people including kids and unborn child were shot dead in a massacre in a Church in America.

The incident in Sutherland Springs Church in Texas, shocked the entire world.

But, the man, Devin Kelly, who ruthlessly killed the people of his own Church community (where his family prayed) was not termed 'Terrorist'.

Kelly shot children in the head, point blank, reports newspapers and TV channels.

Reports after reports informed about the gory scene--nothing but blood and children's bodies remaining on the scene of crime. LINK

The New York Times (NYT) mentions how he fired quickly, methodically, shooting his terrified victims--including small children--in the head. The report uses the word 'terrified' but won't term the man a terrorist. It calls him 'gunman'.

For American media and opinion makers, when a White kills, immediately he is a 'gunman' or someone with 'troubled childhood' or 'mental issues', as if it somehow justified or brings down the gravity of the crime.

READ: Terror attacks by white men in America and the Western World

Here lies the problem in USA. If it is their guy--the white, then he is not a terrorist. Only the 'other', person of different race or religion can be a terrorist. 

That's how the supposedly free media and the most advanced society in the world, deals with Terrorism. Cut the crap, call it what it is--Terrorism. There is a long list now--after every such incident, we hear terms like 'lone wolf', 'shooter', 'gunman' or 'psycho-killer'. And that's how America deludes itself.

LINK: Camera recorded Kelley shooting children point blank in the head
LINK: Teacher who lost eight family members in massacre reveals, pregnant wife had picked unborn child's name

Lack of surnames, less casteism among Indian Muslims in South India compared to North

The difference is so striking--so few surnames when I see any list of students in schools in Deccan.

Going through any school's annual magazine or list of toppers published in Urdu dailies, the thing that is easily noticeable is that there are hardly any surnames.

Most names--the first and second part, are names and you can't infer any caste or biradiri linkage.

This is so unlike North India, where 80-90% people have surnames.For example, in Deccan, students' names in schools are like below:

Khadija Begam, Hajra Bano, Habibun Nisa, Md Iftekhar, Yaqoob Ali, Saeed Ahmad. Now compare with North India schools.

Siddiqui, Khan, Quraishi, Sheikh, Ansari, Salmani, in more than 80% names in UP, MP, Delhi. The excessive focus on surnames and hence caste-link and caste perception.

Much difficult to find 'caste' or 'clan'. Hence, less caste feeling in the four southern states compared to North where majority of marriages are on caste lines, biradiris.

With surnames, comes the immediate perception. People form image, place the person in hierarchy, status in society. Happens less in schools, more as you grow up.

However, the names in schools-institutions suggest that in South Indian society, surnames are given hardly any importance. They are not too much part of identity or caste pride. Time for Northies to learn this too, from South. Isn't it!

Diwali celebrated at Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, Haji Ali: Communal Harmony Project-41

On the left is the photograph of Diwali celebration at Dargah Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi.

This is just one of the umpteen such photos that show how Dargahs-Khanqahs have been celebrating Hindu and Muslim festivals together.

Another photo below shows how the entire Dargah has been lit up. The photo is courtesy @suficulturalorg

There are photographs of Haji Ali, the famous Sufi Shrine in Mumbai, lighting up on the occasion of Diwali, too.

This photo is also attached here (on the right).

\\
That's how we have been living and celebrating together, for ages.

When hundreds of millions live together, there is shared culture, joining each other in festivals. A few people will always be negative or start 'whataboutery'.

Even in the darkest times, never lose hope. There are numerous good people around us. Also, many fall to propaganda.

While it is important to fight injustice. Also keep sharing info about diverse aspects of the society & culture. Many don't believe or dislike or raise questions This is a huge, huge country. There are incidents of hate, and also there is love, harmony.

So just because we see lot of hate, amplified on social media, we do report news of harmony and certain traditions too. It is all goodwill, being humane. Of course, there's no onus on anybody to follow anyone's rituals.

We can simply be humane, celebrate with our friends, join them in their festivities, wish them, be good, spread the positive news. Acrimony, anger, bitterness, whataboutery--everyday, on each post, its so bad.

Muslims have been celebrating and joining the festivities with Hindu, Sikh, Christian and devotees of other faiths. And it's true for adherents of other faiths too. Whoever believes in harmony and humanity, would always share his neighbours' festivities.

And someone who is a bigot, will always see negativity even in the most positive things. Thanks to Delhi Karvan also for sharing photo. Credit to them as well as SufiCulturalOrg.

[Harmony exists all around us but is often ignored. Instead, stories of hate, discord and communalism get spread easily.

There are a million examples in our daily lives across India but they don't get promoted, hence, news of hate and discord gets heard more. Let's change it, now.

[This post has been updated on October 28, 2019]

This is a small attempt to change it through Communal Harmony Project]

For reading similar reports on this blog, Click the link HERE and also find out more about Communal Harmony Project]

#Communalharmony #Communalharmonyproject #India

Hindus visit mosques, ask devout to recite verses to cure illness: Communal Harmony Project-40

He was standing at the gate of the mosque for quite sometime.

The youth with a 'tilak', around 22-23 year old, standing with an infant in his arms, outside.

'Phoonk padwana hai', he said. 'Bachcha bimaar hai'. I asked him, 'Dawa di".

He replied in affirmative and said that 'phoonk padwa lenge to jaldi theek ho jayega'. There was hardly anyone inside as the prayer time was over long back.

When my elderly cousin came out, I told him. He blew the air, reciting some verses. Though I had seen this in qasbahs a lot, it was a bit surprising to see it in city, even now. That was at Muttaqipur in Lucknow, last month.

Just when TV channels spread Islamophobia and we hear news about lynchings, hatred, at the same time such traditions and stories give you another perspective about the country, on the ground.

[Harmony exists all around us but is often ignored. Instead, stories of hate, discord and communalism get spread easily.

There are a million examples in our daily lives across India but they don't get promoted, hence, news of hate and discord gets heard more. Let's change it, now.

This is a small attempt to change it through Communal Harmony Project]

For reading similar reports on this blog, Click the link HERE and also find out more about Communal Harmony Project]

#Communalharmony #Communalharmonyproject #India

Muslims forego Muharram procession to fund Hindu man's treatment: Communal harmony project-39

Muslims in Kharagpur town in West Bengal, decided not take Muharram procession, as the money spent would be used to fund the treatment of a Hindu man.

In times, when people fight over religious processions and every year, processions grow bigger and there is a competition to take out them, it is a news with a difference.

