Members of Hindutva outfits Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal have been making provocative and inflammatory statements against Muslims in Katangi, Madhya Pradesh, leaving the minority group in a state of fear.
The situation began on Wednesday, June 26, after locals discovered bones and other remains of more than 50 animals at different places in Tulla Baba hill of Katangi area, Siasat Daily reported.
VHP and Bajrang Dal members reportedly collected the bones and informed the police. Residents believed that cattle smugglers killed the cows, took their hides and meat, and left the bones behind.
Upon receiving information, a team comprising police, municipal council members, veterinary doctors, and local officials reached the spot. They collected all the bones and sent them for forensic examination.
Subsequently, after the medical examination, the administration claimed that the animal’s remains were not from cows and were over two years old.
Addressing the issue, Jabalpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Aditya Pratap Singh stated “As per the forensic result the bones seem to be several months old. However, further action will be taken after the forensic report”.
However, the VHP and Bajrang Dal workers unsatisfied with the reports rejected the administration’s findings and took out protest rallies, accusing the district collector of being “funded from abroad”.
In a series of videos that have surfaced on the internet, the Hindutva members during one such rally can be heard making inflammatory remarks, threatening the Muslim residents. Asking them to “vacate houses” and warning them that “we Hindus will change the addresses of your houses”.
The protesters are also heard singing “Jago ek bar Hindu” and using abusive language for Muslims. They also issued open threats of massacre and expulsion of Muslims on loudspeakers. The people in front can be seen holding banners that read “Gao Mata k saman mai Bajrang Dal maidan mai“.
They also raised slogans against the state administration and alleged they gave fake reports to “save a particular” community.
Collector assures of reinvestigation
Following the forensic report, members of the Hindutva group were joined by hundreds of other people announced a city protest and hit the streets again on June 28.
According to reports, the protesters blocked the Jabalpur-Damoh road for 4 hours and even declared the shutdown of the entire village, including shops and schools.
Later, district collector Deepak Kumar Saxena Singh reached the spot to calm the agitation down and assured them of re-investigation.
The blockade was cleared by giving assurance of ‘re-investigation’ on the matter at the demand of protestors. The market was opened after the protest ended. “The situation is currently under control. Meanwhile, police are closely monitoring the situation to prevent any untoward,” said SP Jabalpur.
Recent incidents in MP
On June 14, the Madhya Pradesh Police arrested two people, and the local administration in Ratlam district demolished their houses after they allegedly left the parts of a bovine animal on the premises of a local temple at Jaora town, The Indian Express reported.
After the arrests, the local administration demolished ‘illegal’ portions of the accused’s houses, citing the need to take stern measures against those responsible for the incident.
On June 16, eleven Muslim houses built on government land were demolished in tribal-dominated Mandla in Madhya Pradesh as part of action against alleged illegal beef trade in the state.
On June 21, the houses of two Muslim men identified as Jaffar Khan and Asghar Khan booked under the National Security Act (NSA) for alleged possession of beef were demolished in Noorabad village of Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district by the authorities.
