Judge presents “love jihad” as fact, sentences Muslim man to life imprisonment
A court in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly has sentenced a 25-year-old Muslim man to life imprisonment and his father to a two-year term over “love jihad” offenses, presenting the debunked anti-Muslim conspiracy as a real organized effort by Muslim men to seduce and convert Hindu women.
The verdict was given despite the woman rescinding her testimony and stating that her previous testimony had been given under pressure from Hindu supremacist groups.
Shop raided for selling imported corned beef, shopkeeper taken to police custody
In Punjab’s Jalandhar, Satish Kumar, a Hindu extremist cow vigilante leader along with police officials, raided a departmental store for selling imported corned beef. The shopkeeper claimed that it was made of buffalo meat and not cow meat. However, the police seized the cans and took the shopkeeper into custody for investigation.
In Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, Hindu supremacists urged shop owners renting to Muslims to vacate them. They delivered communal speeches targeting Muslims tailors, alleging they only stitch women’s clothes to have a hold over Hindu women and blackmail them.
Ban on sale of meat in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya during Hindu festival
Officials in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya have ordered a ban on the sale of poultry and meat during an upcoming nine-day-long Hindu religious festival.
They also warned of strict legal action against the businessmen in case of failure to comply with the order. The move blatantly targets Muslims, who are the main demographic selling meat.
Days after massive protest, demolition of some parts of Dharavi mosque begins
Days after a protest erupted in Maharashtra’s Dharavi, after civic officials attempted to demolish what they claimed was an illegal section of the Subhania Mosque, the trust that manages the mosque has begun demolishing the sections themselves.
Earlier, around 5,000 protesters clashed with the officials who attempted to demolish the mosque. In response, police arrested three individuals.