An online outcry erupted after several Hindu devotees in Maharashtra attempted to enter the gates of a Ratnagiri mosque while celebrating Shimga festival, observed a day before Holi in the Konkan belt of India.
On Thursday, March 13, a video emerged on social media platforms where scores of Hindus of Ratnagiri district celebrated Shimga festival by raising a large piece of wood and forcefully entering the gates of Jama Masjid located in Rajapur.
The event took place on March 12. Fortunately, a major communal incident was averted after the mosque authorities closed the gates and held firm. Local reports suggest that one person was injured.
The attempt is repeated three times in the video with many Hindus celebrating and dancing.
Police personnel seen in the video take no action whatsoever while many Hindus try to enter the mosque by trying to smash the gates with the large wooden structure. There has been no official statement from them yet.
Holi is the festival of colours celebrated with communal harmony for years in India. While northern India celebrates Holika dahan (the burning of the demoness Holika), Shimga is celebrated in Maharashtra and Goa, where old wood and unwanted items are burnt, symbolizing the cleansing of negativity.
Netizens call for action against Ratnagiri mosque attack
After the video went viral, many netizens took to social media platforms to express their dismay and frustration over religion being used to incite communal disharmony.
One X user said, “All of this happened during the holy month of Ramadan when our brothers were peacefully praying inside the mosque Please pray for the safety of our brothers & sisters in the vicinity.”
Another X user tagged the official handles of Ratnagiri police and DGP of Maharashtra saying, “Very shame! Disgusting! No faith for others relegions! No humanity! Why the Indian hindu peoples find mosque always & celebrate! This is not happening in United States! No any church, mosque, no finding church in mosque! @DGPMaharashtra @RatnagiriPolice can u take actions sir!”
Another X user said, “It is impossible in this total hypocrisy although it could be made possible only in democracy. Which is almost finished from where we get impartial justice. Very shame on such anti social fringe elements insulting the whole Sanatan religion the symbol of love, mercy and harmony.”
In Reddit, users expressed concern over the growing communal hatred in India. One Reddit user said, “I am born and brought up in Ratnagiri and we literally never had communal tensions there as far as I know. It was like a sweet spot unlike the rest of Maharashtra where we just lived with mutual respect and now I see this. Thank you politicians for ruining my hometown.”
Another Reddit user claimed that Maharashtra was slowly turning into Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
