There was tension already simmering in Mhow and the blame cannot be put on one side. Those celebrating the victory were shouting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ while passing near a mosque, where Taraweeh prayers were going on.
The unfortunate communal violence in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh on Sunday night after India won ICC Champions Trophy was avoidable. It is not that there were objections to people celebrating our cricket team’s victory. The Champions Trophy celebration was an excuse. There was tension already simmering in Mhow and the blame cannot be put on one side. Those celebrating the victory were shouting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ while passing near a mosque, where Taraweeh prayers were going on. Some people in the mosque considered this an insult, gathered a mob and attacked the homes, shops and vehicles of Hindus. The local police handled the situation carefully and did not allow matter to go out of control. Police pacified community leaders from both sides. I know the people of Mhow. They want to live in peace but there are a handful of people who want tension. Such people should be identified and isolated. Now that Team India has returned home, let all of us jointly celebrate the win. This victory has also changed the views of those who were earlier criticizing Captain Rohit Sharma and bowler Mohammed Shami. Today, the same people are heaping praises on these players. Congress spokesperson Shama Mohammed had described Rohit Sharma as ‘mota’(fat) and unimpressive captain’ on social media. On Sunday, she praised the team, particularly the captain’s knock of 76 runs by Rohit Sharma in the final. All India Muslim Jamaat chief Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi had criticized Mohd. Shami for not observing Ramzan fast during the matches, but on Monday, the Maulana said, Mohd. Shami has earned accolades for India and he could ‘compensate’ the ‘roza’ (fast) that he missed after returning home.
Why is RJD afraid of Bageshwar Dham Baba ?
The massive gathering of several lakh devotees at the five-day ‘katha’ (sermons) of Bageshwar Dham chief Dhirendra Shastri in Bihar’s Gopalganj district has irked opposition parties like RJD, Left parties and Congress. On the last two days, the crowd ran into lakhs, and Dhirendra Shastri had to issue a video appeal asking people to watch his sermons at home. Shastri said, “the day is not far off when Bharat will become a Hindu Rashtra and Bihar may become the first Hindu state”. He promised to visit Bihar again soon. On Monday, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya wrote on social media that this was part of BJP’s design to use Babas before assembly polls, but it will not succeed. Purnea MP Pappu Yadav described Dhirendra Shastri as ‘Natwarlal, a fraud who should be sent to jail’. At a time when leaders spend millions of rupees to gather people at rallies, it is surprising that millions are reaching out on their own to watch Bageshwar Dham baba speak. It is also surprising that the Baba is appealing to devotees not to come to his ‘katha’ because of huge crowds. This is nothing short of a miracle. One does not need rocket science to understand why RJD leaders are opposing Bageshwar Dham chief. Muslims constitute a big vote bank of RJD in BIhar, and when Bageshwar Baba speaks of Hindu Rashtra, it suits RJD’s politics to oppose him. Assembly elections are due in October this year, and no party is going to take the Baba lightly. As the election date approaches nearer, the voices may become more strident.
Why Raj Thackeray described Ganga water as filthy?
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray had alleged that the Ganga water is neither clean nor safe to drink. He described as ‘andha shraddha’ (superstition) people drinking Ganga water after taking a holy dip at Maha Kumbh. Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane described this as an insult to Hindu faith and challenged Raj Thackeray to say similar things about other religions. Congress and NCP(Sharad) leaders supported Raj Thackeray, while Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said she did not find the Ganga water unfit. Later MNS spokesperson Bala Nandgaonkar clarified that Raj Thackeray had no intention to insult anybody’s faith , but since he was always against superstition, he had only cautioned people. Let me point out here, Central Pollution Control Board has taken a U-turn and in its latest report, the Board has said that Ganga water is fit for bathing. The new report says, key water quality indicators are within permissible limits for bathing. It seems Raj Thackeray, in a hurry, described Ganga water as polluted but he later realized his mistake. The water of Maa Ganga is revered by Hindus all over the world. Both Uddhav Thackeray’s party MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Rohit Pawar have said, they had taken a holy dip at Maha Kumbh and did not find the water quality poor. It was only afterwards that Raj Thackeray realized his mistake and his spokesperson issued a clarification. By then, it was too late. Raj Thackeray’s remark can cost the party heavily.
Aaj Ki Baat: Monday to Friday, 9:00 pm
India’s Number One and most followed Super Prime Time News Show ‘Aaj Ki Baat- Rajat Sharma Ke Saath’ was launched just before the 2014 General Elections. Since its inception, the show has redefined India’s super-prime time and is numerically far ahead of its contemporaries. Aaj Ki Baat: Monday to Friday, 9:00 pm.
