A senior police official downplayed the issue. “This is not a big matter. These (the posters) were pasted outside only six or seven houses in the colony. No case has been registered,” he said.
Team Clarion
JAIPUR – Tension prevailed here on Tuesday after some provocative anti-Muslim posters were found pasted in the Nandpuri Colony of the city. The posters, calling on Hindus to unite against “Muslim Jihad” and other allegations against the Muslim community, were promptly removed by the local authorities.
Police authorities tried to downplay the incident. Second Officer Hariom of Brahmpuri police station, said the posters were removed immediately after the issue came to light. “This is not a big matter. These (the posters) were pasted outside only six or seven houses in the colony. No case has been registered in connection with the incident.”
However, the implications of such posters are significant, reflecting underlying tensions within the community.
Anita Jain, Councilor of Ward 22, voiced support for the sentiments echoed in the posters, emphasising the need to control the growth of the minority population within certain areas of the city. She remarked, “It is necessary to control the growth of minority population in the walled city,” attributing concerns to the alleged deliberate infiltration of Muslim residents into Hindu-majority areas.
A resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, owned up the posters but agreed to their removal by the police, stating, “We put up the posters but then someone informed the police. We agreed to have the posters removed by the police. We did not want to drag the matter…!” Another resident highlighted the role of rumours in exacerbating tensions, stating, “A local resident recently rented out his house and moved somewhere else. Then a rumour spread that he had sold his house to a Muslim. Only a few houses in the neighbourhood are causing problems.”
The emergence of such provocative posters and the ensuing controversy underscore the delicate communal dynamics at play in Jaipur. As authorities strive to maintain peace and harmony, it is crucial for community leaders and residents to engage in constructive dialogue to address underlying grievances and prevent the escalation of tensions.
