South

Crowds enter heritage madrassa on Dussehra in Karnataka, offer prayers

October 6, 2022
Bharat Times

The crowd standing on the steps of the madrasa shouted Jai Shri Ram and other slogans.

Bangalore:

A mob participating in a Dussehra procession allegedly ransacked a heritage madrasa in Karnataka’s Bidar district. They raised slogans and also performed puja in one corner of the building. Police have registered a case against nine people, but no one has been arrested so far. Muslim organizations have promised protests by tomorrow if arrests are not made.

Built in the 1460s, the Mahmud Gawan Madrasa in Bidar comes under the Archaeological Survey of India. The heritage structure is also in the list of monuments of national importance.

Police said the mob broke the lock of the madrasa on Wednesday evening.

Standing on the steps of the madrasa, he shouted “Jai Shri Ram” and “Hindu Dharma Jai” before turning to a corner to worship. Videos circulating online from the spot showed a huge crowd standing on the stairs trying to enter the building.

A local police official said a case has been registered against nine people, but no one has been arrested so far.

Several Muslim organizations in Bidar have condemned the incident and staged protests demanding the arrest of the perpetrators. He has warned that if the accused are not arrested, there will be a massive protest after the Friday prayers.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at the state’s ruling BJP over the incident, accusing it of promoting such incidents to “degrade Muslims”.

Critics have accused the BJP of turning parts of the state into a crucible for communal experiments. The allegations began after a controversy over the hijab, and intensified with Hindu groups pushing for a ban on Muslim traders at temple fairs.

In August, Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated at Idgah ground in Hubli.