Saraswati idol damaged ahead of Saraswati Puja in West Bengal

Case ID : f66454e | Location : Nadia district, West Bengal, India | Date of Incident : Sat, 1 February, 2025
Case ID : f66454e
location Nadia district, West Bengal, India
date 1 February, 2025
Saraswati idol damaged ahead of Saraswati Puja in West Bengal
Attack on Hindu religious representations
Desecration of Hindu religious symbol

Case Summary

A Saraswati idol was damaged in Charui Tipi village of Kalinga area, Chapra police station, ahead of the Saraswati Puja celebrations. It was found that the statue was broken late at night, possibly by someone under the influence of alcohol. The damage was discovered the following morning, causing a stir among villagers. The organisers of the puja were angered by the incident. A new Saraswati idol was installed, and the puja continued thereafter. The police assured that an investigation was ongoing, and strict legal action would be taken against anyone found responsible.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Attack on Hindu religious representations. 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. In Hinduism, temples are sacred spaces of worship, and the deities are revered with deep respect. Acts of temple vandalism and deliberate idol desecration, as demonstrated in this case, are seen as deeply offensive and sacrilegious. Such actions often stem from entrenched animosity and an intent to insult the faith. This clear attack on religious sentiments exemplifies hate and justifies its inclusion in the tracker. It is important to mention here that though the last update was that the miscreants were unknown, regardless, the action stemmed out of hatred against Hinduism and resulted in the desecration of the sacred temple and would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime.

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