A video has surfaced online where three Muslims clad in saffron robes, are seen roaming around in an empty area when they are accosted by a man who asks them to reveal their identity. The youths, who are also carrying saffron colour jholas (hanging bags) and some instrument in their hands, at first attempt to steer clear of the questioning, but after the person shooting the video threatens them with the police, they confess of being Muslims.
In the undated video, which has now gone viral on social media, the man behind the camera approached these three youth and asks them to reveal their identity. One of them immediately identifies himself as Diwan. The man again asks him to confirm his name, but he insists that his name is Diwan. He then asks the second youth who identifies himself as Ali Hussain.
When the man who is shooting the incident asks the Muslim youths as to why are they roaming around in bhagwa clothes, Diwan asks: “What difference does it make. We are not stealing anything”.
Ali Hussain remains quite and answers only when prodded. Diwan is the only one who does the talking. At this point too, Diwan maintains that he is not a Muslim and refuses to reveal his true identity. When the man asks him to produce his Aadhar card, Diwan says he does not have one. Both state that they are residents of Tikaria village in Gonda district, Uttar Pradesh. The man then threatens the youths with the police. He asks them to get into the car and tells them that if they do not speak the truth he will take them to the Kotwali.
Diwan and Ali start walking when they are joined by another youth who introduces himself as Suddu. When the man interrogating the youths asks him whether he is a Hindu or a Muslim, he counter-questions him: “What do you think. What mistake we have made.” When the interrogator asks again, this time in a firmer tone, Suddu confesses that he is a Muslim.
Sharing this undated video, Bajrang Dal member Shubham Bhardwaj alleged that youths like these, who regularly indulge in crimes like rape and theft, mask their identity behind Bhagwa clothes and the so-called secular media, uses these opportunities to denounce Hindu Sadhus.
#गोंडा_ज़िले_में_संतों_के_भेष_में_विधर्मी_पकड़ाए
— Shubham Bhardwaj (@Shubham_vhp) October 30, 2020
देशभर में चोरी,बलात्कार व अन्य कुकर्म यही बहरूपिये बकरे करते हैं और सेक्युलर मीडिया व बड़ी बिंदी गैंग बदनाम हिन्दू संतों को करती है, सब सचेत रहें@ajeetbharti @swati_gs @drskj01 @OpIndia_com pic.twitter.com/h7ws2hs0Eo
Well, the concern raised by the Bajrang Dal Karyakarta is not wrong. The secular media has this incredible ability to give a Hindu spin to crimes committed by Muslims. Innumerable times the word “Tantrik” has been used for Muslim heeler or a preacher who have committed crimes like rape or theft.
In general parlance, the Tantrik – practitioner of the “tantra vidya“, is mainly associated with Hinduism, leading to a perception that the crime was committed by a Hindu individual. Besides this, many reports have also gone on to claim that the Tantrik was based out of an “ashram” thereby further appropriating the crime to Hinduism.
Incidentally, such a misinterpretation of crimes is not limited to Muslim accused. We had reported how India Today had introduced a Christian pastor as a “Kerala priest” while reporting about his demand for jeans and t-shirts girls to drown in the sea.