Amid the reports of persecution of Musims from UP, Delhi, Karnataka, Chattisgarh and other parts of the country, a similar sensational report emerged from Madhya Pradesh where a jailer at Rajgarh prison has forcefully cut the beards of five undertrail Muslims.
According to reports, the Jirapur Tahsil Police took five youths namely Kaleem Khan, Talib Khan, Arif Khan, Salman Khan and Waheed Khan into custody on September 13 on the charges of disturbing peace in the area. Since then they are languishing in Rajgarh jail as undertrial prisoners. All of them were booked under section 151 IPC but no one had any criminal antecedents in the past.
During the custody all the accused have been asked to cut their beards by the jailer. However, the accused said, when they raised an objection against the order, the jailer vehemently questioned them asking ‘whether they are from Pakistan…? and forcefully cut their beards.
The sensational report created outrage among local Muslims who strongly protested and termed it as unlawful act that hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community. “First they were arrested on a charge of disturbing the peace and sent to jail where they have been subjected to custodial harassment mentally and physically as if they are from enemy land,” alleged the local Muslims.
Amid the series of recent reports of persecuion of muslims – such as reports of Hijab ban at educational institutions in Karnataka state, using Bulldozers to target only Muslim houses in UP and Madrasa Survey in Uttar Pradesh, this incident came as a fresh episode of tormenting Muslim community who are now at the believe that their is a real threat to their existence in the country due to advancement of hindutva forces under BJP’s rule led by Prime Minister Narandra Modi. Apart from this, the wind of hatred has sprung overseas too as reports of clashes between Hindus and Muslims are also reported from Great Britain.
