(Trigger Warning: Hate Speech. Exposing hate and communalism is a key focus area in The Quint's reportage. Become a member and help us do more such stories).
'"Jihadis Not Allowed."
These lines were part of a recent hoarding installed outside a Garba pandal by Shri Krishna Seva Samiti in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Members of this group stood guard with ganga jal and stated that it was "self-defence" against "love jihad."
Narrative of 'Garba Jihad,' and cases of anti-Muslim hatred proliferated during Navratri this year, most cases reveal how Muslims were either barred from entering Garba events or singled out from such places.
For another year in a row, extremist Hindutva groups such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad's national spokesperson Shriraj Nair told PTI in September that "only those having faith in the rituals must be allowed to participate."
He added that the VHP had issued advisories directing garba organisers to check Aadhaar cards at entry points, apply 'tilak' on participants, and ensure they perform puja before entering.
But hate has real-time consequences. In this piece, we write about some of these cases. Notably, this is not an exhaustive list as more cases continue to surface.
On 30 September, on Mira Road, Mumbai, Bajrang Dal members assaulted several Muslim attendees at the Lotus Navratri Garba event. Right-wing accounts were quick to label it 'Garba Jihad.' Even News18 stated that restrictions have been placed for "Garba Jihadists."
In another incident, a Muslim dancing at a Garba event in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh was stopped by members of a Hindutva group. They forced him to accept prasad, bow down and chant religious slogans.
Kashmiri Student Assaulted by a Crowd
Meanwhile, in another recent case, Kashmiri student from Poonch, Aftaab Hussain, was attacked for participating in Navratri activities and attending a Garba pandal. They alleged that he concealed his religious identity and attended the event with his friends.
Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association wrote that the student was taken in police custody. Thereafter, he was found innocent and released.
"Fringe and right-wing elements have weaponised religion to vilify Jammu & Kashmir Muslim students and to communalise Navratri and Garba cultural celebrations meant to unite communities, not divide them," wrote Khuehami.
Another case from Mumbai came forth, this time from Oshiwara where Bajrang Dal singled out a Muslim at a Garba event, forced him to apologise and then evicted from the venue.
'Why Did You Sell Us Tickets?: Muslim Women Barred From Garba
In Kota, Rajasthan on 26 September, two Muslim women alleged that they were denied entry into the '56 Bhog Garba event' by the organisers.
The students alleged that the passes contained no mention of religious preference. After the video went viral, the organisers reportedly refunded the passes.
A screenshot from the video showed that a banner read, "Non-Sanatanis (Muslims) are not allowed. If found, they will be investigated."
"Kota is supposedly called the 'City of Education' but this is how educated they are. They are not allowing Muslims inside, but nothing was written on the passes we bought. Why did they sell us the passes in the first place then?" asked the women.
Meanwhile, right-wing accounts praised and endorsed this move online.
On the same day in Kota, Hindu nationalists at a Garba event targeted organisers for allowing non-Hindus to participate.
"This is how these people come and do 'love jihad.' Those who cannot worship our Goddess, have no right to join Garba celebrations," the said.
Over a week ago, Bajrang Dal leader Jitendra Pratap instructed Dandiya event organisers in a video to not allow entry of non-Hindus, claiming that Hindu women would otherwise be unsafe. He threatened that any non-Hindu entering the pandals would be forced to consume cow-urine, resulting in “ghar wapsi.”
Targeting Muslim Security 'Bouncers,' Dalits Attendees Too
The discrimination is also not just limited to Muslims.
At a Garba event in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on 26 September, a Dalit engineering student, Rinku Vankar was attacked and humiliated.
"These people are not equal to us and cannot play garba with us," some women told her, she alleged in her FIR. Casteist slurs were reportedly hurled at her and she was dragged by hair and taken out of the Garba event.
The Mahisagar district police have booked four women in this case.
On the same day, in Indore, armed with sticks and rods, VHP-Bajrang Dal raided a massive Garba event and assaulted a Muslim.
They alleged that he concealed his identity and raised slogans against 'love jihad.' The victim was handed over to the police and an FIR was filed against him.
The assault has also not restricted to just the attendees. In a shocking incident from Ahmedabad, Gujarat on 25 September, Bajrang Dal members targeted Muslim bouncers at Garba events, singling them out and demanding that they are removed.
While in almost all of these cases, it has been local Hindutva players disrupting such events or announcing diktats, in Madhya Pradesh, a BJP MLA has played a part.
Before a call for economic boycott of Muslim businessmen was carried out in Indore, as The Quint has also reported, BJP MLA Ramesh Mendola targeted Muslim vendors.
He tried to evict Muslim vendors and ride operators from the Maa Kankeshwari Garba celebrations. "Don't start your work and leave this place at one," BJP's Mendola was heard saying in the video.
Last year, a garba event in Indore was cancelled, allegedly over the organiser’s faith, after the local Bajrang Dal unit raised objections.
Apart from these cases where we clearly see how Muslims are being targeted in and around Garba-related events, there have been several posts online which aim to further spread this divisive narrative, calls to prohibit Muslims in festivities like these.
In light of these cases, Muslims clerics have also spoken up.
Recently, the State Waqf Board chairman of BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh, Salim Raj appealed to Muslim youth to stay away from Garba functions during the Navratri festival.
“If the Muslim community does not believe in idol worship, they should stay away from religious events like Garba,” the statement added, reported The Hindu. He clarified that if there any Muslim brother or sister wished to participate, provided they follow the tradition and are permitted, they can do so.
Another leader who urged Muslims to refrain from attending Garba events was Shahar Qazi Maulavi Sayyed Quazi Ahmad Ali in Ratlam in light of growing demands to ban Muslims from such events.
“Navratri and Garba are integral Hindu festivals, and many organisers don’t want Muslims to attend. To maintain communal harmony, Muslim families should ensure their youth do not participate, especially as such celebrations are not aligned with our religious beliefs,” said Ali.