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2022 Khargone violence

On 10 April 2022, a clash between Hindus and Muslims occurred in the city of Khargone, Madhya Pradesh. It took place between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm, in the midst of a Ram Navami procession organised by a Hindu nationalist organisation allied to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).[7] At 5:00 pm, when Muslims were gathering for evening prayers at the neighbouring Jama Masjid, the procession had not yet departed from the city's central Talab Chowk area.[5]

2022 Khargone violence
Part of Religious violence in India, Bulldozer politics
Date10 April 2022
Location
Talab Chowk, Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, India
Caused byConflict during Shobha Yatra on Ram Navami
MethodsArson, Stone Pelting
Casualties
Death(s)1[1][2]
Injuries20,[3] including an SP[4]
Arrested175[5]
Damage30 buildings and vehicles burnt[4]
16 homes and 32 shops demolished[6]
Map

Stones were pelted by both sides, houses and vehicles were set on fire, and several shots were fired, in which multiple people were injured, including a police officer.[4] By the next day, 77 people, mostly Muslim, were arrested and a temporary curfew was imposed.[8] Several days later, the number of people arrested climbed to 175, of whom only 14 were not Muslim.[9][10][11][12]

The BJP state government retaliated by demolishing the establishments where violence erupted, mostly those of Muslims.[12][13][14] The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan of the Bharatiya Janata Party, said the government would take "strict action" against the rioters.[15][16] He defended the decision to demolish properties and said it was intended to "instil fear of financial losses among the accused".[17] The government was criticized for its apparent attempts to deliver 'bulldozer justice'.[18][19]

Background

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The Hindu festival of Ram Navami, a celebration of the Hindu deity Rama's birth, occurs on the ninth day (Navami) of the Chaitra month of the Hindu calendar, usually between March and April. In the year 2022, the festival fell during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a form of synchronisation that occurs roughly once every 33 years.[20] On the day of Ram Navami, large processions called Shobha Yatras were held by the Sangh Parivar Hindu nationalists across India, and numerous Hindu–Muslim clashes occurred.[21][22][23] The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holding power in India has been blamed for the religious polarisation that led to the clashes.[24][25]

Khargone had an early infusion of Hindu nationalist politics when an RSS branch was set up in 1939. After India gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, Indian National Congress politician Ram Chandra Bade switched to the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the precursor of the modern Bharatiya Janata Party, and won the legislative assembly seat of Khargone in 1952. He won the Lok Sabha seat in 1962.[26] Despite winning several elections since then, the (BJP) has been not been as successful in recent years, having lost 9 out of 10 seats in the region in the 2018 Legislative Assembly elections.[27] Opposition parties accused it of having made efforts to instigate communal violence in order to regain political advantage.[27] During the previous years, over half a dozen incidents occurred where mosques and Muslims were targeted during festivals.[28]

Residents said that free screenings of the film The Kashmir Files had been arranged in Khargone in March 2022.[29][30] Reviews of the film had noted its depiction of graphic violence[31] as decontextualized, one-sided and islamophobic.[32][33][34]

Incidents

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Processions

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A community of Raghuvanshis located in Khargone, who claim descent from Rama, organise Ram Navami processions at Khargone every year.[6] On 10 April 2022, their procession began at the Talab Chowk area, the location of the town's jama masjid,[a] at around 11:00 am and ended at the Ram temple by noon without incident.[27]

However, the BJP state vice-president Shyam Mahajan was unhappy that the police had barricaded the Muslim localities near Talab Chowk. He was reported to have had a heated argument with the police superintendent and threatened to remove him from his position.[27][28] After the argument, a rumour was allegedly spread that the police had stopped the procession at Talab Chowk.[28] The BJP leader is claimed to have instigated the crowd, asking them to gather for a second procession to be organised by the Gauraksha Samiti later in the afternoon.[27]

The Gauraksha Samiti (literally "Cow Protection Society") of Khargone was reportedly formed in 2019, after the BJP losses in the Legislative Assembly elections. It consisted of leaders from BJP and other right-wing groups.[27] The organisers of the second procession used the controversial film The Kashmir Files to instigate the local Hindu community. The film's climactic scene of a Hindu woman being cut up by a mechanical saw was recreated with makeshift devices and placed on a tractor trolley. The back of the trolley displayed a picture of Anupam Kher's character in the film along with the slogan, "Wake up Hindus, lest other states in India become Kashmir." The soundtrack of the film with the woman's sobs was remixed with a music track containing cries of "Jai Shri Ram" and "Har Har Mahadev".[5]

