Bajrang Dal opposes mosque construction in Chhattisgarh, cites ‘love jihad’

Tensions flared in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon as Bajrang Dal members mobilised locals to protest against the construction of a mosque on Friday, July 5.

The protesters objected to the construction of the mosque and alleged that the mosque’s presence would lead to an increase in ‘love jihad’, cattle slaughter and illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants in the area.

According to reports, the Bajrang Dal members gathered a crowd and staged a demonstration near the site where the mosque was being built. They raised slogans against the construction and threatened the district administration that if a portion of the under-construction mosque would not be demolished and was left standing they would start mass agitation which would disrupt the communal harmony of the region.

In recent times, the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state has witnessed a concerning rise in targeted attacks, particularly on Muslims and Christians. There has been reported a spate of mob lynching incidents and assault cases in the state often carried out by right-wing Hindu groups that have created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among these communities.