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| Representational image of vat Savitri Puja ( via Amar Ujala), Bandh observed in Jashpurnagar (R), image via Nai Duniya |
The accused man Naseer had reportedly told the women that he wanted to "mix some Gangajal in the Puja" and had come back with a plastic bag full of urine. He had thrown the urine on the Hindu women observing the Vat Savitri rituals.
In Chhattisgarh’s Jashpurnagar, a Muslim man named Naseer attacked a group of Hindu women observing the rituals of the traditional Vat Savitri Puja on May 30, Monday. The Muslim man had reportedly filled a plastic bag with his urine and thrown it at the women gathered to observe rituals of the Vat Savitri Puja near the Rani Bagicha area near the city.
As per reports, a large number of Hindu women gathered on roads to protest against this despicable act of sexual harassment and hate crime. A bandh was observed in Jashpurnagar over the incident on Wednesday because despite complaints the local police had not arrested the accused Muslim man.
The group of women who were attacked with urine by Naseer had left the Puja and gone home after the incident on Monday. Later in the evening, they had reached the local police station to lodge a complaint against Naseer.
However, as no action was taken against the culprit, a large number of Hindu women came to the streets to protest. The police then arrested the accused Naseer and sent him to jail. Raigarh MP Gomati Rai had joined the protests and had submitted a letter to District Magistrate requesting swift action and steps to prevent such incidents of religious hate crime and harassment.
Speaking to OpIndia, the Jashpurnagar police have informed that the culprit has been arrested and sent to custody under charges as per IPC sections 295, 295A, 153A and 505(2). They have added that the protesting groups were peacefully handled and the law and order situation remains normal in the area.
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| Arrested accused Naseer, image: OpIndia |
Local Hindu groups also took a bike rally in support of the protesting women. The women have stated that the act of throwing urine on the Vrat observants during the Puja ritual was a planned crime to disrupt the Puja and hurt the religious sentiments of the women.
BJP Chattisgarh secretary Prabal Pratap Judev has shared the complaint letter to the police submitted by the women, informing that the Muslim man had first come to the Puja spot and tried to urinate there before the women. The women have stated that the accused first said he wanted to “mix some Gangajal in the rituals”. After the women asked him to go away, he had come with a plastic bag filled with urine and thrown at the women, saying that this is because he doesn’t want to see Hindus doing Puja on the road. The complainants have stated that they were not blocking the road but were gathered near a tree some distance away from the road.
MP Gomatai Rai demands strict action, lambasts local Congress MLAs
BJP MP Gomati Rai joined to support the protesting women. She questioned the police laxity and condemned the silence of local Congress MLAs. Gomati Rai stated that if the religions of the victim and culprit were reversed, the Congress MLAs would have started widespread protests by now. She added that this is a heinous crime to sexually harass, and humiliate Hindu women while attacking their faith.
It is notable here that Vat Savitri is a Hindu festival where women observe a day-long fast and worship Savitri Devi and the Banyan tree, praying for a long life for their husbands. It is a community event and women usually gather near a Banyan tree to perform the rituals. They tie sacred threads to the tree and offer water together.
