Hindutva group members in Maharashtra’s Badlapur area targeted and assaulted Muslim vegetable vendors in a campaign to make “Bangladeshi Mukt Badlapur” (Bangladesh-free).
Videos emerge
A series of videos published by Hate Detector that have surfaced on social media platforms capture a moment of the right-wing members conducting raids aggressively on multiple vegetable stalls owned by Muslim vendors and accusing them of being “Bangladeshi immigrants “.
All these video clips show the group members chasing the vendors and interrogating them about their identity. The group members are seen asking the vendors to present their Aadhaar cards to prove their nationality.
One particularly distressing clip shows a young vendor constantly asserting his identity, stating, “I am from Kolkata, not Bangladesh,” while the group members are seen ignoring his clarification and hurling communal slurs at him.
Community response
The actions of these extremist Hindutva group members have ignited huge outrage with critics and activists questioning the administrative authority for not taking appropriate action to prevent radial groups and ensure the safety of minority community members as well as their business.
On the other side, the people have flagged concern about the implication of allowing such fringe groups to operate with impunity, demanding to know the legal basis for which the raids were carried out.
The incident follows a few days after a political shift in Maharashtra and the formation of the new government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Sayima Ahmad | 
