‘Don’t pollute state, shut business, you are not welcome’: Hindutva men threaten Muslims

Incidents unfolded across India during the recent Chaitra Navratri and Ram Navami celebrations. Hindutva groups in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh targeted Muslim vendors and residents, while in West Bengal, members of the Muslim community extended gestures of communal harmony by welcoming and supporting Hindu devotees during religious processions.

In Haryana’s Kurukshetra district, members of the Hindutva outfit Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) reportedly asked Muslim vendors to avoid setting up stalls during the nine-day Chaitra Navratri festival, and a video circulating on social media showed them inspecting market areas while questioning the identity of vendors through Aadhaar cards and UPI transactions.

They moved from stall to stall and demanded proof of identity, and at one instance, they asked a Muslim vendor to shut his stall because, as they claimed, he was “not welcome.” One VHP member is heard saying, “We found a stall under the name Usman and have asked him to leave the premises. He has no business here.” The video, nearly two minutes long, showed them repeatedly targeting Muslim vendors, and they insisted that those from the minority community must vacate the space immediately.

In neighbouring Delhi, BJP MLA Ravi Negi from Patparganj constituency urged the district administration to close meat shops during Chaitra Navratri, and although this incident occurred in a different state, it followed the same pattern of religious policing in the name of Hindu festivals.

While these instances unfolded in Haryana and Delhi, another series of incidents took place in Himachal Pradesh, where members of the Hindu Jagran Manch confronted Muslims and demanded that they leave the state, and a video that surfaced on April 6 showed the group intimidating a few Muslim men while asking them to show their Aadhaar cards.

The Muslims tried to reason with the Hindutva members by saying they had valid identification, but the group was unwilling to listen and issued subtle threats suggesting communal unrest, The Siasat Daily reported.

When asked about their hometown, the Muslims said they were from Safipur in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district, and one member of the Hindu Jagran Manch said, “I request you all to please do not ‘pollute’ this area. I do not want any of you to be seen hereafter. Please leave the state as soon as possible. Otherwise, things can turn out ugly.”

A week earlier, another video from Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh showed members of the far-right outfit Rudrasena asking Muslim shopkeepers to shut their businesses, and Rakesh Tomar, the group’s founder, was seen threatening them to vacate their shops within seven days or face consequences.

Although Himachal Pradesh is governed by the Congress Party under Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukku, these incidents have raised concerns over the rising assertiveness of far-right groups and their unchecked attempts to impose exclusionary practices during religious occasions.

In contrast to these divisive events, West Bengal witnessed acts of brotherhood and unity during Ram Navami, as Muslims in the Siliguri district showered rose petals and distributed water bottles to Hindu devotees participating in religious processions.

Visuals showed them greeting devotees with smiles, and their acts of generosity were welcomed warmly by the participants, many of whom paused to acknowledge the gesture. In Malda district, a similar scene unfolded as Muslim residents stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Hindus and offered sweets and refreshments under the scorching sun while the processions passed through their neighbourhoods. A Muslim shopkeeper said, “We have always lived together in peace, and today, we are celebrating as one family.”

Elsewhere, a group of Muslim men set up a refreshment stall and handed out water to tired devotees, and one of the participants said, “Religion is not dividing us; it is bringing us together. We are all one, Hindus and Muslims, united in our love for this country.” Organisers of the refreshment stall in Siliguri said, “We want to spread a message of peace and brotherhood. In this time of rising tensions in many parts of the country, it is important for us to show that Hindus and Muslims can come together and celebrate as one.”

Krishnnendu Narayan Chowdhury, former minister and English Bazar municipality chairman, said, “This is the India I know, one where every community comes together for the common good. Here, people value peace and harmony above all. There is no room for division.”