The procession had permission to start at Talab Chowk between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm; however, the procession had not departed even until 5:00 pm, when Muslims were gathering for Ramadan prayers at the neighbouring Jama Masjid.[28] Video recordings showed disc jockeys playing raucous music and processionists spilling over into nearby streets, some waving Ram Rajya flags.[5] About 1,000 people participated in the procession. They were carrying swords, sticks and saffron flags.[35][36]

Clashes

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At around 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm, stone pelting started. The Hindu processionists accused the Muslims of attacking them. They claim stones were pelted from the terraces behind the local mosque.[5][37] Muslims said that the members of the procession first threw stones at the police.[5] Others admitted stone-pelting from both the sides.[6][37]

Others taking part in the second Ram Navami procession said that they were agitated by those leaving the mosque after performing namaz. "There was a tremendous throng," a participant in the march stated. "We had made elaborate preparations for this year's Ram Navami, but at the Talab Chowk, stones were thrown at us, forcing us to defend ourselves."[6]

According to Hafiz Mohammad Mohsin, secretary of the Talab Chowk Jama Masjid, stone-pelting occurred from both sides. He accused the Hindus of instigating of Muslims. "Previously, we have notified the government and written to the PMO that the Talab Chowk near the Jama Masjid is a sensitive zone," he added. "Communal squabbles are common around here. Stones are also thrown at the masjid, thus such processions or celebrations should be prohibited in order to maintain communal peace."[6][38]

Police responded with lathi charge and tear gas shelling. This caused the crowd to disperse into adjoining neighbourhoods, including Qazipura, Tavdi Mohalla, Sanjay Nagar, Gaushala Marg, Anand Nagar, Bhausar Mohalla and Khaskhaswadi.[6][28] Rioting and arson continued until well after midnight.[37]

Demolitions

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On the morning of April 11, Madhya Pradesh's home minister Narottam Mishra told reporters in Bhopal, "The houses of those pelting stones will be turned into a pile of stones."[5] By midday, when Khargone was still under curfew, bulldozers began destroying buildings, including a single-room house built on government property with subsidies from the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, the prime minister's housing initiative.[39] Wasim Sheikh, a disabled man, had his tin-shed kiosk destroyed. According to a document given to the media in Bhopal by a senior officer of the state home department, 49 Muslim-owned homes were demolished in Khargone that day.[5]

Investigation

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Soon after the incident, police began arresting rioters from different locations. As of 8 May, 182 people have been arrested in 72 cases registered in connection with the clashes. Iqbal Bani, who allegedly incited the violence, was arrested in Kasrawad, located in Khargone district.[40]

Protests

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On May 10, 2022, Muslim women in Khargone came out in protest. They alleged that the police were inhumanely treating their friends and family members in the name of the “rule of law”.[41] They claimed that police were acting arbitrarily by raiding the homes of Muslims. “Instead of opening the doors, they crash the doors and ruthlessly beat the male members,” they said. Restrictions were re-imposed in Khargone a day after a group Muslim women rallied. Section 144 was imposed and a joint notification was issued by both the district administration and the police on Wednesday; no rallies, processions, Jagarans and shobha yatras or political rallies were allowed in the district until July 10.[42]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A jama masjid is the main mosque of a town, typically located in the centre of the town close to the residential and shopping districts of a Muslim community.

Bibliography

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  • Jaffrelot, Christophe (1996), The Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics, C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, ISBN 978-1850653011

