On Sunday, August 31, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) organized its foot processions in Rajasthan’s Baran. Out of all the processions, one began from the Pyare Ramji Mandir, and as soon as the procession reached the Muslim-dominant area lying in its route, all the Muslims, carrying sticks and brandishing them in the air, came out of their houses and blocked the procession’s way.
Tension arose further when Muslim shop-owners closed their establishments, showing their ‘opposition’ to the procession being carried out.
It is noteworthy that often, during such a scenario, a particular section of the Indian society justifies the acts of the Muslim community by stating that the Hindus ‘provoked’ the former. But in this case, it was a simple RSS procession that was heckled, there was no religious angle to it, nor was there religious music playing. The RSS procession moved in a calm and organized manner, and the volunteers had no ‘weapons’ with them. On top of it all, the procession had the required permission to be carried out by the administration, and the route was pre-decided.
Neither was this a religious event nor a political one, and yet, the Muslims who stopped and opposed the procession had a visible problem with the same.
As soon as the news of tensions arising spread, the district collector and the police SP reached the spot. It was for six hours that the Muslims and the RSS procession remained at loggerheads. The Muslims did not want the procession to cross the so-called ‘Muslim area’, and at the same time, the RSS procession was not ready to back-off.
Brandishing sticks in the air, the Muslims could be seen challenging the procession openly. While the RSS procession remained stuck mid-way for around six hours, police personnel could control the situation with great difficulty. It was under heavy police-protection that the procession could move forward amidst continuous sloganeering and chaos from the Muslim community.
After the tensions, Baran SP Abhishek said that the situation was under complete control and peace was maintained. At the same time, Hindu organizations in the city claimed that every year, this procession is organized peacefully and successfully, but this year, it was intentionally blocked and chaos was unleashed.
