In Bihar’s Rafiganj town, a Hindu procession celebrating the immersion of a Ganesha idol turned communal on Saturday, September 14, when participants chanted derogatory slogans against the Muslim community.
The incident resulted in the arrest of five individuals and heightened tensions in the area.
A viral video of the incident has surfaced on social media platforms showing a group of people celebrating the festival with DJ music while chanting “Miya Maadar**, referring to Muslims. The incident led to significant outrage among residents and community leaders.
The outrage prompted a swift response from local authorities with the police filing an FIR leading to the arrest of five accused involved in the offence.
Additionally, the police confiscated the DJ system and a vehicle associated with the procession. Police emphasised the need to maintain peace, especially during religious celebrations given the region’s history of communal tensions.
“Today, on Saturday a video has come to light from the Rafiganj police station area in which objectionable things about a particular community were said. Taking immediate action, the concerned police station registered an FIR, identified the anti-social elements and arrested five accused. The DJ concerned has been confiscated,” stated the Aurangabad (Bihar) police X account.
A recent report ‘Behind the pixels: Social Silencing and Isolation of Indian Muslims in the Online Public’ states that the rate of online abuse faced by Muslims has meteorically risen in the last ten years. The report was released at the Mumbai Press Club on May 31.
The report also notes that while online abuse existed before 2014, it has surged dramatically since the Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, came to power.
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