Ratlam: During the Ganesh festival, which is being celebrated across the country, a serious incident occurred in Mochipura, Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh. A stone was thrown at the Ganesh idol, which immediately led to widespread outrage and protests. On the night of 7th September, Saturday, more than 500 people surrounded the Station Road police station, raising slogans against the stone-pelting incident. Initially, the police attempted to calm the crowd, and later registered an FIR against unknown persons.
After the FIR was lodged, the police went to the scene for investigation, but the protesting crowd followed. SP Rahul Kumar Lodha tried to pacify the situation, urging the people to return home. Despite his efforts, another stone was thrown, which triggered a retaliation as the crowd began hurling stones as well. A police vehicle was also hit, breaking its glass, prompting the police to take action to control the growing unrest. The police used mild force to disperse the crowd, and security forces were deployed in Ratlam to prevent further escalation. Two contingents of security forces have been called in to maintain peace.
The FIR states that around 8:30 PM on Saturday night, people from the Puja committee were carrying the Ganesh idol from Khetalpur to Mehndikui Balaji via Hathikhan Mochipura for its installation. Women and children were also part of the procession. As they reached Mochipura on Hathikhan Road, someone threw a stone at the idol, causing tensions to rise.
City SP Abhinav Barange reported that some participants of the procession claimed stones were thrown at them as well. To verify this, one of the witnesses was sent to review footage in the CCTV control room. As of now, a case has been registered, and the situation is under control.
However, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which is involved in the protest, has raised serious concerns, alleging that this incident was part of a larger conspiracy aimed at disrupting Hindu festivals. They claim that attempts are being made to hinder Hindu religious programs in predominantly Muslim areas. According to them, fundamentalists from Mochipura are responsible for the stone pelting.
This incident raises an important question: why does such deep-rooted animosity exist towards Hindu festivals within some segments of the Muslim community? While lakhs of Hindus visit religious places like Haji Ali and Ajmer Sharif with reverence and devotion, why is it that not even a single religious procession can pass through Muslim-majority areas without an incident? This is not an isolated event—attacks on Hindu processions, such as those on Ramnavami, Hanuman Janmotsav, and Sawan Somvar, have become disturbingly frequent.
Yes, it is understood that idol worship is forbidden in Islam, but does that justify preventing others from practicing their faith in a secular country like India? If such incidents can occur in India, where secularism is a core principle, then what must be the fate of minorities in Muslim-majority nations? The situation in Bangladesh, where temples are openly demolished and Hindus are murdered inside police stations, gives a bleak picture of religious tolerance. So, can we conclude that peaceful coexistence with other communities is an impossibility for the Muslim community?
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