A futile attempt to incite communal disharmony was made to burn portions of the Mainama Jame Masjid located on the Manu–Chawmanu Road in Tripura’s Dhalai district on December 25. Liquor bottles with a threatening note and a Bajrang Dal flag were also found inside the prayer area.
Fortunately, no one was present during the incident.
The handwritten note, accessed by Maktoob Media, read, “Jai Shri Ram. This is the first and last warning today. Something big is going to happen next time. Bajrang Dal. Jai Shri Ram. Be careful and listen properly. Even a small mistake will not be forgiven or tolerated.”
Condemning the incident, Imam Maulana Mohammad Saiful Islam called it a blatant attack to create fear and unrest between the various religious communities in Dhalai.
“Thankfully, no one was inside the mosque when the incident took place, as we all had gone for a programme in the Panisagar area. When we returned, we realised that parts of the mosque had been set on fire, though it had been doused by then. There were Kingfisher liquor bottles, a flag with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ written on it, and a threatening note,” he was quoted by the online media.
Calling it a grave insult to Islam, the imam rubbished the idea of accident. “It was done intentionally to hurt religious sentiments and create tension,” he said,
The imam said that Dhalai has a considerable Christian and Buddhists along with a sizable Muslim and Hindu population. “We have lived in communal harmony and respect each other’s faith. But outfits like Bajrang Dal are creating an atmosphere of fear,” he said, adding that a police complaint has been filed.
So far, no arrests have been made.
In August this year, a packet of meat with a warning letter was discovered during afternoon prayers by the imam of Jama Masjid located in Tripura’s Unakoti district.
The letter demanded the mosque’s demolition, claiming it was constructed 300 years ago and hence its existence is redundant. “We want Govinda’s abode back,” read its contents.
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