Man dressed as Santa Clause assaulted by Hindu mob for distributing sweets
In a blatant display of hatred for Indian Christians and their holidays, a Hindu supremacist mob in Gujarat state attacked a man who was distributing chocolates while dressed as Santa Clause just days ahead of Christmas.
Police reported that Hindu residents of the area took issue with the man’s act of goodwill, leading to an argument between local Hindus and Christians. The man was then assaulted by the Hindu extremists in an open display of anti-Christian hate.
Following the incident, local Christians sought police protection in case of further attacks over the Christmas holidays, indicating the dangers of celebrating a minority religion’s festivals in an increasingly Hindu supremacist India.
BJP leader accused of terrorism urges Hindus to behead Muslims
In a disturbing case of hate speech, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pragya Singh Thakur, a Hindu supremacist who is awaiting trial for terrorism, publicly called on Hindus to keep “sharp” weapons at home to “cut [off] the enemy’s head,” blatantly referring to Muslims.
“Keep weapons at home. Keep them sharp. If veggies can be cut well, so can the enemy’s head,” Thakur said at an event in BJP-ruled Karnataka state, where Hindu supremacist groups have grown increasingly powerful over the past year.
Thakur is one of the prime accused in a terrorist bomb attack in 2008, during which six persons were killed and 100 injured when an explosive went off near a mosque in Maharashtra state’s Malegaon city. She was recently voted into office despite illegally using anti-Muslim hate speech to gain Hindu votes.
That Thakur is able to retain her political power despite facing trial for a terrorist attack is an indication of the way India’s judiciary has become compromised by the Hindu supremacist movement.
Court rules in favor of Hindu supremacists, allows probe of 17th-century mosque
In a massive blow to the Muslim community, an Uttar Pradesh court ruled in favor of a demand made by Hindu supremacists, allowing the survey of Mathura city’s historic 17th-century Shahi Idgah mosque, which Hindu supremacists have been threatening to destroy and replace with a temple for years.
The court’s ruling allows Hindu supremacists to search for “proof” that the mosque was built on the remains of a Hindu temple, citing the false claim that a temple had been destroyed to construct Shahi Idgah.
Shahi Idgah has been the constant target of Hindu supremacists due to its proximity to Krishna Janmabhoomi, believed to be the birthplace of the Hindu deity Krishna.
The ruling is the first step towards a Hindu takeover of the mosque. A similar survey of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi city allowed Hindu extremists to limit Muslims’ access to their own place of worship by claiming that an ablution fountain was actually a Shivling, or a symbol representing the Hindu deity Shiva.
Hindu supremacist mob beats, molests Muslim worshippers in Delhi
In yet another incident of anti-Muslim violence, a Hindu supremacist mob physically assaulted and sexually harassed Muslims offering Friday prayers at Iqra mosque in Delhi.
Witnesses reported that members of the Hindu supremacist group Bajrang Dal attacked congregants who were praying outdoors, beating Muslim men and molesting Muslim women.
A complaint has been filed with the police but no action has been taken against the violent extremists.
