Anil Hindu, a Facebook user from Delhi but living in Dehradun, live-streamed the act of demolition and uploaded videos
Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI — Hindutva groups in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh district have demolished several mazars (Muslim shrines) during the last few days while live-streaming their sacrilegious acts on social media.
On Monday, Hindutva Watch, a research initiative which tracks hate crimes in the country, posted a video clip showing ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chanting Hindutva youths demolishing a mazar. In the video, a few men could be seen razing the sacred structure with sledgehammers and a group member claimed that they had demolished three mazars during the day and planned to make Uttarakhand “free” of all mazars.
“This is the third mazar. Someone was asking whether demolition was carried out or not. This is the third which we have demolished,” said the man identifying the location of their criminal act.
The video shows a huge structure being reduced to mere debris in no time.
Clarion India has discovered that these three mazars were demolished on Sunday and the act of demolition was streamed live on Facebook.
Anil Hindu, a Facebook user from Delhi but living in Dehradun, live-streamed the act of demolition and uploaded videos. Anil went live ten times to broadcast the demolition exercise and posted four videos on Sunday related to the mazar demolition.
“Our teams are making Devbhoomi Rishikesh ‘mazar free’. Dear lion brothers from Rishikesh, we want to salute you. Har Har Gange! Hindus are being misled and filled with fear that if they build a mazar, their problem will be solved. This is a trick to trap our sister-daughter. Therefore, don’t send your daughter and sister to mazar,” wrote Anil posting the videos of mazar demolition.
On Sunday, Radha Semwal Dhoni, a female Hindutva leader in Uttarakhand, also brought her supporters and demolished a mazar in Rishikesh’s Prem Nagar and live-streamed the act of demolition on Facebook.
“I will build a temple here. But who will help in the Shivling? I will establish Shivling here,” wrote Dhoni while livestreaming the demolition. She also abused people who worshiped these mazars instead of Hindu gods.
On Monday, she wanted to raze another mazar in the area but the local administration and police prevented her from doing so.
The video also showed heated arguments between her and some local officials as she continued to insist on the mazar demolition. “See, either they will demolish the mazar or we will do it,” she could be heard as saying in the video.
On 29 August, two mazars were also demolished with bulldozers and sledgehammers in Rishikesh town itself. Local police had registered an FIR against unknown persons under Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code.
Hindutva outfit, Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan, which allegedly put up posters in Uttarkashi’s Purola in June this year asking Muslims to leave the town or face consequences, has claimed responsibility for pulling down the mazars in Rishikesh.
Swami Darshan Bharti, the outfit’s founder, was quoted by The Hindustan Times as saying that it wasn’t an offence to demolish the mazars and that they have 25 more on their list.
“We demolished the structures built on the land owned by Hindus in Rishikesh by persuading them. My associates also broadcasted live on social media to enlighten Hindus against mazars. I don’t think it is an offence. If the police have filed an FIR, we will speak to them… We have identified around 25 such mazars built on the land owned by Hindus and we will demolish them all,” he said.