Weeks after communal clashes in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone, a video shared on social media showed a call being made to boycott Muslim-owned shops in the town, PTI reported on Tuesday.
On a loudspeaker mounted on a truck, a man who cannot be seen in the video, urges women not to “buy things from their shops”. The man could also be heard urging Hindus to “keep their shops closed tomorrow” as a mark of protest against the violence.
The announcement was made on April 19 in the Katargaon village of Khargone, Parmanand Goyal, the station in-charge of the Karahi police station told PTI. The village is located nearly 60 kilometres away from Khargone town.
In the video, the man could be heard asking Hindus to “give a befitting reply to those who hurled stones” at a Ram Navami procession.
Communal violence had sparked off in Khargone on April 10, after some locals had allegedly hurled stones at a Ram Navami procession, objecting to loud and provocative music being played in the Talab Chowk area of Khargone. Subsequently, clashes broke out in the Gaushala Marg, Tabadi Chowk, Sanjay Nagar and Motipura areas.
At least 24 people were injured in the violence. Ten houses were also burnt during the clashes.
On April 11, the Madhya Pradesh government demolished homes and shops belonging to Muslims in Khargone. A senior police official had claimed that the homes that were demolished belonged to those who had thrown stones during the procession.
Khargone Superintendent of Police Rohit Kashwani said that the police registered a case on Monday against unidentified persons in connection with the video, PTI reported. The case has been filed under Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with promoting enmity between different groups.
Meanwhile, another video from the district has surfaced in which a woman was seeing administering an oath at a temple to boycott Muslims, according to The Quint.
“From today, we take a pledge not to buy clothes, slippers, or any other item from the shops of heretics,” those who took the oath reportedly said. “Nor will you sell any of your items to them. O Mahakal, give us the strength and will to fulfil our resolutions.”
In yet another video, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Khargone MP Gajendra Patel was seen asking Hindus to respond to hurling of stones with “bigger stones”. He made the comments at an event in the Kasrawad tehsil of the Khargone district, Aaj Tak reported
“If you throw stones, we too belong to the ancient religion of saints...Be ready to respond with bigger stones, to respond to bricks with stones,” he said.
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