'Activists seek govt's intervention to stop anti-Muslim propaganda dubbing them as corona carriers'

Expressing concern over alleged targeting of Muslims over the spread of coronavirus, rights activists here have demanded urgent intervention by the Rajasthan government, fearing that the blame game can become a precursor to another spate of lynching.

The activists submitted a joint memorandum to additional chief secretary (Home) seeking his intervention on the matter on Sunday.

We fear that this can become a precursor to lynching. On the social media among the people of the majority community, one of the main discourse is the Muslims, being dubbed as transmitter of the infection by spitting on fruit and other means, they said.

Citing certain examples of Jaipur, the activists alleged that a section of people are preventing Muslim fruit and vegetable vendors Muslims from entering various housing colonies.

There have also been instances of people returning fruits or vegetables after coming to know that the vendor was a Muslim, said the memorandum, adding that people have also been insisting upon vendors to show their Aadhar cards.

It has even impacted the mindset of the police as there was an example of one policeman driving away two Muslim vendors, the activists claimed.

We reiterate that before this becomes a reason for lynching and harming and injuring the Muslim community people and before we see the people of the Muslim community retaliate, this rising expression of hate should be stopped at the earliest, the activists said.

They said Muslims should not be targeted by police and citizen of the state should be assured and explained that no one community is a transmitter, despite the Tablighi Jamaat meet episode.

A section of the Muslim community is feeling humiliated and agitated, and this could snowball into retaliatory violence. We need to assure them that the law violators will be brought to book so that they do not take law into their own hands, they added.

The memorandum, which is also addressed to DGP and police commissioners of Jaipur and Jodhpur, was submitted by activists of behalf of the People's Union for Civil Liberties, the Centre for Equity Studies, Majdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan and others.