Hindutva groups hold rallies, ask people to hoist saffron flags to mark Hindu New Year

Hindutva organisations on Saturday held rallies, carrying and distributing saffron flags in various parts of the country to mark the beginning of the Navratri festival, which will culminate in the Hindu New Year.

The Hindutva groups went door to door, asking locals to hoist saffron flags in their homes.

Uttar Pradesh

Motorbike rallies were held by Hindutva group members in several districts in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. They chanted “Jai Shree Ram” slogans and played played songs devoted to the Hindu deity, reported Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar.

Members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its affiliates gave saffron flags to residents and asked people to hoist them at their homes, according to Dainik Jagran.

Punjab

A saffron flag march was held in Fazilka district by the Hindu Jagran Manch on Saturday morning, the Dainik Jagran reported. Police authorities had made arrangements to ensure security and maintain traffic during the rally.

Madhya Pradesh

Hindutva organisations put up saffron flags in various parts of Jabalpur on Saturday. The RSS had organised an event to mark the beginning of Navratri festival in Ranital part of the city, reported The Times of India.

A protest broke out at the city’s Bada Phuara crossing after Hindutva group members saw civic body workers taking down saffron flags. They chanted slogans against the municipal commissioner for allegedly insulting the saffron flag, reported The Free Press Journal.

“We would not tolerate such insults,” district general secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Yatendra Upadhyay said. “We demand the termination of the commissioner.”

The protests ended after the district collector and superintendent of police arrived assured the protestors that strict action will be taken against those found guilty, reported The Times of India.

Rajasthan

Curfew was imposed in Rajasthan’s Karauli city where communal violence broke out on Saturday following stone-pelting at a motorcycle rally passing through a Muslim-dominated area, The Indian Express reported.

Police said that some people vandalised shops and vehicles in response to the stone-pelting. The motorcycle rally was being held on the occasion of Nav Samvatsar, the first day of the Hindu new year.

Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Hawa Singh Ghumaria said that the police have detained 36 people and that the situation was under control.

Thirty-five persons were injured during the violence, out of whom 25 were discharged from hospitals after treatment. Nine people have been admitted to the Karauli district hospital, while one person has been admitted to the Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur.

Visuals shared by the newspaper showed fires in two buildings and police personnel patrolling the streets.

The police said that mobile internet services have been suspended to control the spread of rumours. About 600 police personnel have been deployed to maintain peace and four Indian Police Service officers have reportedly been sent from Jaipur to Karauli.