New Delhi, May 31, 2023 (PPI-OT): Events organised recently by the unabashed Hindutva protagonists, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, in Chitrakoot district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh saw several speakers delivering hate speeches targeting Muslims and calling for their economic boycott. Participants at an event brandished weapons openly with organisers also giving arms training. “Firearms training at “Shaurya Prashikshan Varg” camp organised by Bajrang Dal,” tweeted the handle along with a video clip making rounds on social media. Shaurya Prashikshan Varg means Groups for Training in Bravery. Sourya Prashikshan Vargas is conducted for 6 to 15 days in almost all the provinces of the country to impart arms training to the members of the organizations.
The video of arms training shows several men, wearing a particular uniform and saffron pagdi (headwear), carrying firearms jumping over leaping flames and taking positions of shooting and attacking. A few men are helping them in the training while a large number of people watched from a distance. Another video portrays hate speeches delivered at an event organized by VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders in Chitrakoot itself. A Bajrang Dal leader delivered anti-Muslim hate speech, where he promoted conspiracy theories and called for an economic boycott and violence.
In the video, a speaker can be seen calling for violence, economic boycott and making hate speeches against Muslims amid chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’. The 10-minute video is full of derogatory words used for Muslims. “This is our motherland. We will live and die for it and will kill if any anti-national comes up. Those who dream of ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’ should not forget that 100 crore Hindus will stand up for the motherland. Listen up, the administration does not protect our religion,” the speaker said aggressively.
He claimed that they were being punished in the name of brotherhood while Muslims, who believe in Sir Syed Ahmed’s ideology, are looking for another partition as their intentions are not good. “These mullahs (Muslims) have a desire for a new country,” said the speaker, who is described as a Bajrang Dal leader. The speaker also advocated an economic boycott of Muslims. He urged Hindus not to get their bikes serviced in Muslim shops and not get their hair cut at the shops of the “progeny of Babar”, a derogatory term used for Muslims.
The local police are yet to respond to these events despite the Supreme Court having said in an order that they should take suo moto cognisance of hate speech and file a case even though no one files a complaint in this regard.
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