The festival of Holi allegedly came under attack in ‘communally sensitive’ Meerut district of UP even before celebrations could begin in right earnest this year.
Last night, Hindu men -Amit Gupta, Sonu Prajapati, Mullu – collecting donation for Holika dahan in Harinagar area of Meerut city, UP were allegedly abused and mocked by a group of Muslim men. It is claimed that they were told to ‘stop begging’ and also ‘take donation from us and then convert to Islam’.
When the Hindus objected, the Islamists started assaulting them. Attackers reportedly included a local councillor Shehzad Mewati, his brother Bhoora and his 2 sons (Intezar, Saifu). The Hindu side then retaliated and stone pelting broke out between the two groups, leaving 6 injured as per IANS.
Visuals from the scene showed damaged vehicles, broken window panes and panic-gripped locals running here and there. Among the injured were two individuals from Hindu community who blamed several Muslim men from the area for attacking them and threatening them to ruin their Holi celebrations, reports IANS.
Soon after receiving information, police reached the spot and took the situation under control. The police have taken in a written complaint and started an investigation. Police deployment in the area has also been increased.
However, at 1.25 AM today, UP police issued a statement on twitter that it was a ‘drunken brawl’ between two groups and not related to Holi.
But this would not be the first time that Indian police has tried to brush anti-Hindu violence under the carpet. When a Hindu marriage party was brutally attacked right outside their home in Mahoba, UP recently, the SP had dismissed it as ‘minor pushing and shoving’. When Umesh Kolhe was murdered by Islamists for supporting Nupur Sharma’s right to free speech, Amravati Police had initially tried to suppress the matter as a ‘robbery’. WB Police outright refused to file FIRs during the brutal 2021 post-poll pogrom unleashed on Hindu BJP supporters.
While local media reports say that two Hindus have been badly injured, Meerut Police statement says no one is critically injured. Police has arrested three people.
On the day of the Holika Dahan, that is on 7 March, Muslims will simultaneously celebrate Shab-E-Barat, a festival where they ask for ‘forgiveness of their sins from Allah’. Police across UP have been holding peace talks and issuing advisories for celebration of both the festivals without any violent incidents.
