Hindu activists: Do not forcefully enter, vandalise religious places in our name

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: As many as 554 Hindu activists of Human Rights in Karnataka have said in a signed statement that forcibly entering mosques, vandalising them, and displaying noisy Hindu celebrations outside during Ram Navami reportedly by Hindutva groups is an act against the intrinsic spirit of tolerance. The statement issued by the activists bears the title: “This is a call for those of us who are identified as Hindu by birth or identify themselves as Hindu in the Census of India.”

“We cannot fail to see or ignore what is happening to our fellow citizens from other religions, in the name of Hinduism. In the most recent example in March 2023, a Hindutva group forcibly entered a mosque, assaulted a Muslim cleric, allegedly cut off his beard, and forced him to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. During Ram Navami on March 30, we saw Hindus pelting stones at mosques, aggressively chanting violent antiMuslim slogans and dancing with swords, all in the name of Hinduism,” read the statement.

It comes at a time when Hindu men forcibly entered a Muslim man’s house in Moradabad, UP, and, in the presence of police, forcibly stopped people from praying on March 27. Hindus forcibly entering houses where Christians pray peacefully as well as vandalising churches is also quite common.

‘This is a shame’

Saying that people are being beaten, tortured, forced and lynched while being asked to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’, the statement said such activities by Hindutva groups should fill Hindus with shame. “Is this how we want Rama's name to be used by those Hindus who understand nothing more than mob violence?” they asked.

Coming down heavily on the Hindutva groups, the activists also asked Hindus through the statement, “When we deny people's right to peacefully gather to pray or when we barge into private spaces attacking individuals for choosing which god to pray to, are we drawing them closer to our religion?

The slogan ‘Hindu khatri mein hai’ (Hindu is in danger) is being used to instigate us repeatedly, and fear can push people to protect themselves and their loved ones. But fear can also make us cruel and violent.” It went on to add, “Let us send a strong message that we are Hindus who don't feel we are in any ‘Khatra’, and that we firmly reject what is being done in our name.”

The signatories endorsing the statement include Anita Narayanasamy, Ashok Srinivasan and Vinay Kulkarni.