Right-wing leader Kajal Singhala alias Kajal Hindusthani made an Islamophobic hate speech targetting Muslim women by listing out the ‘benefits’ of marrying into a Hindu household.
Speaking at a recently concluded Ram Navami event organised by the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in Gir Somnath district of Gujarat, she said that Muslim women will gain a lot of freedom if married to a Hindu man.
“I appeal to my Muslim sisters that if you get married to a Hindu man, there will be no co-wives to handle as well as you will not be treated as a child-bearing machine,” she said.
Amid slogans and cheers, she added, “You (Muslim women) will be protected by Hindu men of the family. No one can force or have incest with you.”
Kajal remarked on the burqa by saying Muslim women are free to wear any attire if converted to Hinduism. “You do not need to wear a burqa at 45-degree celsius heat,” she said.
On bearing children, Kajal said they won’t be labeled as terrorists. “After marrying a Hindu man, your children will not be called ‘terrorists’.
Throughout the speech, the crowd cheered her.
Communal tension gripped Una town in the Gir Somnath district following the hate speech by Kajal Hindustani
Markets remained shut while police are monitoring the circulation of rumours on social media over the last few days and efforts are being made to defuse tension by engaging leaders from both communities.
The town has been on edge since one Kajal Hindustani targeted Muslims at a Hindu Sammelan organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Thursday, police said.
Police and local political leaders on Saturday called a meeting of the peace committee with representatives from both communities and appealed to them to work towards normalising the situation, Superintendent of Police Sripal Sheshma said.
An FIR will be registered against Hindustani if the aggrieved community lodges a police complaint against her, he said.
“On Ram Navami (March 30), Kajal Hindustani said inappropriate things regarding a community during her speech at an event that caused (communal) tension in Una. We called a Shanti Samiti (peace committee) meeting of people from both communities,” the SP said.
The police and local leaders listened to the grievances of representatives of the two communities and resolved their issues, he said, adding that the situation is peaceful and law and order is under control.
Even during the meeting, a few people from the two sides started hurling accusations at each other, which further caused tension, but the matter was resolved.
“We have informed members of the Muslim community that we will accept their complaint and take strict action,” Sheshma said.
Shopkeepers have been requested to open shutters while police personnel have been deployed at fixed points and patrolling intensified, he said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Una, Kalu Rathod, who was part of the meeting, said representatives from both sides heard each other out, shook hands and assured that nothing untoward will take place in the area.
“I have also given assurance that nothing untoward will take place. We appeal to members of the two communities to start their businesses and open the market,” the legislator said.
(With excerpts from PTI)