Samaj Sangha Club will raise 50,000 for Abir  Bhunia, 35, a Hindu man, who is suffering from Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of immune system, reports Kaushik Dutta.

They have already given him Rs 6,000, the report in Hindustan Times further says. In fact, stories are spread all around us though they don't get due attention. Read the complete story here [LINK].

“Muharram processions can be organised every year. But we have to save the life first,” said Amjad Khan, secretary of Samaj Sangha. “We have started raising money. On Friday, after the namaz we will ask the imam in the mosque to announce a donation drive for Abir. We hope to raise a bigger amount than the budget for our procession,” said Khan.

Abir is full of gratitude. The household is facing several issues apart from his illness. After the gesture, others also came forward for support. Pradip Sarkar, chairman of Kharagpur municipality, said they would try to help Bhunia.

[Harmony exists all around us but is often ignored. Instead, stories of hate, discord and communalism get spread easily.

There are a million examples in our daily lives across India but they don't get promoted, hence, news of hate and discord gets heard more. Let's change it, now.

This is a small attempt to change it through Communal Harmony Project]

For reading similar reports on this blog, Click the link HERE and also find out more about Communal Harmony Project]

#Communalharmony #Communalharmonyproject #India

Duo arrested for slaughtering calf: Aim was to create communal tension but UP police took prompt action, foiled it

Add caption

Two persons have been caught for cow slaughter in Uttar Pradesh.

The accused--Ram Sewak Dixit and Mangal Dixit, have been arrested.

It was a person passing by the area, who saw the duo performing the slaughter in the field, when he informed the police.

Prompt action led to the arrest. Ram Sewak Dixit was caught red-handed, with blood on his hands and the sharp-edged weapon.

The aim was to cause a riot, reports Hindi newspapers. The links to some of the reports can be seen below.

Mercifully, it was a local resident [a Hindu man] who witnessed the scene, and informed Dial 100. Else, it could have led to communal tension or possibly a riot. After all, in any such case, the blame goes on Muslims.

Who would have believed that it was 'a conspiracy' to engineer a riot. Perhaps, the aim would have been to settle scores with someone, a neighbour whom they had old enmity, or long-term plan to cause riot and that would be used to grab land of Muslims and loot property.

Whatever, one hopes that the police probe would lead to more disclosures as to what was going on in the minds of the duo, that they committed the act. Even Sudarshan TV channels' website had to praise the 'fair and unbiased police action, notwithstanding the religion and caste of accused' [LINK].

*LINK: Dixit brothers arrested for cow slaughter in Gonda
*LINK: Two arrested for cow slaughter, booked under NSA too
*LINK: Duo caught for cow slaughter in Uttar Pradesh

Terrorism in America, West: Major terror attacks by White men, media terms them 'shooter' or 'gunmen'

As many as 50 persons were killed in one of the worst shooting incidents in American history.

But media was not using the word 'Terror'.

The person--even after his name appeared, remained a 'suspect'. That's how media functions.

If a brown, black, Asian is suspect, he is quickly the terrorist. Else, the word Terror is not even thought of. Even terms like 'extremist' are not used.

Wade Michael Page, Anders Breivik, James Holmes and Dylann Roof are never described as terrorists.

Rather, they are called 'Insane gunman', 'White supremacist', 'Temple shooter', 'Extremist' or 'Fundamentalist' in the media reports.

This practice is followed in all respectable TV channels, newspapers and websites.

There is quick conclusion that the White man was 'psychologically upset' or had a 'disturbed' childhood or was a 'lonely person'. Hence, terms like White supremacist, Insane gunman or Shooter are used.

That's journalism in 21st century. For more, do check posts on this blog.

LINKS:

1. Insane gunman or Temple shooter but NEVER a terrorist: Media must de-link terror from religion

2. When 'White terrorist' kills 10 students in Oregon, US media calls him lone wolf or gunman

3. Florida airport firing: Once name was known, 'terrorist' became 'gunman', headlines diluted

4. Majoritarianism, racism: Why Dylann Roof not called terrorist despite killing people in US?

5. Alexandre Bissonnette attacked mosque, killed people, was fan of extremist right-wing leaders but he was not called terrorist

Growing radicalization in Indian society: Shocking level of hate towards Rohingyas, other victims of violence

Indian govt doesn't want Rohingya refugees, that's the official stand.

It is government view, fine.

You don't like Rohingyas, it's your personal view, fine.

But if you hate them, call them 'criminals', enjoy demonising them, keep posting sick views, unable to suppress your feelings of hate towards humans in distress, shows the level of dehumanizing.

Lot of my 'friends' doing it, they even include women who seem to like (sic) pictures of suffering, fleeing men and women, children.

They are not moved by the images, stories of horror, in fact, there is an element of glee. If human sufferings--of women, kids don't move you, it shows  level of radicalization in sections of society, which was known to be TOLERANT.

Even during Syrian refugee crisis, there was to an extent this attitude that was visible on internet. But after Rohingya exodus, it manifests itself more clearly.

All very normal people, friends, Hindi journalists, who demonize the victims, can't conceal glee, when women-children suffer.

This hate overcomes everything and dehumanizes. It is a dangerous signal for Hinduism and Hindu society. A society that was once known for certain values, degrading. There are levels of sickness.

It's a symptom. Now we know what many people around us, 'friends', believe in--their real dark feelings--once they perhaps felt shy about expressing publicly. But now they can.

No leaders--social, political, spiritual or any reformer-statesmen in real sense. With minnows (as far as leaders are concerned) and bigots around, little hope for society.

When you are on the brink of getting de-humanised, it is really serious and strangely you don't realise what it can do to your society. Treat if you realise it. 

Halima Yacob becomes first women president of Singapore: Malay Muslim woman, daughter of Indian man at the helm

The daughter of an Indian father and a Malay mother, has become the President of Singapore.

Halimah Yacob, who is a a Malay Muslim minority and was the parliament speaker till recently, had quit the position last month.

On Thursday, she took over as the republic’s first woman president and the second Malay ever in the island republic to hold office as head of state.

 Her father was an Indian Muslim. He was a watchman. She was just eight when her father died. Halimah, 63, was born in Singapore. Her mother was a Malay.

A lawyer, Halimah practiced in the Singapore bar. Her husband Abdullah Alhabshee is a Malay. They have five children. Halimah was associated with People's Action Party.

