Reports are coming in of stones being pelted on people celebrating Holi in Amroha, UP. The violence occurred after local Muslims objected to use of music system as it was time for their Friday namaz. Two people have been injured and are being treated in hospital.
As per Amar Ujala, the violence occurred in Changa Darwaza mohalla of Amroha town, a mixed population area. There is a Hindu temple, a community dharamshala, and a mosque in close proximity in the area. Around 1.20 in the afternoon, Hindus were celebrating Holi while playing music.
At 1.30, Muslims expressed displeasure at the music and demanded it be completely stopped as it was time for their Friday jumma namaz. An argument broke out which soon descended into stone pelting from roof tops. Police rushed to the spot and somehow brought the situation under control. The names of those injured are Aadesh and Bunty.
Namaz is obligatory 5 times a day as per Muslim fundamentalists. The azaan or Muslim call to prayer blares out from mosque loudspeakers for each of those 5 prayers, starting from pre-dawn. The use of loudspeakers by mosques has been declared illegal by several court judgements, yet it continues as police looks the other way to ‘maintain peace’. No consideration is made for daily temple prayers or aartis – in fact, even temple bells have been objected to by AIMIM workers in Hyderabad. Yet, an annual festival celebration of Hindus is objected to for completion of a daily Muslim ritual.
In another act of violence during Holi, stones were pelted by ‘miscreants’ on Hindus celebrating Holika Dahan on Thursday night in Bhilwara, Rajasthan. An elderly lady and one man were injured. 12 people have been arrested but their names have not been revealed as yet in media reports.
Update
28 March: A local video news report (archive link) has emerged in which Hindu residents of the area have disclosed that they were attacked with stones because they objected to abusive remarks and harassment of Hindu girls, and because some people were playing songs celebrating BJP’s election victory. They say that very often Muslim boys gather on the mosque rooftop and harass any Hindu girl who steps out.