References

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  1. ^ Akansha Deshmukh, Family of Man Killed During Khargone Communal Violence Alleges Police's Role, The Wire, 18 April 2022.
  2. ^ PTI, 5 arrested for killing man during Khargone violence, Rediff News, 22 April 2022.
  3. ^ Hemender Sharma, Shop of man with no hands razed for 'rioting' in MP, India Today, 18 April 2022.
  4. ^ a b c MP: Muslims targetted following Ram Navami rally in Khargone, Siasat Daily, 11 April 2022. ProQuest 2648973415
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Supriya Sharma (29 April 2022), "How 'Kashmir Files' added to communal fires in Khargone that ended with bulldozer injustice", Scroll.in
  6. ^ a b c d e f Sreya Chatterjee (15 April 2022). "Here's what led to Khargone violence in MP on Ram Navami". India Today.
  7. ^ Kashif Kakvi (28 April 2022), "Khargone: Joint Fact-Finding Team Blames BJP for Violence, District Administration for Bias", News Click, Spelling out details of the fact-finding report, the team further alleged, "It was in 2019 when a Gauraksha Samiti -- which comprises leaders of Right-wing groups and leaders of the ruling party was created and they begun [sic] celebrating Ram Navami and other major Hindu festivals. It was in the second rally after 2019 where the clash broke out..."
  8. ^ Kashif Kakvi (11 April 2022), "MP: Communal Violence During Ram Navami, Khargone Under Curfew, Barwani Tense", News Click
  9. ^ Bismee Taskin (17 April 2022), "Riot-hit Khargone counts its losses, a torched PMAY house, broken dreams & dead animals", The Print, High level sources in MP police also told ThePrint Saturday, that out of the total 148 arrested so far, six are Hindus who were arrested for allegedly attacking a Muslim family Tuesday night in Kukdol, 8 kms from Khargone city.
  10. ^ Kashif Kakvi (28 April 2022), "Khargone: Joint Fact-Finding Team Blames BJP for Violence, District Administration for Bias", News Click, Pointing at the 'one-sided action' by the district administration, the [fact-finding] team said: "Over a dozen FIRs have been lodged by victims within the Muslim community but police has failed to find a single accused. On contrary, over 40 FIRs were lodged by the majority community [Hindus] and over 160 Muslims have been arrested."
  11. ^ Supriya Sharma (29 April 2022), "How 'Kashmir Files' added to communal fires in Khargone that ended with bulldozer injustice", Scroll.in, Altogether, 175 people had been arrested in the town. Barring 14, all were Muslim.
  12. ^ a b Hari Kumar; Mujib Mashal; Suhasini Raj (11 May 2022), "'Perpetual Violence': India's Dangerous New Pattern of Communal Tensions", The New York Times, ProQuest 2661829496, In the days after the Khargone clashes, nearly 150 people were arrested. Riyajuddin Sheikh, a local Muslim social worker, said community leaders compiled lists showing about 125 of the arrested were Muslim. Among the dozens of homes and shops destroyed by bulldozers, the majority belonged to Muslims.
  13. ^ "77 Arrested After Stone Pelting & Arson in MP's Khargone Amid Ram Navami", The Quint, 11 April 2022, "We have started from the area near Mohan talkies, Khargone. Three establishments were demolished in the area and we are moving forward to other areas to carry out similar drives as per our policy of zero tolerance of violence," DIG Khargone Tilak Singh said.
  14. ^ Supriya Sharma (29 April 2022), "How 'Kashmir Files' added to communal fires in Khargone that ended with bulldozer injustice", Scroll.in, According to a document that a senior official of the state home department sent to reporters in Bhopal, 49 properties were demolished in Khargone that day. All were owned by Muslims.
  15. ^ Shweta Sharma, 'Where is the justice?': Despair after Delhi authorities bulldoze mosque, homes in response to religious riots, The Independent, 21 April 2022. ProQuest 2653416507
  16. ^ 77 Arrested After Stone Pelting & Arson in MP's Khargone Amid Ram Navami, The Quint, 11 April 2022.
  17. ^ Soumashree Sarkar, With Khargone, Shivraj Singh Chouhan Drives Home Dream of 'Bulldozer Justice', The Wire, 12 April 2022.
  18. ^ Soumashree Sarkar (12 April 2022), "With Khargone, Shivraj Singh Chouhan Drives Home Dream of 'Bulldozer Justice'", The Wire
  19. ^ Zoya Mateen (17 April 2022), "Madhya Pradesh: Why an Indian state is demolishing Muslim homes", BBC News