There has been opposition to Halimah's election from certain quarters and it was termed that this was not a voter's election. Also, her race and her father's Indian link, was made an issue.

The last Malay president was Yusof Ishak. He held the office from 1965 till 1970, when he died. Though a ceremonial post, it has immense significance attached to it.

The premier, Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong, said that in the Chinese-majority, multiracial city state of 5.6 million people, it was “important that minorities have a chance to be elected president, and that this happens regularly”.

Six golden examples of Sikh-Muslim brotherhood: Centuries of common culture, close relations and coexistence

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

Just like Hindus-Sikhs or Hindus-Muslims, who have lived together for centuries and have shared heritage, Muslims and Sikhs too have a shared history.

There are glorious examples of coexistence, common culture, love and sacrifice for each other.

In Punjab, all the three religious communities lived together and hence there was bound to be shared culture.

Unfortunately, many people tend to create an impression that Sikhs and Muslims were in conflict. This is completely wrong.

A king or emperor's unjust acts or oppression, just because he happened to be a Muslim, doesn't mean that those acts were sanctioned by Islam. 

Similarly, a Sikh guru's fight against the oppressor doesn't mean that it was a fight against Islam--it was a fight against injustice, a fight for values.

A Muslim emperor was an emperor, not necessarily a role model for Muslims. In fact, on the ground, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, have lived in amity for ages. However, systematic propaganda causes conflict and portrays as if entire communities had enmity.

Just a few examples:

1. The closest companion of Guru Nanak was Bhai Mardana, a Muslim.

2. Miyan Mir, a Muslim saint, had laid down the foundation of Shri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple)

3. The works of Muslims like Baba Farid and Sheikh  Bhika, apart from Kabir, are part of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy text of Sikhs.

4. Once, Sikh Guru Hargobind Sahib found that local Muslims in an area had no place to pray, he got a mosque built for them. It still exists.

5. Many Muslims were part of the army of Guru Gobind Singh, when he was fighting Aurangzeb. Badruddin Shah alias Pir Buddhu was executed for supporting Guru Gobind Singh.

6.When there was order to kill the Guru's sons, the Nawab of Malerkotla opposed it and protested. As a result, Sikh guru blessed him. During partition, entire Punjab was in bloodshed but not a drop of blood fell on Malerkotla's land.

[Harmony exists all around us but is often ignored. Instead, stories of hate, discord and communalism get spread easily.

There are a million examples in our daily lives across India but they don't get promoted, hence, news of hate and discord gets heard more. Let's change it, now.

This is a small attempt to change it through Communal Harmony Project]

For reading similar reports on this blog, Click the link HERE and also find out more about Communal Harmony Project]

#Communalharmony #Communalharmonyproject #India

Will AAP, Arvind Kejriwal pay attention towards the plight of Urdu medium schools in Delhi?

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had come to power, promising that it will work for the common man, all sections of society.

In its manifesto, the party had said that it would address issues of Muslim community too and would earnestly work to redress the grievances.

On educational front, AAP government has lately been quite active and seems to have done its bit--from construction of school buildings to reining in private schools that charge excessive fee.

But when it comes to the Urdu medium schools, AAP hasn't shown much interest. The Urdu medium schools are crumbling, grapple with lack of teachers, non-availability of the most basic facilities.

Besides, there are fears about attempts to merge Urdu schools--just another way to bring their number down, before closing them.

If AAP is serious about education, then it should pay equal attention to Urdu schools in Delhi, which is not a huge state. Things can be sorted out faster in national capital.

Firstly, there is need to improve infrastructure--construction and repair of the dilapidated school buildings, upgrading the existing schools and opening new ones.

The demands include appointment of Urdu teachers, ensuring that the posts are filled (not kept vacant or surrendered) and premises are freed from encroachments.

In many schools, teachers who are not proficient in Urdu, are posted. Besides, there are no steps to ensure that Urdu is taught as third language in English and Hindi medium schools where students opt for the language but lack of teacher or management's disinterest has led to the situation that Urdu is not taught even as third language.

AAP had made promises to Urdu speakers. Its manifesto was in Urdu too. Hope the party takes action and shows sensitivity, else, it would be felt that AAP also played the 'Urdu card' at election time.

A delegation of All India Milli Council too called on Arvind Kejrwal a few days back, urging him to take steps in this regard.

 Urdu is an official language in Delhi government, however, the Urdu schools aren't given any priority. Link about delegation visit on TCN.

Dr Parvez Miyan led the delegation, which included Zaki Ahmad Beg, Hasina Hashim, Qari Asjad Qasmi, Sardar Darshan Singh, Mahmood  Husain, Victor Francis, M Imran, Devendra Bharti and S Ashraf Rizvi.

*Delhi government plan to merge Urdu schools

Terror in Haryana: 38 killed in statewide violence after Dera chief's conviction in rape case

38 people were killed after Dera Sacha Sauda chief was held guilty of rape and sexual exploitation.

*Entire Haryana was on the boil, hundreds were injured. 38 persons killed in the violence.

*People killed, bodies lying on the streets, vehicles burnt in Panchkula, violence in many towns.

*Violence on the streets in Haryana, parts of Punjab, Delhi and UP.

*Army had to be called out, policemen were attacked at several places.

*High Court chided Centre as well as State government for failure.

*Other than Panchkula, violence in Hisar, Sirsa, many other towns in Haryana too.

*Railway stations burnt, train compartments, buses, set afire. Arson in Delhi also.

*Arson, attacks in Punjab too.

*AK 47 assault rifle, revolvers, rifles seized from Gurmeet Singh's vehicles.

*Cases registered against 30,000 persons

*Hotels, buildings, petrol pumps, burnt. In Delhi, at least ten DTC buses burnt.

Also, two bogeys of Rewa Express at Anand Vihar Terminus burnt.

*Violence in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh too.

If this is not terror, then what else is?

Dera Sacha Sauda is a cult led by self-styled spiritual guru or Godman Gurmeet Singh Ram Raheem.

The Dera chief has been accused of murders too. The journalist who wrote against Dera, was killed.

There have been allegations that Sadhvis were sexually exploited in Ashram. Also, men in the inner circle were made impotent.

The Dera chief lived a lavish life, dressed as Pop artiste, made movies and acted as hero. Political parties went to him to get his support as dera has a strong following.

It is a shame that despite such accusations, he remained influential and enjoyed excellent rapport with top politicians of the country.

