Muslim mob attacks Durga Puja pandal, vandalises idol, pelts stones at Hindu devotees over 'blasphemy'
Howrah, West Bengal, India 
12 October, 2024
Case Summary
On October 13th, Muslim mobs attacked a Durga Puja pandal in Shyampur, Howrah district, West Bengal. The mob vandalized the idol of Goddess Durga and set shops on fire. The unrest began after an art competition, organized by the Shyampur Bazaar Babasyayi Samiti, displayed pictures of religious figures, including Prophet Muhammad. This reportedly angered some Muslim groups, who viewed it as an insult. Despite the removal of the picture, tensions escalated. Hindu activist Devdutta Maji reported that several Hindus were beaten, and the pandal was destroyed. Videos circulated on social media showing broken idols and burning establishments. The mob also threw stones at police officers and Hindu devotees. The police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) were deployed to control the situation. A total of 67 individuals were arrested. As a precautionary measure, the internet service in Shyampur was suspended.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under two prime categories. The first is- Attack not resulting in death, under which, two sub-categories have been selected. The first is- Attacked over 'blasphemy'. Blasphemy essentially refers to the desecration of anything which is held sacred/holy to a group of people. However, for religious supremacist groups, the elements of ‘blasphemy’ are ever-changing, shifting and expanding – leading to infringement on the rights of other religious groups, freedom of speech and expression, threats and even physical violence. There are instances where blasphemy is also used as a dog whistle to target Hindus owing to intrinsic animosity towards Hinduism. There are several instances where stating truths as mentioned in the non-Hindu doctrine itself has led to unmitigated violence against Hindus. There have also been instances where non-Hindus have themselves created a ‘blasphemous’ situation, like placing a Quran in a temple, to use it as an excuse to attack Hindus. Essentially, Blasphemy charges are often made up and/or are used to shut down any form of criticism of non-Hindu faiths and as a tool to target Hindus. Any physical violence over Blasphemy charges against Hindus are foundationally based on animosity for Hindus and their faith owing to religious supremacist ideologies, therefore, such attacks would be documented as religious motivated hate crimes under this category. The second sub-category chosen under the first prime category is- Attack against Hindu devotees. Hindu devotees are a few of the easiest targets of religiously motivated hate crimes because during the festival/procession/puja etc, for non-Hindus it is easy to profile their victims on the basis of religion. Hindu devotees come under attack on several occasions by individual non-Hindus or mobs of non-Hindus owing to their animosity against Hinduism, its symbols and tradition/practices. There are several instances of Hindu devotees being attacked while they worship in temples or temporary religious structures, during religious processions, doing bhajan/kirtan/puja in their own homes, in the residential society etc. These attacks are perpetrated by non-Hindus primarily because of their animosity towards Hindus and their faith. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, there are two elements that make these hate crimes. First, the Hindus who come under attack are attacked violently while indulging in religious activity. Whether they are in a place of worship or not is immaterial to the crime. When individuals are attacked while indulging in religious practices, the attack in itself is a hindrance to their freedom to practice religion and therefore constitutes a hate crime. Secondly, religious supremacist doctrines and ideologies deem religious practices of Hindus to be offensive ab initio since they are considered “sinful” by these ideologies, worthy to be annihilated by force or coercion. Driven by these religious supremacist ideologies and doctrines, the attacks against Hindu devotees stem from intrinsic animosity towards Hinduism. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, it develops into a religiously motivated crime during the course of the violence. Since these attacks stem from animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, they are considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. The second category under which this case has been placed is 'Attack on Hindu religious symbols'. Under this, two sub-categories have been chosen. The first is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbol. Icons and symbols or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal are widely revered in Hinduism. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Since these Hindu religious symbols hold paramount importance in Hinduism, any desecration of symbols, icons, murtis, religious representations and manifestations, is driven by animosity towards the faith itself which manifests itself through these murtis, icons and symbols. Therefore, any desecration of these Hindu religious symbols and representations is considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. The second sub-category chosen is- Violence against religious structures or centres. In Hinduism, a religious structure is also considered divine. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the religious structure itself is sacred. In this sub-category, we would document attacks against religious structures which are not consecrated temple spaces. Such religious spaces could be temporary in nature – for example – the religious spaces erected specifically for festivals like Durga Puja etc. This category would also document cases of attacks against religious centres. These spaces in their own right may not be ‘sacred’ per se, however, are often spaces where religious gurus live, religious teaching is imparted, or belong to religious institutions. Any attack against religious structures is a result of animosity towards the religion itself, which manifests itself through the religious spaces and therefore, such attacks are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. Religious centres are also manifestations of the religion, its teachings or gurus and therefore, attacks against such centres would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes. The attack on the Durga Puja pandal in Shyampur, Howrah, can be categorized as a religiously motivated hate crime under several distinct aspects. First, the violence erupted following accusations of "blasphemy" over the display of a picture of Prophet Muhammad during an art competition, which angered some Muslim groups. This perceived offence against their religious sensibilities was used as a justification to unleash violence upon the Hindu community, despite the removal of the image. As seen in several cases, this law is often used as a tool of oppression and violence, leading to false accusations, mob justice, and social ostracisation of Hindus. This law, which is sparingly used in Muslim-majority countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh to attack minority Hindus residing there, has become increasingly common in India too, where bloodthirsty Islamists often twist and use these laws to settle their scores with Hindus. The misuse of blasphemy laws against Hindus is often motivated by religious prejudice. Hindus are targeted because of their religious identity. Here too, Hindus were falsely accused of blasphemy merely because pictures of Prophet Muhammad were displayed during an art competition, making it a clear act of religious intolerance and hatred, which is why this case has been included in the hate tracker. Second, the Islamists pelted stones at Hindu devotees. It is important to note that there was no provocation from the Hindu side. The Muslims, in fact, were triggered by something as small and harmless as the display of pictures of Muhammad Prophet and launched a vicious attack on the Hindus celebrating their festival. Thirdly, the Muslim mob went on to desecrate the idol of Goddess Durga. This highlights a blatant attack on Hindus and their religious symbols. The deliberate destruction of the idol, a sacred representation of divine power and worship for Hindus, demonstrates an intent to insult and degrade Hindu beliefs and practices. Lastly, the violence against the pandal itself, a temporary religious structure built to honour Goddess Durga during the festival, can be categorised as violence against religious structures or centres. The pandal, being the focal point of religious gatherings and celebrations, was targeted to disrupt Hindu religious observances. This attack reflects not just a random act of violence, but a calculated attempt to provoke Hindus by attacking the symbols, places, and expressions of Hindu devotion. Such attacks are a form of symbolic aggression against the Hindu community that stems from an innate hatred for Hinduism. Given that the fundamental motivation behind these actions is contempt for Hindus and their religion, this instance has been added to the tracker under the following category.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
