In Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar district, a protest over an allegedly offensive rangoli during Navratri celebrations turned violent, leading to police detaining 30 people and using a mild lathi charge to control the crowd. The incident has sparked calls for calm from community leaders and suspicions of a bigger plot from the state government.
Maharashtra Minority Commission Chairman Pyare Khan urged the Muslim community to draw inspiration from Prophet Muhammad’s life, where he always met hatred with love. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Khan stressed that everyone should report issues to the authorities instead of letting tensions escalate. “Maharashtra has a strong government and administration—don’t let this stain our society’s reputation or the nation’s image,” he said. Khan added that he spoke with the local Superintendent of Police, who confirmed arrests of those behind the rangoli and promised legal action against anyone involved, no matter their community.
The trouble started when someone created a rangoli with elements seen as insulting to a religious community during the Navratri festival. Community members spotted it, headed straight to the police station, and filed a complaint. Police quickly registered an FIR and arrested one person responsible for the rangoli. But the group wasn’t satisfied and launched a protest in the Kotla area under Tofkhana Police Station’s watch.
Things heated up after about 30 minutes when officers tried to talk the protesters down. The crowd responded by throwing stones, forcing police to use a light lathi charge. The situation calmed down soon after, with the area now peaceful. Another FIR is in place, and investigators are digging deeper into the Navratri rangoli controversy.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis weighed in, hinting at a possible conspiracy to stir up trouble in Ahilyanagar. He condemned efforts to polarize communities, saying, “We’re looking into whether these boards or rangolis are part of a plan to ruin our social harmony—like what we saw during the Lok Sabha elections.” Fadnavis emphasized that while everyone has the freedom to practice their religion, no one should create division or tension among people.
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