Md Moinuddin barges into Muzaffarpur's Hanuman temple with slippers on, urinates on the idol
Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India 
21 April, 2023
Case Summary
A case of desecration of the Hanuman temple located at Kalyani Chowk of Nagar police station in Bihar's Muzaffarpur has come to light wherein one Mohammed Moinuddin, a resident of Diwan Road, forcibly entered the premises without removing his slippers on April 22, 2023. He took off his pants and urinated on Durga Ma's idol. The temple priest spotted him and raised an alarm. However, by that time, he went to another side of the temple and urinated there as well. He fled from the scene after creating a ruckus. However, the devotees present inside the temple reached his house and assaulted the 22-year-old accused. It was said that accused Moinuddin also shouted "Mahjabin" during the heinous deed. Mohammad Moinuddin was taken into custody by police, and he is now being questioned.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
According to the case details, 'Breaking rules of place of worship' and 'Desecration of Hindu religious symbol' are the two sub-categories under the core category 'attack on Hindu religious symbols' under which this case has been listed. The first relevant sub-category in this case is, 'Breaking rules of place of worship'. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. One of these oral traditions or written traditions is the rules of specific temples. Certain temples have rules which are traditional rules, dependent on the worship of the presiding deities. These rules and traditions have been followed for thousands of years whether they find scriptural mention or not. Such traditions are based on the nature and rules of worship of the presiding deity of that temple. Any non-compliance of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the presiding deity but also disregard for the faith of the devotees of that deity/temple and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition and the deity itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific temple and presiding deity, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The second sub-category relevant in this case 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 third sub-category this case is being added to is 'Temple attack'. In Hinduism, a temple is the abode of the Deity. The Deity in the Temple is consecrated, thereby, making it a real, breathing entity. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the temple premises itself are sacred to Hindus since Hindus hold the faith that the entire Temple space is an amalgamation of the divine energy of the deity. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack against a Hindu Temple or its peripheral premises is an attack on the faith itself and is born out of animosity towards the faith, of which, the Temple is a central tenet. Any manner of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. In this case, the Muslim perpetrator not only entered the temple with his slippers on but also urinated on the idols kept inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Such attacks on the premises of a temple that aim to cause harm to the temple or its devotees demonstrate the inherent animosity towards Hinduism, the representations of Hinduism and its adherants that the radical Muslim perpetrator harboured. For this reason, this case qualifies for inclusion in the hate tracker database.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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