Escalating Hate-Based Politics: Attacks on Minority Spaces and Journalists’ Protests for Rights
In a concerning trend of escalating hate-based politics, India has witnessed a surge in attacks on minority religious spaces and growing challenges for the media fraternity, articles published on Muslim Mirror and Clarion reported.
On March 26, communal tensions erupted in Rahuri, Maharashtra, when a mob stormed the centuries-old Hazrat Ahmed Chishti Dargah, also known as Buwasind Baba, removing its traditional green flag and replacing it with a saffron one. The incident followed reports of the desecration of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj earlier that day, sparking protests in the town.
The dargah, a place of shared faith between Muslims and Hindus, has faced growing claims by Hindutva groups that it was originally a Hindu temple. These assertions, coupled with attempts to disrupt communal harmony, have led to increasing tensions in the region. Despite the presence of police, the mob forcibly entered the dargah and changed the flag, heightening the already volatile situation.
Concurrently, journalists across India staged a massive protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding the implementation of the long-promised Journalist Protection Act and other welfare measures. Hundreds of journalists from 20 states participated, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill his commitment to safeguarding their rights.
The Bharti Shramjeevi Patrakar Sangh (BSPS) spearheaded the demonstration, submitting a 10-point memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office. Key demands included the enactment of the Journalist Protection Act, health insurance coverage, railway concessions, toll exemptions, and an independent panel to probe false cases against media professionals.
The protest received support from various political parties and legal associations, underscoring the nationwide concern over press freedom and media safety. BSPS leaders vowed to continue advocating for journalists’ welfare until their demands are met.
Concurrently, in Uttarakhand, the state government has been cracking down on what it calls “illegal mosques, madrasas, and tombs,” with over 550 such structures demolished in recent months. The latest incident saw the tomb of Roshan Ali Shah Baba in Haridwar reduced to rubble, despite the caretaker’s claims of the site’s historical significance.
These events highlight the growing pattern of hate-based politics, where minority religious spaces and media professionals face increasing challenges and attacks, raising concerns about the state of communal harmony and press freedom in India.
