Lord Ganesha idol seized, Hindus arrested for protesting against violence during Ganesh idol immersion

Case Summary
In Bengaluru, around 40 Hindus were arrested for protesting against violence during a Ganesh idol immersion procession in Nagamangala, Mandya district. The protest, organized by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Ganesh Utsav Committee, was planned at Town Hall but denied police permission. Protestors demanded action against those responsible for stone-pelting incidents targeting shops and vehicles and sought the release of Hindus they claimed were unjustly detained. The police, led by DCP Shekhar, deployed heavy security to control the situation. The protestors gathered and were subsequently detained. A Ganesh idol they brought was placed in the police van with the detainees, leading to a widely circulated photo that sparked political and social media debates. Police later clarified that the arrests were a precautionary measure to maintain order, as the protestors attempted to demonstrate without authorization. The incident drew significant public attention, highlighting tensions surrounding the original violence and the subsequent protests. Authorities emphasized the need to prevent escalation while assuring investigations into the initial incidents in Mandya were ongoing.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added as a religiously motivated hate crime under three prime categories of the database. The first is- Attack on Hindu religious representations and under this, the sub-category selected 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 category under which this case has been placed is- Restriction/ban on Hindu practices. Within this, the sub-category selected is- Attack on expression of Hindu identity. An example of the state-affected prejudicial and targeted orders against the Hindu community would be a government denying the right of a Hindu or a group of Hindus to hold a religious procession owing to the animosity of non-Hindu groups. Denial of the religious right of the Hindus to assuage the non-Hindu group which harbours animosity to a point where it could lead to violence against Hindus is not only a failure of law and order but is a prejudicial order against Hindus, denying them their fundamental rights to express their religious identity. An example of a hate crime against Hindus by a non-Hindu would be a non-Hindu institution forcing its Hindu employees to abandon religious symbols that a Hindu would wear as an expression of faith owing to inherent prejudice against the faith professed by the victim or a non-Hindu group of people restricting a Hindu group from constructing a place of worship simply because the demography of the area in which the temple is being built is dominated by non-Hindus. Such actions are driven by religious animosity and/or prejudice against Hindus and their faith and would therefore be categorized as a hate crime. The third category under which this case has been placed is- Attack not resulting in death. Within this, the sub-category selected is- Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim. 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 categorized as a religiously motivated hate crime under multiple dimensions, reflecting significant animosity towards Hindu religious practices. The detention of peaceful protestors advocating for accountability after violence during the Ganesh idol immersion procession constitutes a clear infringement on their right to express their Hindu identity. Additionally, the placement of the sacred Ganesh idol in a police vehicle alongside detainees reflects blatant disrespect for Hindu symbols. The unjust treatment of Hindus opposing the stone-pelting incidents underscores a broader pattern of targeting Hindus for resisting radical actions, emphasizing the persistent bias and hostility against the Hindu community. Consequently, this case has been added to the tracker.

Case Status
Unknown

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
State and Establishment
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown