Construction of Maharana Pratap's statue opposed by Muslims in Himachal Pradesh
Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India 
18 February, 2025
Case Summary
In Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh, a proposition was passed to install a statue of Maharana Pratap, the brave Rajput ruler from the Sisodia clan of Mewar. The Muslim community opposed this installation as they claimed that the statue was being installed outside the mosque. The Muslim Reform Sabha's general secretary Rafiq along with his Muslim delegation submitted a memorandum to the Hamirpur district administration and requested not to install the statue at the place proposed by the Sujanpur city council. The Muslim delegation said that the statue should not be installed in front of the mosque. Muslims from the surrounding areas come to pray in the mosque. If there is a statue of Maharana Pratap in front of the mosque, then feelings of hatred may arise. The VHP strongly criticised the Muslim community and said that the statue would be erected at the place approved by the civic body. VHP's deputy secretary Pankaj Bharatiya said, “There is no justification to oppose the installation of a statue of Indian warrior Maharana Pratap in front of the mosque." He then added, “A group of Muslim leaders from outside the state are creating anti-Hindu sentiments.” Bharatiya demanded the government not take back its decision or buckle under the pressure of the Muslim community. He urged the Hindu community to unite and demand the installation of the statue at the allocated spot.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Restriction/ban on Hindu practices and within this, the sub-category selected is- Restriction 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 deliberate opposition to the installation of Maharana Pratap’s statue in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, is a blatant attempt to suppress the expression of Hindu identity in public spaces. Maharana Pratap is a revered historical figure who symbolises Hindu resistance and valour, and the demand to prevent his statue’s installation, despite official approval, stems from a deeper hostility towards Hindu heritage. The argument that its presence near a mosque could incite hatred is not only baseless but also indicative of an attempt to restrict Hindu expressions while asserting dominance over shared spaces. By opposing the statue on these grounds, the intent appears to be the marginalisation of Hindu history and cultural symbols. Such resistance is part of a larger pattern where Hindu practices, beliefs, and representations face unjustified restrictions, reinforcing a narrative of discrimination. The opposition to the installation of Maharana Pratap’s statue is not merely a matter of location or logistics but rather an outright display of hostility towards Hindus that stemmed from innate hatred for Hindus and their beliefs and this is why this case has been added to the tracker.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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