In yet another incident of growing intolerance towards minorities, a Muslim anchor was reportedly forced to leave a Dandiya event in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi after the venue owner refused to activate the sound system until she exited the stage.
The event organizer, Mayank Anuragi, stated that the owner had warned that the event could not proceed if the Muslim anchor performed. He said the anchor’s participation was publicly announced and advertised across the city.
Reports indicated that when the anchor came onto the stage, the owner turned off both the sound and electricity and demanded she leave before the show continued. The program reportedly began only after she exited.
While talking to reporters, the anchor expressed her disappointment and stated that artists do not belong to any caste or religion. “I have previously hosted similar events and I want to promote Indian culture,” stated the woman.
The incident comes amid rising tensions over Muslims participating in Hindu cultural events like Garba, particularly amid allegations from radical Hindutva outfits.
These groups fueled by extreme ideology often express their opposition to Muslim men’s participation in Garba events, alleging the latter enter these events for “love jihad” a conspiracy theory spread by extreme Hindu right-wing organisations, accusing Muslim men of wooing Hindu women to force them to convert to Islam.
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