Maharashtra saw over 800 incidents of communal tension in last two-and-half months: Police
Mumbai, Mar 24 (PTI): Maharashtra witnessed 823 incidents of communal unrest so far since January this year including the violence in Nagpur, with demands for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb and the spreading of distorted facts on social media fomenting fresh trouble, officials said.
Nandurbar, Pune (Rural), Ratnagiri, Sangli, Beed, and Satara districts witnessed communal unrest besides other regions over the right-wing organisations' demand for the demolition of the tomb of the Mughal emperor, located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, in recent days.
A total of 156 criminal cases were registered with various police stations in the state in January in connection with communal unrest, 99 in February, and 78 till mid-March, an official said on Monday, adding that 102 cases were listed as cognisable crimes due to religious reasons.
Maharashtra in 2024 witnessed 4,836 Hindu-Muslim related communal crimes of which 170 incidents were cognisable and 3,106 non-cognisable cases, an official told PTI. Among these cases, 371 incidents were related to religious insults.
Mobs went on a rampage in several areas of central Nagpur on March 17 following a protest held by Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad demanding the removal of Aurganzeb's tomb, which they claimed is a symbol of "pain and slavery".
Notably, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently told the state legislature that Vicky Kaushal-starrer film "Chhaava", based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, reignited people's emotions against Aurangzeb.
Police have identified rumour-mongering on social media and inflammatory posts as the main factors that instigated people.
Maharashtra Cyber had identified 144 links on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube where inflammatory content related to the Nagpur riots was posted.
"37 links were deleted and action taken against 107 links by sending notifications," an official said.
Communal tensions left people from the peaceful Konkan region aghast.
The official referred to an incident in Rajapur town of Ratnagiri district where members of a Holi procession allegedly danced in front of Jama Masjid gate and damaged it amid chanting of slogans hailing Lord Shriram, Lord Mahadev, Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj.
A video of the incident had gone viral on various social media platforms.
The official said various posts on social media falsely claimed that the mosque was attacked, triggering communal tension.
Not only in Ratnagiri but the Konkan region takes pride in maintaining Hindu-Muslim harmony and festival traditions for decades, he said.
Common people feel the mosque incident was an aberration considering the strong-rooted Hindu-Muslim harmony in the coastal districts of Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Raigad.
"People in Konkan believe in peaceful co-existence and love celebrating festivals. Hindu-Muslim strife is unprecedented in the coastal region," the official said.
Highlighting the deep-rooted traditions of Hindu-Muslim unity in Rajapur, he said a palm tree (Maad) used for the Holi bonfire has to be taken to the mosque first, he said.
Residents of Rajapur expressed anguish over the communal disturbances.
Munna Surve, a resident of Rajapur, said Hindus visit the homes of their Muslim friends to celebrate Eid, reciprocated by Muslims who join Lord Ganesh festivities, Holi, and the palkhi (palanquin) procession of the village deity.
"Many Muslims enjoy the right to offer first prayers to Hindu gods in Konkan. In Rajapur, they offer a coconut to a palanquin," he said.
Similar traditions of Hindu-Muslim harmony exist in other districts of Maharashtra where Hindus pay their respect during Urs and Peers and eat community feast.
"We all are peace-loving people. Our ancestors have been living here for centuries. We have nothing to do with politics. We come together to preserve our traditions, started by our forefathers to bolster communal harmony," said Ali Miyan Kazi, a resident of Ratnagiri, a coastal district.
Kazi claimed some politicians hate communal harmony and try to stoke tensions through provocative speeches and communally-charged statements.
He lamented the ban on outsiders doing business in a village in Sindhudurg district where tension erupted after a 15-year-old son of a scrap dealer allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans during the Champion Trophy cricket final tie.
"Such exclusions can lead to creating more tension. These should be avoided," he added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Gold, silver soar as US-Iran deal hopes lift bullion demand
New Delhi (PTI): Gold prices rebounded by Rs 2,900 to Rs 1.55 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Wednesday, while silver climbed to Rs 2.54 lakh per kilogram as easing geopolitical tensions triggered a pullback in oil rates, boosting demand for precious metals.
According to the All India Sarafa Association, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity jumped by Rs 2,900, or nearly 2 per cent, to Rs 1,55,400 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Tuesday's closing level of Rs 1,52,500 per 10 grams.
Traders attributed the surge in bullion prices to reports that Washington and Tehran are close to finalising a framework agreement to end months of conflict, raising the prospects of smoother flows through the Strait of Hormuz and easing inflation concerns tied to energy markets.
"Gold rallied strongly on Wednesday as easing geopolitical tensions triggered a sharp reversal in key macro drivers that had recently pressured precious metals," Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst - Commodities at HDFC Securities, said.
Silver prices also advanced for the third straight session by rising Rs 3,500, or 1.4 per cent, to Rs 2,54,500 per kg (inclusive of all taxes). The metal had settled at Rs 2,51,000 per kg in the previous session, as per the Association.
"The prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough triggered a steep decline in oil prices and the US dollar, easing concerns about inflation while boosting demand for precious metals," Gandhi said.
Globally, spot gold increased by USD 106.15, or 2.33 per cent, to USD 4,663.70 per ounce while silver gained USD 3.40, or 4.68 per cent, to USD 76.24 per ounce.
"Gold witnessed a sharp rally as markets reacted positively to reports that the US and Iran are moving closer to a one-page agreement framework aimed at ending the conflict," Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst - Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, said.
Despite strong international gains, rupee strength limited the upside in domestic gold prices. The market is now highly focused on final confirmation and execution of the proposed deal, he added.
Any negative surprise or breakdown in negotiations could trigger a sharp sell-off in gold, while a successful agreement and sustained ceasefire could push the bullion prices higher in the near-term, Trivedi said.
