A Ganesha murti procession in Gujarat that was crossing through a Muslim-dominated area was attacked with stones. Stones were hurled at the tempo transporting the murti, and police detained 13 people. Murti was transported to the pandal safely after police used lathi charges to disperse the stone throwers.

On August 29, the Panigate Darwaza neighborhood in the Mandvi locale of the Vadodara district witnessed a parade of Ganesha murtis. According to reports, Muslims predominate in the neighborhood, and when the procession passed, stones were hurled at it. In a social media video of the incident, stones are seen being thrown from buildings. Hindus retaliated, but police used lathi charges against them.

Hindus who retaliated have been apprehended by police. When speaking to the media about the event, Joint Commissioner of Police Chirag Koradia said, “The situation is under control, and the crime branch is looking into the case,” and he warned people not to believe any rumors that “the atmosphere in the region is tranquil.”

Panna Momaya, the deputy commissioner of Vadodara, described it as “an inside dispute” and stated, “Unfortunately, one of the stones broke a window of a religious building, leading to speculation of attacks on minority members. The two parties then clashed as a result of retaliation. As the murti passed through a “sensitive region,” according to reports from India Today and Indian Express, stones were thrown at it.

When Muslims threw stones at Hindus in August 2022, PTI misrepresented the situation by claiming that Hindus started the violence and Muslims responded in self-defense. Additionally, it attempted to cover up the crime of Muslims attacking Kanwariyas in UP. It’s probable that news websites contributed to the Gujarat incident’s “sensitization.”

Sections 143 (illegal assembly), 147 (rioting), 336 (rash act endangering human life or personal safety), and 295 have been used to charge 13 members of “both communities” (defiling place of worship). Attacks on Hindu holiday processions rise yearly, while so-called minorities still complain about persecution.

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