As Hindus across the globe were celebrating the arrival of the Hindu New Year, Hindus of Karauli in the Congress-ruled state of Rajasthan were experiencing terror of radical Islam. Stones were pelted at a bike rally organized to celebrate the Hindu New Year and violence broke out in the city.

The attack took place when the bikers passed through the Hatwara Bazar, a Muslim-dominated area in the city. Though the mayhem started with flinging stones at the Hindu bikers, it escalated soon as miscreants targeted over a dozen shops and set them afire. They also set fire to three bikes. Reportedly, properties worth lakhs have been destroyed in the attacks. As the situation deteriorated, the market was shut down, and an immediate curfew was called in in the city.

As per the latest reports, 43 people have sustained injuries in the mob attack; some policemen are among the injured. All the victims were rushed to the district hospital. The injured policemen were accompanying the rally and were hit by stone-pelting when the rally was passing through the Muslim colony. One of the casualties named Pushpendra is informed to be in a very critical condition and has been transferred to the state capital for further medical support. Imagine, a police posse had to accompany Hindus celebrating their festival and yet the Islamists felt emboldened enough to attack.

Amar Ujala reports that knife wounds were observed on some of the injured admitted to hospitals. However, doctors have refused to make any comments as yet. 

Both the district collector, Dr. Mohan Lal Yadav, and Superintendent of Police Shailendra Singh Indaulia reached the spot, to bring the situation under control. Police forces have also been stationed in the sensitive areas surrounding the site of violence. Additionally, a force of 600 jawans has been deployed in Karauli.

“Arson took place in the tension, which erupted with stone-pelting on the rally while passing through a Muslim-dominated area. At least one bike and one shop have been torched,” said a police source.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot made the boiler-plate comments that Indian politicians always make after such communal violence: appeals to ‘all people’ to maintain peace, and assurance that police had been directed to ‘control the situation’ and punish the rioters. 

Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore blamed the incidents of stone-pelting and arson by radical elements at the bike rally, to the short-sightedness of the police and their inaction. He stated that the administration was aware of the bike rally and questioned why anti-social elements were permitted to assemble. He asserted that Rajasthan police had failed to contain the anti-social elements and demanded strict action against everyone involved in this violence.

BJP State President Dr Satish Poonia lambaste the ruling party and sited that there is a huge outcry due to the pre-meditated arson attack and stone-pelting during the bike rally. He slammed Congress for its appeasement policy towards Islamist trouble-makers.

A disturbing trend that can be observed across Bharat is that of Islamist gangs causing violence and, in many cases, bloodshed during Hindu festivals. This radicalism is not limited to any particular part of the country but has been witnessed in almost all states, some more than others. Though portrayed as the ever hapless and marginalized minority, Islamist mobs are seen creating mayhem, unrest, and riot-like situations throughout the year in some city or the other, and bringing the regular life of the ordinary citizens to a halt. During Hindu celebrations, they routinely resort to unprovoked violence.

It appears that this demography has no interest in living peacefully and in harmony with the people of other faiths. Unfortunately, the state and central governments have been unsuccessful in containing this increasing radicalization, and the religious bodies like Tablighi Jamaat, Jamaat-e-Islami, PFI, Deoband etc. that are at the root of this religious radicalization are still operating without any curbs.