Tensions between Hindus and Muslims have escalated in India’s Uttar Pradesh state, with a Hindu mob attacking a group of Muslims in Ghaziabad on Friday night. The assault appears to be a retaliatory measure for the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, which followed the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last week.
Hasina’s departure was met with widespread protests in Bangladesh, which eventually turned violent, targeting Hindus and their properties. The ousted prime minister had enjoyed good relations with India during her 15-year tenure, which some of her critics saw as a sign of her allegiance to the Indian government.
In Ghaziabad, a group of around 20 members of the Hindu nationalist group Hindu Raksha Dal descended upon a cluster of makeshift dwellings near a railway station, destroying several shanties and accusing the residents of being Bangladeshi infiltrators. This is not the first time the group has been involved in such incidents, with similar attacks reported in the past few days.
According to Ghaziabad Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra, the victims of the attack were not immigrants from Bangladesh, but rather locals from Uttar Pradesh. Police inspector Sanjiv Kumar, who encountered the attackers on Friday night, said that despite his attempts to reason with them, they continued to assault the victims and damage their shelters.
The police are considering invoking the National Security Act (NSA) against Hindu Raksha Dal, using video evidence of their own crimes as proof. The group will face charges of insulting religious beliefs, in addition to assault and vandalism. The police are also working to identify other individuals involved in the attack, who will soon face arrest.
In a related development, the police are searching for an individual who posted a video on social media threatening violence against “Rohingyas and Bangladeshis” unless they leave India within three days.
In Bangladesh, hundreds of protesters gathered in the capital Dhaka on Friday to condemn the violence against the Hindu minority. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) reported that 52 out of 64 districts in the country have witnessed communal violence against religious minorities since Hasina’s resignation, resulting in one death and at least 45 injuries.
The BHBCUC expressed deep concern and uncertainty among minorities across the country, highlighting the need for urgent action to address the situation.