  20. ^ Prior, Katherine (February 1993), "Making History: The State's Intervention in Urban Religious Disputes in the North-Western Provinces in the Early Nineteenth Century", Modern Asian Studies, 27 (1): 179–203, doi:10.1017/S0026749X00016103, JSTOR 312881, S2CID 145336851
  21. ^ Abhishek Chakraborty, Alok Ranjan, 10 states, 15 flashpoints, the week that was in India, India Today, 18 April 2022.
  22. ^ Tarushi Aswai, ‘Organised Violence’: How Mosques, Dargahs, Muslim Houses Were Vandalised in Gujarat on Ram Navami, The Wire, 12 April 2022. "The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal circulated social media content to invite Hindus to such processions."
  23. ^ Tarique Anwar, Ram Navami Violence: Institutionalised Bid to Subvert Democracy; Mobsters Pave Way for Hindu Rashtra, Newsclick, 13 April 2022. "A number of viral videos show Hindutva groups playing loud, objectionable songs through DJs in front of mosques and later desecrating the religious places."
  24. ^ Jahangirpuri: Shock and anger in Delhi after religious violence, BBC News, 18 April 2022. "Religious polarisation has soared in India since 2014, when Mr Modi's Hindu nationalist government swept to power. Festivals, in particular, have become frequent flashpoints for communal violence."
  25. ^ Praveen Swami, India's turned a blind Right eye to Hindutva violence, but it can be a threat to State itself, The Print, 17 April 2022. "Street gangs are building a Hindu nationalist state with low-grade, everyday terrorism. Earlier phases of communal violence at least didn't undermine the authority of institutions."
  26. ^ Jaffrelot 1996, p. 144.
  27. ^ a b c d e f Kashif Kakvi, Khargone: Joint Fact-Finding Team Blames BJP for Violence, District Administration for Bias, News Click, 28 April 2022.
  28. ^ a b c d e Kashif Kakvi (14 April 2022). "Khargone: Communal Violence Leaves Many Displaced, State Action Targets Muslims". The Wire.
  29. ^ Lalwani, Vijayta (29 April 2022). "In A Riot-Torn MP Town, Hindus Organise An Economic Boycott Of Muslims". Article 14.
  30. ^ Supriya Sharma, How ‘Kashmir Files’ added to communal fires in Khargone that ended with bulldozer injustice, Scroll.in, 29 April 2022. '“All this was done to create a mahaul,” said Idris Shaikh, a daily-wage worker. “Samaj ke har tabke ko film dikhayi gayi.” Every section of Hindu society was shown the film.'
  31. ^ Mitra, Shilajit (12 March 2022). "Kashmir Files, A limp attempt at provocation". The New Indian Express.
  32. ^ Kaul, Nitasha (24 March 2022). "Kashmir is not a file: Propaganda and politics in India". The News Minute.
  33. ^ Kai, Ng Wei (9 May 2022). "The Kashmir Files movie banned in Singapore over potential to cause enmity, disrupt harmony". The Straits Times.
  34. ^ Sebastian, Meryl (15 March 2022). "Kashmir Files Vivek Agnihotri's film exposes India's new fault lines". BBC News.
  35. ^ Kashif Kakvi (14 April 2022). "Khargone: Communal Violence Leaves Many Displaced, State Action Targets Muslims". The Wire. The district authorities have failed to explain what triggered the incident but locals and eyewitnesses claimed that provocative songs and police inaction were responsible. "They were carrying swords, sticks and saffron flags and playing provocative songs," an eyewitness told The Wire.
  36. ^ Zoya Mateen (17 April 2022), "Madhya Pradesh: Why an Indian state is demolishing Muslim homes", BBC News, Many Muslims have accused the police of then allowing Hindu mobs to attack them. Videos showing frenzied men brandishing swords and desecrating mosques have shocked the country since Sunday.
  37. ^ a b c Bismee Taskin, Riot-hit Khargone counts its losses, a torched PMAY house, broken dreams & dead animals, The Print, 17 April 2022.
  38. ^ Animesh Jain (11 April 2022). "Madhya Pradesh: Curfew imposed in Khargone after violence at Ram Navami procession". Times of India.
  39. ^ "In Khargone, bulldozers also leave behind rubble of house built under PM Awas Yojana". The Indian Express. 13 April 2022.
  40. ^ "MP Khargone Violence: 3 Main Accused Arrested; 182 People Held So Far in 72 Cases". The Wire. 9 May 2022.
  41. ^ "Section 144 back in riot-hit Madhya Pradesh's Khargone". Deccan Herald. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  42. ^ "Restrictions re-imposed in MP's Khargone after protest". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
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