PM, CM and senior BJP, Congress leaders either met him and had photographs with him or congratulated him for his 'social work'.

Of late, he had been close to BJP but this failed to get him any reprieve. He has been convicted and given 20 year sentence. After he was held guilty, entire Haryana was on boil.

[Photo courtesy: Jaipal Singh, Indian Express]

Muslims serving Hindu devotees during annual Kanwar Yatra: Communal harmony project-37

The Kanwar Yatra is an annual event in North India.

Thousands of youths take the holy water to long distances and offer it on the deity--Lord Shiva.

The photograph on the left shows a Muslim man providing first-aid to a Hindu devotee, termed Kanwaria [Kanwariya]--youth taking the Kanwar.

The other photograph shows Muslim men offering sherbet to the devotees passing by the town. 

These photographs need to be published here because mainstream media doesn't provide space to them and ignores such examples of communal harmony.

During Muslim processions, Hindus offer sherbet at many places. And in case of Hindu processions, Muslim youths too offer their services. This is Indian culture.

Unfortunately, we live in an era when even such gestures, that are common in towns, need to be photographed and shared. 

It is because in big cities, where people have little time to interact and live in suburbs or gated communities, don't have any idea about this common culture and shared heritage.

Many just live on Twitter and Facebook [WhatsApp] now, not on streets or mohallas of the mixed townships in cities, qasbahs and villages. For them, it's a different world. Though it is the real India.

[Harmony exists all around us but is often ignored. Instead, stories of hate, discord and communalism get spread easily.

There are a million examples in our daily lives across India but they don't get promoted, hence, news of hate and discord gets heard more. Let's change it, now.

This is a small attempt to change it through Communal Harmony Project]

For reading similar reports on this blog, Click the link HERE and also find out more about Communal Harmony Project]

#Communalharmony #Communalharmonyproject #India

How Kashmiris take care of injured Hindus during Amarnath pilgrimage: Communal harmony project-36

This photograph speaks volumes about Kashmiri Muslims.

It shows local Muslim youths holding the glucose bottles in their hands, to provide immediate relief to Hindus injured in the Amarnath  Yatra mishap.

When the Hindu pilgrims were injured after the bus fell in the gorge, Kashmiri Muslims were first to reach the spot to treat the injured and provide first-aid.

"We are alive just because of the Kashmiri Muslim brothers", repeated pilgrims when cameramen reached the spot.

In fact, the victims seemed surprise that the Kashmiris cared for them, so much. This is because of TV-WhatsAPP-social media propaganda.

Nearly 17 pilgrims died while around 30 were injured when a bus skidded off the Jammu-Srinagar highway on July 16.

Local Kashmiris rushed to the spot, did their best to save the injured and got medication.

Certain TV channels may consistently target them and defame them, but it is these Kashmiris who are role models. The self-styled 'nationalist journalists' must realise they spew venom against Kashmiris but can't help anyone on the ground.

It is the local Muslims who ensure that Hindu pilgrims complete the Yatra, safely. Whenever there is trouble, it is the Kashmiri Muslims who show their humanity and come first. You may get irked by terms like 'Kashmiriyat' but the truth is that this is real humanity.

When Junaid is killed in a train in Haryana, Akhlaq lynched in his house in UP, Pahlu Khan murdered in Rajasthan and Muslims being lynched by 'gau rakshaks', Indian Muslims and Kashmiri Muslims show the way.

Our society--predominantly, most Hindus and Muslims are peace loving. But TV channels and propaganda on WhatsApp has turned a section into lumpen hate-mongers. Sadly, even such incidents did not get enough space on TV and in newspapers.

[Harmony exists all around us but is often ignored. Instead, stories of hate, discord and communalism get spread easily.

There are a million examples in our daily lives across India but they don't get promoted, hence, news of hate and discord gets heard more. Let's change it, now.

This is a small attempt to change it through Communal Harmony Project]

For reading similar reports on this blog, Click the link HERE and also find out more about Communal Harmony Project]

#Communalharmony #Communalharmonyproject #India

Why media is surprised over Lashkar's terrorist Sandeep Sharma?

When the police busted a terror module, they claimed arresting Sandeep Sharma, a Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist.

The news was played up as, 'Lashkar's Hindu terrorist arrested', as if it was something rare.

In fact, soon after his name appeared, there were speculations and also immediate follow-up stories that how he fell in love with a girl and took to militancy.

There was a sense of bewilderment. It is true that we haven't heard about many Hindu names in Jammu & Kashmir's militancy. But thousands of Hindus have been involved with terrorist and extremist groups in India.

ULFA, which is also banned terror outfit, just like Lashkar, has had thousands of militants in its cadre over the last three decades or so.

The group [ULFA] has been solely responsible for the highest number of deaths due to insurgency-militancy in India. There are dozens of such groups in North East.

The Maoist terrorism also has nearly 90% Hindu cadre. They have been responsible for terror attacks, have killed ex-ministers, politicians like former Union minister VC Shukla, attacked and blown up buildings and installations for decades.

The right-wing terror groups have been involved in dozen-odd attacks ranging from Malegaon to Mecca Masjid attack. Names like Ramchandra Kalsangra, Sandeep Dange, Amit alias Ashish, who have been wanted for over 100 killings in Samjhauta Express and other bombings are still, absconding.

Then, from LTTE to Abhinav Bharat and anatan Sanstha, there have been extremist and terror groups with huge Hindu membership. Remember, former RSS' members were not just arrested but convicted and jailed for attack on Ajmer Dargah.

As far as Sandeep Sharma is concerned, he is basically from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh. He was a welder who took to crime and later became a face of Lashkar-e-Toiba. He was close to Bashir Ahmad Wani.

LINK:

*LeT has a Hindu face, his name is Sandeep Sharma LINK

Modern Indian history: Cow vigilantes' terrorism, lynching Muslims over beef rumours, merciless killings

For any Indian, it is one of the saddest period.

Right-wing extremism has reached a stage where cow vigilantes' atrocities and incidents of lynching have become a regular affair.

Muslims are being targeted, killed by mobs. A teenaged Muslim gets killed in train because mob assumed that because he is a Muslim, he would be consuming beef.

This happened near Delhi. In other parts of India, the law-and-order has deteriorated exactly in the same fashion. Any Muslim can be killed or lynched over a rumour.

A man carrying cow to his home for milk is killed just because he is a Muslim. Another carrying meat is killed because it is believed that the meat would be nothing but beef.

