Several right-wing social media handles circulated a video from Gujarat’s Navsari, alleging that hundreds of Muslim men armed with swords and stickers attacked Hindu families, molested women in their homes and warned them to leave the area.
This narrative was especially vociferously amplified by right-wing propaganda website OpIndia which published the story on Sunday, December 8, with the headline “Islamist mob attacks Hindus in Navsari, Gujarat”.
‘We will drive you away from here, this is just the beginning’: Islamist mob attacks Hindus in Navsari, Gujarat,” OpIndia’s report claimed.
Police deny communal angle
However, the local police quickly intervened to address the situation. The Superintendent of Police for Navsari released a press note clarifying that the incident was not communal but was rather a parking dispute.
The police dismissed the right-wing ethnoreligious narrative that there was a threat to” religious or ethnic minorities” and or aggressive attacks on Hindu community members. The officer informed that four people were arrested based on complaints related to the parking issue.
Additionally, the Navsari Police also urged the citizens not to spread such rumours on social media and warned that legal action would be taken against such culprits.
OpIndia modified its communal narrative
After the police clarification and warning of legal action against fabricating communal elements into a car parking dispute, OpIndia has modified its communal narrative report reaffirming that “Police denies communal angle, says it was a parking dispute. Meanwhile, the police stated that there was no assault, and no religious threats were made against Hindus”.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Sayima Ahmad | 
