NEW DELHI — A disturbing video from Madhya Pradesh has once again raised serious questions about hate speech, public safety and equal application of the law in India. The clip, recorded during a Bajrang Dal training programme in Dhar district, shows an explicit call for violence against Muslims, including threats of shooting them in the chest.
The video, now widely shared on social media, is said to be from Manawar in Dhar district, where the Bajrang Dal was holding a provincial-level training camp. In the footage, a speaker leads a group in the collective recitation of a poem that targets Islam and Muslims in harsh and violent terms.
In the poem, the speaker is heard saying, “Is desh ka har bachcha Siya Ram kahega, is desh mein na Musalman na Islam rahega. Jinhain Mohammad chahiye woh Madina chale jaayen, warna chalegi goli, mullon ke seene mein.” The lines also speak about erasing Muslim rulers from history and declaring that Islam will not remain in the country.
Rights activists and Muslim leaders say the words amount to a direct call for violence against an entire community. A senior Muslim social worker from Madhya Pradesh said, “This is not a slogan or a joke. This is a clear threat to kill Muslims. If a Muslim had said even one line like this, he would already be in jail.”
Despite the video being in the public domain, there has been no confirmed police action so far. No First Information Report has been registered, and no arrests have been reported. This silence has caused anger and fear among Indian Muslims, who say the law moves fast only when the accused is Muslim.
A local resident from Dhar, requesting anonymity, said, “We see police cases for small social media posts. Here people are openly talking about shooting Muslims, and nothing happens. This makes us feel unsafe in our own homes.”
Legal experts point out that Indian law clearly bars speech that promotes hatred and violence against any community. A Delhi-based lawyer said, “Calling for people to be shot is a criminal offence. There is no legal excuse for inaction just because the speakers belong to a powerful group.”
This is not the first time Bajrang Dal members have been linked to such content. Similar videos and statements have surfaced earlier, often around training camps and public meetings. Muslim groups say these acts go beyond speech and create an atmosphere where mobs feel encouraged to act outside the law.
Community members also accuse such groups of taking the role of law enforcement into their own hands. In the name of cow protection, many Muslims have faced assaults, public humiliation, and false accusations. “The police are supposed to protect citizens, not watch silently while threats are made,” said a Muslim youth leader from the region.
Many Muslims feel that the message from the authorities is clear. As one Delhi-based academic put it, “When hate against Muslims is ignored, it sends a signal that Muslim lives matter less. This is dangerous for the country and its future.”
Civil society groups are now demanding immediate police action, registration of a case, and strict punishment for those involved. They warn that ignoring such open threats will only deepen fear, division, and mistrust.
For Indian Muslims, the issue is no longer just about one video. It is about whether the promise of equal citizenship still holds. As a Muslim elder from Dhar said quietly, “We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for the same law that applies to everyone else.”