No police complaint, seizure or lab test is required.

This is 21st century India, where Muslims can be killed at will.

When an armyman's father can be killed by a mob after announcement from a temple that his fridge had beef, one could perhaps have an idea about the situation.

Muslims never thought that they who gave their blood for India's freedom, would one day have to go through it.

In UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, everywhere Muslims are being attacked over rumours or suspicion of carrying beef.

Till a couple of years, it would have been unbelievable that lawlessness would take over the country, so fast.

That the state would not be able to control the right-wing lumpens and that the vigilantes would rule the streets.

But this has happened within a few years, a very short time.

The fact is that the right-wing Hindutva extremism had been rearing its head in India since 1980s.

The rise of militant organisations like Bajrang Dal, which openly give arms' training to its cadre, should have woken up the state.

But the authorities remained lenient towards them, even during Congress regimes.

Social media revolution has given it a fillip and took it to next level. After Facebook, it was WhatsApp that was increasingly used to spread propaganda and hate in Indian society.

The result is cow vigilante groups who seem to have the licence to attack or kill anybody. No one knows when the State would act against them. Accuse anyone of smuggling a cow or consuming beef, and then kill the person--it has become so simple.

That's 21st century India.

One hates to post such pictures. But there is no other option. One has to post them. After all, this is happening in India each and every day. We must accept that we are one of the most inherently violent societies.

Unless we accept it, we can't make efforts to change it. We must rise, stand for humanity, fight the fascist forces, take on the extremists and save this nation. If we don't do it right now, it may be too late. 

Stop Lynching Muslims in India: Eid celebrated, Muslims wear Black Bands to protest killings

In an unprecedented show of solidarity with people who have been lynched across the country, Muslims across India wore a black band on their arms, on the day of Eid Ul Fitr.

It was a protest that that had no Muslim leaders or clerics behind it. The call was given by ordinary Muslims who have seen India turning into Lynch Land.

While celebrating Eid, Indian Muslims remembered how innocent Muslims have been lynched by self-styled cow vigilantes, right-wing extremist groups and radicalised mob over the period of last few months.

We remembered Junaid, the young Hafiz-e-Quran who was lynched in a train near Ballabhgarh.

We also remembered Pahlu Khan, who was killed by a mob in Rajasthan. 

We remembered Ghulam Muhammad who was lynched in Bulandshahar, too

We remembered Md Salman, Mazloom Ansari and all other innocents lynched.

We remember how Najeeb remains untraceable and his mother fights for justice.
We remembered Pappu who was killed after returning from Taravih prayers
We remembered Abu Hanifah, Riazuddin, Md Nayeem, Sajjad, Alim, Md Siraj...
We remembered Minhaj Ansari, Imtiaz...
We remembered Md Akhlaq, Zahir Ahmad...
We remembered Noman...

And all others who were killed by vigilantes or those who false accused victims of consuming beef or carrying bovines or for similar reasons.

In the last few months, the lynching incidents have occurred all over North India.


We see right-wing extremists have taken over administration and killers are let off easily.

While praying in the Idgahs and mosques, Muslims prayed for the safety of Indians, prosperity for the entire country and also prayed to God to save Muslims from the lynch mob.

On Facebook and Twitter, the photographs were uploaded to tell the government to wake up and rein in the killers.

The hashtags like #BlackbandagainstLynchRaj and #StopKillingMuslims began trending from Sunday evening.

Even in foreign countries--USA and Gulf, NRIs wore black bands as mark of solidarity. Let's vow to uphold democratic values, fight against fascism and make efforts to save our country.

Save India. Save Humanity.

Will Rajasthan showcase lynching incidents, extremists' arms training camps, extremists' acts to attract Tourists?

Rajasthan is considered among the most tourist friendly states in the country.

But lately, incidents of lynchings, mob attacks, vigilantism and right-wing group's terror camp is keeping it in the news.

Law-and-order seems to have collapsed in this state. An elderly man, Pahlu Khan, was lynched in Rajasthan.

But Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje didn't speak a word, despite wide criticism. Mob attacks and vigilantism are becoming increasingly common in the State.

People with saffron bands can attack a hotel, believing that it served beef (though lab tests later confirmed it was chicken) and thrash a woman, forcing her to say 'Jai Shree Ram'.

Then, Bajrang Dal activists openly impart arms' training to youngsters. A middle-aged man who tries to stop people from taking photographs of women who were going for defecation, gets lynched. The authorities aren't interested in taking action.

Is this how Rajasthan will showcase itself? The reputation of Rajasthan is getting sullied. The state is now getting known for crumbling law-and-order and reign of right-wing lumpens who seem to have become law unto themselves.

They may not be worried about innocents getting murdered and vigilantes taking over from police and administration. But do Union government and Rajasthan authorities realise the danger of such negative publicity?

Rajasthan seems to be giving competition to Jharkhand and UP in such incidents. In fact, it is faring worse.

*Woman brutally thrashed, made to say 'Jai Shree Ram'. [June 15] LINK

*Muslim man lynched in Rajasthan. [June 16] LINK

*Arms training camp in Hanumangarh in Rajasthan. LINK

*Pahlu Khan lynched in Rajasthan. LINK

Hypocrisy over cow slaughter in India: Muslims don't consume beef but are unfairly blamed, constantly targeted

The Congress workers said that they slaughtered the cow to protest the beef ban.

In Kerala and many other states, beef is consumed by the Hindu populace.

Though in North Indian states, it is illegal and there are strict laws against cow slaughter.

BJP-RSS stand on beef keeps changing, depending on party's poll prospects in a state. It changes from region to region, leader to leader. There is no clarity.

They speak in a different voice in North India and a different voice in South, North East, Eastern India and states like Goa. Principally, BJP is against beef consumption as it feels it is against nation's thous though the most indigenous tribal have been beef eaters.

On one hand, BJP's Hindu leaders have repeatedly said that they have no problem with beef, its Muslim face Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had said that the beef eaters should be sent to Pakistan.

1. Apart from the incident, beef fests were organised in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. They were all Hindus who were performing cow slaughter and eating beef. LINK

2. Muslims avoid beef because the Hindu majority considers cow as a holy animal. Mostly, it is the Hindu populace in different parts of the country--South, East, North Eastern States and Tribal regions, that consume beef.

