'Islam Zindabad’, ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans raised during a Durga puja event, black cloth hurled at Maa Durga
Basti, Uttar Pradesh, India 
23 October, 2023
Case Summary
On Monday, 23rd October 2023, a girl belonging to the Muslim community created a ruckus in the ongoing Durga puja event in the Basti region of Uttar Pradesh. She barged into the event, threw black cloth on the idol of Maa Durga and raised slogans praising Islam and Pakistan. The girl got on the stage and snatched the mic from the person who was singing praises of Maa Durga and yelled, “Islam Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad.” The police booked the girl on Tuesday, 24th October for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus and investigating the matter further.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
According to the case details, 'Abrahamic religion chanting outside Hindu 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 chosen for this case is, 'Abrahamic religion chanting outside Hindu place of worship' 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 aggressive Abrahamic chanting outside Temples negates the divinity of the temple space because the chanting itself negates the existence of any other God other than the God of the Abrahamic faith. Such chanting is specifically done to negate the faith of Hindus, establish religious supremacy, intimidate the devotees and mock the faith. Besides temples, such Abrahamic chanting outside any Hindu place of worship or religious structure has the same effect. Since such acts are rooted in an inherent religious supremacist mentality driven by religious animosity, such crimes would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. The second relevant sub-category chosen for 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. Hindu religious events are sacred gatherings intended for worship, prayer, and celebration of their faith. In this case, the Muslim girl barged into a Hindu religious event and shouted pro-Islamic slogans, which is indeed a form of desecration and a significant breach of respect for the religious sentiments of the Hindu participants. This act suggests a lack of regard for the religious beliefs and practices of the participants. Furthermore, the Muslim perpetrator threw a black cloth on the idol of Maa Durga. This is a clear attempt to malign or denigrate the deity, amplifying the sense of offence and disrespect. These intentional acts of vandalism against religious symbols are considered hate crimes and are motivated by a strong animosity for the Hindu faith, which the Muslim offender in this instance held dear. This is the reason why this case has been included in the tracker.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
female
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