Three Muslims, including juveniles, spit on Baba Mahakaal procession in Ujjain
Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India 
16 July, 2023
Case Summary
On July 17, 2023, in Ujjain, three Islamists, including two juveniles, were arrested by the police for spitting on the Baba Mahakaal Procession, a religious procession. The incident occurred as the procession passed through a Muslim-dominated area near the Shipra River. When devotees asked them to stop, they continued spitting water. Devotees recorded videos of the act as evidence. Later, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists filed a complaint at Kharakuan Police Station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. BJP leader Masoom Jaiswal also demanded strict action against the miscreants. Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Bhuria confirmed that the perpetrators, identified from a "particular community," were caught on camera. An FIR has been lodged, and three individuals, including two juveniles, have been detained. Bajrang Dal activist Ankit Choubey called for RASUKA implementation and advocated for the demolition of the accused's houses using bulldozers.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This particular case has been classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under two subcategories of the prime category 'Attack not resulting in death' because of the various distinct components that demonstrate the perpetrator's bias against the Hindu faith and their deliberate attempt to harm the Hindus. The first sub-category under 'Attack not resulting in death' relevant in this case is 'Attack on religious procession'. The outward celebration and display of religious symbols in an intrinsic part of Hinduism. Religious processions on various festivals are age-old traditions and a way to manifest faith and form a part of the religious practices of Hindus. On several occasions, such religious processions come under attack by non-Hindu mobs, in a manifestation of their animosity towards Hinduism and their practices. The reasons cited for such violent attacks are many and range from crossing a non-Hindu resident-dominated area to playing loud music, crossing from an area where there is a religious structure of another faith etc. The violent attacks are triggered by the outward display of religiosity by Hindus. The attacks are mainly a manifestation of religious supremacist doctrine which believes that idolatry, essentially the Hindu faith, is one that deserves to be annihilated since the very tenets of Hinduism, its practices and traditions are considered a sin in those doctrines. Since these attacks emanate from intrinsic and doctrinal animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, it is considered a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. The second sub-category relevant here is, Attacked for crossing 'Muslim area' One of the reasons that Hindus get attacked unprovoked specifically by Islamists is for crossing ‘Muslim areas’. Essentially, Muslim mobs often attack Hindus crossing or present in certain areas which have a majority Muslim population. It has often been cited as one of the reasons to blame Hindus for attacks against themselves, signalling that Hindus displaying religious symbols, taking our religious processions or crossing any area which is dominated by Muslim residents is a provocation in and of itself. These areas are mostly ghettoized areas where mobs mobilize quickly to attack Hindus for a variety of reasons like playing music during a religious procession, crossing a mosque, wearing a tilak or any other religious symbol in a Muslim-dominated area, praying at a local temple in that area etc. There have been cases where the few local Hindus of that area have been attacked on their way to the Temple for prayers as well, simply because the area is considered a Muslim-dominated area. Several times, it is entirely possible that the immediate trigger for the violence against Hindus was non-religious in nature, however, the violence became religiously motivated in nature because the area was Muslim dominated and the residents on the whole harboured animosity towards Hindus, evidenced from the actions of the mob, the slogans, and the nature of the attack. Such crimes are motivated by the religious identity of the victims and are therefore classified as hate crimes under this category. The Islamists in this case spat on a Hindu religious procession while it was going through an area they deemed to be Muslim because it was primarily populated by members of their religion. The Muslims were asked to cease spitting by the Hindu devotees, but they persisted. Such derogatory actions are only possible if those who commit them have a great deal of contempt for Hinduism. This instance has been added to the tracker under the following category since the primary driving force behind these activities is disdain for Hindus and their faith.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