3. In Goa, where BJP has been the ruling party, beef is not banned. In North Eastern states,  BJP has openly said that it is not against beef. In Kerala, its leaders have offered 'quality beef' in case they are elected.

4. Union minister Kiran Rijiju had said that he consumed beef and no one can force their dietary preferences on him.

5. Even, RSS leaders who went to North East, said that a person who consumes beef could join the Sangh.

6. Former defence minister Manohar Parrikar had said that government can't take position on issues like consumption of beef. "Beef consumption is a matter of personal opinion", he had said. LINK

7. BJP leader quit party over beef ban. Three days after saying the would reduce beef prices in Meghalaya if he were elected, Bernard N Marak quit BJP, stating that the party was trying to impose its ideology on people. He had said that in Meghalaya, most BJP leaders eat beef. LINK and LINK

Later, another BJP leader Bachu Marak resigned from party against the cattle trade legislation. He said that beef was staple food in Meghalaya. 5,000 members of BJP also quit the party, unhappy with BJP move. LINK

8. BJP leader in Karnataka, Vaman Acharya, who is party spokesman, said Brahmins used to slaughter cows and ate beef, in the past. Later, he retracted the statement, saying he wanted to close the issue. Clearly, he seemed to avoid controversy or under pressure now. LINK

9. Tarun Vijay says that eating habits of North Indians can not be imposed across the country. In an article in Panchjanya, he wrote that cow vigilantes should read likes of Vivekananda and VD Savarkar to understand that habits of people in N Indian can't be imposed across country. LINK

Still, right-wing groups use the issue of 'beef' to target Muslims. Muslims do eat buffalo meat, which is wrongly termed 'beef' in English media. Unfortunately, Muslims are nowhere in picture, they respect laws and even the sentiments of the Hindus, yet, they remain on target.

When it comes to cow vigilantism, the Muslims are targeted. Laws are applied in such a manner that a person is booked even if he is not carrying beef--as the sample would be tested later. Even an armyman's father, Akhlaq, was murdered over a 'suspicion that there was beef in the fridge of his house'.

Six lynched in Jharkhand: Photo that should haunt us, Indians, inhabitants of the land of 'non-violence'

Will this photograph haunt us, Indians, for long?

A man--Mohammad Naeem, begging for his life, yet, the mob killed him in cold blood.

The man was not alone. Apart from him, Md Sajjad alias Sajju, Siraj and Md Alim. were also killed.

The incident occurred at Shobhapur near Rajnagar, which is 45 km from Jamshedpur. All the victims were cattle-traders.

Apparently, there was a rumour that children were being abducted from the area though police said that there no such complaint, and no incident of child theft was reported.

"Villagers got information that some people are taking kid in car. They came out armed and surrounded Shobhapur. It was alleged that one Muslim man, Murtaza Ansari, was protecting them.

Mob accused him of saving them and Murtaza asked the mob to check the vehicle.

But the mob didn't buge", reports Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar.

The mob went on rampage, rummaging houses and setting afire property.

Victims were baten to death. Naeem succumbed to injuries on way to hospital.

The houses of Shamsul Haq and Azizul Haq were burnt.

Police officers's vehicles including Tata Sumo and Indigo were also burnt.

ANOTHER INCIDENT OF MOB LYNCHING IN JHARKHAND

Apart from the incident, three more persons were lynched in Jharkhand.

Gangesh Gupta, Vikas Verma and Gautam Verma were killed in cold blood. This incident occurred in Nagadih.

The elderly grandmother of one of the victims, Ramsakhi, was also brutally beaten.

Her condition is reported to be critical. BJP is in power in Jharkhand, and there is no statement from the top party leaders, condemning the killings.

UPDATE: Reports suggest that the figure of deaths is SEVEN (7). LINK

Another day, Another attack: Muslim man lynched, Hindu farmers brutally beaten by cow vigilantes

Lynchings, mob attacks, vigilantism--that seems to have become the order of the day in India.

A Muslim man was beaten to death in his house in Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, just because he was supportive of an inter-religious marriage.

The Hindu Yuva Vahini members barged into his house, abducted middle-aged Ghulam Muhammad, took him away and thrashed him until he died.

The Hindu Yuva Vahini is an extremist Hindu group, which was formed by Yogi Adityanath, who is now UP's chief minister.

Locals said that members of the Vahini were behind the attack and murder. There are barely a couple of Muslim families in this village in Bulandshahar. Now, after the incident, they plan to move out.

From Pahlu Khan to Akhlaq, from Mazloom Ansari to Najeeb Ahmad, the stories of Muslim men disappearing--either killed, lynched or taken away, never to return, it is becoming a regular affair now.

As private armies or right-wing Hindu militias keep growing in size, the incidents are increasing. Along with Muslims, a few Hindus here and there too bear the brunt of these attacks. In North India, the situation is worst.

The other incident took place close to national capital Delhi. It happened in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh. Two Hindu farmers were brutally beaten.

Their fault--they were carrying cows along with them. Bhoop Singh and Jabar Singh were intercepted by self-styled 'Gau Rakshaks'--a term that means protectors of cows.

"We kept telling them that we are Hindus, farmers but they kept accusing us of being cow smugglers and started thrashing us", said the victims, who later lodged an FIR.

"They abused us verbally and kicked us on the stomach and even the face. We collapsed on the ground but they continued beating us". While this was happening, no one intervened. [TOI report]

Hindu Sena leader crushes Muslim youth to death in Bhopal

In yet another incident of extremist groups' violence, Hindu Sena district chief killed a Muslim youth, Salman, by crushing him to death under a SUV. This incident occurred in MP Nagar in Bhopal.

Salman was beaten brutally and later his head was struck against a tanker. The Hindu Sena leader Shivaji Patil later crushed Salman to death on the spot, with his car, and escaped. He was later arrested.

Cow Vigilantes' Terror: Two more Muslims killed in India, mob lynches them in Assam

Two more Muslims have died--victims of Cow Terror.

Abu Hanifa and Riyazuddin were lynched by a mob in Assam.

Clearly, terror in the name of cow continues in India.

This is the worst form of Terrorism in the world, where people kill in the name of cow. They feel that they can kill anyone and have moral right to decide whether someone is guilty or not.

Akhlaq was killed because it was imagined that the meat in his fridge was not of goat but cow. Similarly, the mob decided that Abu Hanifa and Riyazuddin were cow thieves.

So they got the 'authority' to kill them in cold blood. Both of them were beaten to death. The incident occurred in Nagaon district. The Kachamari Pathar village is just 130 km from State capital.

