FTII Pune students put up pro-Babri posters a day after Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha; clash with Hindu outfit members after they burns the posters
Pune, Maharashtra, India 
22 January, 2024
Case Summary
On January 23, a day after the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya, students at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune put up pro-Babri posters reading "Remember Babri-Death of Constitution." The incident occurred around 2 pm when members of Hindu outfits entered the campus, removed the posters, burnt them, and got into an altercation with the students, resulting in minor injuries on both sides. Security forces intervened to control the situation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the database under the prime category of- Attack not resulting in death. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victims. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. This case has been documented as a religiously motivated hate crime in the Hinduphobia tracker due to the deliberate provocation and animosity displayed towards Hindu religious sentiments. The placement of pro-Babri posters by FTII students, coinciding with the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony, was not only an affront to the deeply significant Hindu event but also an intentional act to undermine the sanctity of the occasion. For Hindus, the Pran Pratishtha symbolized the culmination of centuries-long struggles to reclaim Lord Ram's Janmabhoomi and restore a sacred space forcibly taken by Islamic fundamentalists. The provocative act of placing such posters at a time of immense religious significance highlights the disregard and hostility towards Hindu beliefs and sentiments. Furthermore, the clash that ensued, following the Hindu outfit members' resentment and burning of the posters, revealed the intolerance and disdain of the FTII students, who engaged in a physical altercation rather than respecting the religious sentiments of the opposing group. Given the historical and emotional weight of the Pran Pratishtha event for Hindus and the deliberate provocation through the posters, the case reflects deep-seated animosity towards Hindus and their faith, warranting its inclusion as a hate crime in this tracker.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