Soon after the incident, in which two people were murdered, the cops had started claiming that 'it was not a case of cow vigilantism'. How? Why such hurry to give a clean-chit, instead of focusing on crime of such magnitude.

Even before probe, it was termed that they were 'cow thieves'. So where is the need for police or law-enforcing agencies?The self-styled 'Gau Rakshaks' are on a spree of attacks, violence and killings across India.

The prime target are Muslims, and in some cases Dalits too. Occasionally, non-Muslims have also been beaten or tortured. Like in Una in Gujarat, where Dalits who skin dead animal, were tortured by right-wing extremists.

1. In Bihar, a man honked at a cow and he was attacked, resulting in damage to his eyesight. LINK

2. In Delhi, a woman tried to shoo away a cow and she later nearly escaped the violent mob. LINK
Ganesh Mandal or Sharmila's case are exceptions.

3. Jabar Singh and Bhoop Singh brutally beaten by cow vigilantes in Noida. LINK

OLD INCIDENT 2015: Gulli alias Phool CHaran kills two friendsGulla Soma and Ganesh Bhilala in Damoh as he suspected they were involved in transportation of cows. LINK

4. Tribal** accused of cow slaughter, dies in police custody.

5. Appu Malviya was brutally beaten by vigilantes in Ujjain. He was thrashed, kicked, beaten with belts publicly. LINK & LINK

6. Sheikh Bismillah, 27, and his uncle Sheikh Siddique, 65, had gone to sell buffalo meat when they were attacked, brutally beaten in Washim in Maharashtra. The assailants accused them of selling beef. "It was buffalo meat. They just won't listen", victims said. The incident occurred in Washim in Maharashtra. Shockingly, after they were assaulted, they two persons were booked under section 295 (A) of IPC. The police said that they seized meat and sent samples for test to the lab. The attackers were seen shouting slogans and forcing the duo to chant 'Jai Shri Ram', slapping, punching and kicking them repeatedly, and ordering them to come to the police station with them. Later, police booked seven persons for the assault. LINK & LINK

**Elderly Kodar Gamar was arrested under the newly enacted cow protection law for allegedly slaughtering bovines, reported HT. Gamar, in his 60s, was arrested and was in the custody of Sabarkantha police. He died. A judicial probe has been ordered.

7. Muslims are the main target. In national capital, Delhi, just over a week ago, Muslim cattle transporters--Rizwan, Ashu and Kamil, were brutally beaten. This happened in Kalkaji. LINK and LINK.

They hailed from Pataudi, Haryana. They were stopped, pulled out of vehicle, beaten up. The police had to save them. The attackers claimed to be 'animal rights activists' and representing People for Animals (PFA).

8. Self-styled 'gau rakshaks' beat up people for buffalo slaughter, a man thrashed even as he is escorted by police. The incident occurred in Aligarh. See video

9. Five members of a family including a nine-year-old girl injured in attack by cow vigilantes in Jammu & Kashmir in April. The girl suffered multiple fractures. The family was moving with their livestock. "One of our children, a 10-year-old, is still missing. We don't know whether he is alive or dead. They even beat our elders very badly. They wanted to kill us and throw our bodies into the river". LINK

10. Shivam, a BA student, stabbed after cow vigilantes thought he was a journalist [photographer] and was not taking the photograph of their protest. LINK

11. Yet another cow vigilante attack in Jharkhand. Ainul Ansar attacked, cops later save him. He insists that it was meat, not beef. This incident occurred in Darbhanga (Jharkhand) on June 7. LINK

12. 100 cow vigilantes had surrounded Hayat Rabbani hotel in Jaipur, wanted owner to be handed to them, alleging that it sold beef. The incident had occurred on March 19.  Now, forensic lab report reveals that it was not beef. LINK

Over the last three years, there have been numerous cases of attacks and killings. The most recent case was that of Pahlu Khan, who was killed in Rajasthan. However, the State government, did not take the crime seriously and even one of its ministers tried to play it down, ending up blaming victim.

13. Officials of Tamil Nadu's Animal Husbandry Department had bought cows and calves from Jaisalmer for a Central government's breeding programme when they were attacked near Rajasthan's Barmer. The cow vigilantes also attempted to set fire to one of the trucks which had the animals inside, the police said. The cows would have been burnt alive had they not been rescued by the police. LINK

14. [June 20] Cow vigilantes strip, tie to tree and beat up three people mercilessly in Etah in Uttar Pradesh. They alleged that these were cow smugglers. A cop seen in video but couldn't do anything. LINK

15. [June 24]. Junaid, 16, stabbed to death in train, when he was returning after Eid shopping from Delhi to Ballabhgarh in Haryana. Called Pakistani and termed beef eater because of their dress and skullcap, assailants attack Junaid, a Hafiz-e-Quran, and his brothers in train. LINK & LINK

16. [June 25] Three Muslim men lynched in Dinajpur in West Bengal over suspicion that they were involved in cow theft. LINK

17. Muslim men--Abu Hanifah and Riyazuddin lynched in Assam, reports Al Jazeera. READ

So far, just a case has been registered and two persons detained, says this PTI report. LINK

18. NOT BEEF. [June 27] Otera Bibi, 42, a mentally challenged woman, lynched in West Bengal. LINK

19. [June 28] Mob attacks house of Usman Ansari in Jharkhand, burns the house, clashes with police, he gets injured, survives. LINK

20. [June 29] Alimuddin alias Asghar Ali lynched in Ramgarh in Jharkhand. Mob accused him of taking beef in a van. LINK & LINK

21. NOT BEEF. [June 30]. Two more lynched in Bihar over suspicion of theft, beaten to death. The victims, two Dalits--Baban Musahar and Murahu killed in Rohtas district. LINK & LINK

22. [July 9] Eight killed, all of them Hindus. They were going to rescue their kin who had been caught and kept hostage by 'Gau Rakshaks'.

In Jhajhar in Haryana, Xylo had a collision with a trailer truck. Eight died--Randhir, Ramu, Raju Ram, Raju son of Bhima, Jagdish, Birbal, Bhagirath and Sukhendra. They were going to get their relatives released who had been caught by Gau rakshaks. Victims belonged to Mehrana in Charkhi Dadri. LINK

23. [June 9]  Victims belonged to Mehrana in Charkhi Dadri. LINK

24. July 14: Muslim man beaten in Nagpur over false charge that he was carrying beef. Kept insisting that it was mutton, not beef [later a lab test suggested it was beef]. The victim Salim Ismail Shah is general secretary of BJP's Katol taluka minority cell. LINK

25. July 14: Muslim family attacked on train in Uttar Pradesh. Mob brutally attacked entire family including women and a disabled son too, with rods and sticks. Saying, 'kill them, they are Muslims'. LINK

26. Shailesh and his mother Maniben mercilessly beaten in Anand in Gujarat. Over 100 persons attacked their house for allegedly skinning dead cow. LINK & LINK & LINK

27. Elderly Lal Din beaten by cow vigilantes for moving with cattle in Rajauri in Jammu-Kashmir on August 27. LINK [see Photo].

28. Two Muslim boys--Hafizul Sheikh, 19, and Anwar Husain, 19, killed by cow vigilantes in West Bengal. Lynched on suspicion of being cow thieves on August 27. LINK

29. Mohammad Umar killed by cow vigilantes in Alwar (Rajasthan), body thrown on track to pass it off as accident [November 14, 2017]. LINK

30. Four minors in jail for three months on charges of cow slaughter since december 29, 2017. They were picked up from Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar on charges of alleged cow slaughter, include a nine month old infant.

31. [April 30, 2018] Man held for cow slaughter dies in custody in UP; Gujjars threaten protests. The victim, Narendra Kumar, 34, died. Cops to drop cow slaughter charges. LINK

32. Mohammad Riyaz, 45,  killed by cow vigilantes in Satna in Madhya Pradesh. Shakil, 35, critical, in hospital. Riyaz survived by his wife and kids. LINK

READ: From minor boy Imatiaz's murder in Jharkhand to Pehlu Khan's killing in Rajasthan


COW TERROR AND LYNCHING INCIDENTS IN LAST COUPLE OF YEARS

Mohsin Sheikh, killed in Pune, because he had a beard (June, 2014)
Noman killed in Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh by cow terrorists.
Zahir Ahmad killed in Udhampur on rumours
Syed Farid Khan lynched in Dimapur, Nagaland on March 5, 2015
Akhlaq was killed in his house in Dadri in UP.
Md Mazloom Ansari and Imtiaz, lynched and hanged by tree on March 18, 206  
Md Ayub Pandit lynched by a mob in Kashmir
Md Saddam and Farooq, students, lynched in Imphal in Manipur on April 7, 2016.    
Ajju Husain, a resident of Chittorgarh, cattle trader, paraded naked and lynched    
Md Ayyub, a resident of Gujarat, taking his catle lynched in Gujarat on September 2016
Md Salik, Salman in Bhopal

OLD 2016 list on this blog HERE

Attacks Against Muslims, Lynching, Hate Crimes [Other than cow-beef killings]

*[May 29]: Muslim youths returning from Taravih, shot at in Gonda, UP. One of them, Pappu, 23, killed.

*[June 24] 70-year-old Muslim cleric shot dead inside a mosque by unidentified persons who had also thrown meat [pork] in the mosque in Mau. LINK, LINK & LINK

*[June 25] Md Salman, 19, shot by cops after dragging him from his house in Jharkhand. He had just returned after buying new clothes, itr and belt for Id. LINK & LINK

*July 1. Journalist M Atharuddin saved himself, his 91-yr-old father, 85-yr-old mother, wife and kids from Bajrang Dal terrorists by chanting 'Jai Shree Ram'. They threatened, say it, else we will burn the car. LINK

*July 2: Police fire at Muslims, kill Yaqub Ali. The victim is among those protesting action against 'doubtful voters.  He was shot dead. LINK

*September 21: Middle-aged Nabi Ahmad lynched, Azmat critical in Farrukhabad, UP. Nabi Ahmads's son says his father's beard led to his identification as Muslim and the attack. LINK

*December 6: Middle-aged Muslim man, Afrazul, burnt alive by Shambhu Lal Regar alias Shambhu Bhawani in Rajsamand in Rajasthan. The latter was radicalized by watching propaganda and videos. LINK

*June 13, 2018: Two men killed on suspicion of cattle theft by self-styled cow vigilantes in Godda in Jharkhand. Murtuza Ansari and Charku Ansari, lynched. LINK

*June 18, 2018: Cow vigilantes' terror continues, attack two Muslims in Hapur in UP. One of them, Qasim, succumbed, first. LINK

*December 3, 2018: A police official Subodh Kumar Singh & a youth, Sumit, killed in mob attack on police in Bulandshahr after crowd mobilized over rumorus of alleged cow slaughter. LINK

2018

Horrific crimes, violence, terror against Muslims 

*Eight-year-old girl raped, tortured and murdered by special police officer (SPO) Deepak Khajuria, who was entrusted with the task to find her. Later, rally was taken out by Hindu Ekta Manch in support of Khajuria, demanding his release. It carried national flag. BJP leaders including ministers joined it. LINK, LINK and LINK

*'Bajrang Dal' men chop woman’s fingers, break son’s hands in Gujarat. LINK

*Sri Sri's threat: India will turn into Syria if Ram Mandir issue is not resolved. LINK

May 2: Muslim man lynched in Bikaner, Rajasthan over 'Love Jihad'. LINK

April end: A convert to #Islam was beaten up, his beard shaved off and forced to convert to Hinduism by Hindu extremist mob in Shamli, #UttarPradesh.

April: Man--Abhishek Mishra cancels Ola drive as driver was Muslim. This sparks outrage on social media. Ola responded that it doesn't distinguish on the basis of religion.

May 2: Armed group of affron radicals enter campus, attack students, brutally beat them up in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). Later, cops also arrived, lathi-charge. LINK

May 1: After threatening and disrupting Namaz, Gurgaon outfits demand: that Namaz should be allowed only in areas with over 50% Muslims. LINK

December 3, 2018: Shiv Sena for compulsory sterilisation of Muslims, Christians owing to 'national security'. LINK

December 30, 2018: Cow vigilantes brutally beat Mohammad Sagheer in Alwar, Rajasthan. He survives lynching bid, undergoing treatment in hospital. LINK

May 2, 2022: Cow vigilantes linked to Bajrang Dal and Ram Sene attacked tribals. Dhan Shah Inwati and Sampat, were accompanied by a third person, Brajesh, when they were attacked by suspected Bajrang Dal members. This is another instance of Hindus killed over possession of suspicious meat.