Madhya Pradesh: How Processions Turn Into Communal Flashpoints Punishing a Select Few

Bhopal: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat stated in a lecture in December 2024, “Extremism, aggressiveness, forcefulness, and insulting other gods are not in our country’s nature and are unacceptable.” In another speech, he asked, “Where is Islam safe other than India?” 

Unlike the usual rhetoric of Hindutva groups, Bhagwat’s recent statements have called for peace – or at least they refrained from outright demonising Muslims. However, the gap between rhetoric and reality grows starker as Hindutva strengthens its hold on the socio-political fabric of India, including “Shanti ka tapoo” Madhya Pradesh.

While Bhagwat’s words project an image of inclusivity, Hindutva leaders on the ground still continue to push majoritarian narratives. 

Speaking to The Wire, BJP MLA Vishnu Khatri said that Mohan Bhagwat is a responsible leader who speaks with great caution. For years, Hindu society has ensured the safety of others because only Hinduism upholds ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The world is one family). Would India still be democratic if Muslims made up 70-80% of the population?

Also read: Hate Speech Crackdown or State-led Censorship? What Bhopal’s Social Media Watch Tells Us

“Muslims must also reflect on their position. They always seem to be fighting for existence, often claiming to be treated as second-class citizens or oppressed. A Pakistani player mentioned his grandfather was a Hindu from Amritsar. People feel offended if someone else says the same thing. Everyone wants excessive rights and fights for them.  Look at Pakistan, which was created through struggle – see its condition today. A large section of those who demanded a separate country – remained here, yet India has maintained social harmony. Those who promote ‘Jai Bhim, Jai Meem’ must understand that the constitution and rule of law exist in this country only because Hinduism is the majority,” Khatri said.

The contradiction between Bhagwat’s speech and Hindutva groups’ actions is stark. And nowhere is this more visible than in the streets of Madhya Pradesh, where processions and rallies have increasingly turned into sites of violence.

March 9, 2025: A victory rally turns violent in Mhow

Cricket fans flooded the streets as Ravindra Jadeja sealed India’s Champions Trophy victory with a boundary, sparking national celebrations and rallies. Soon, the joy turned into hatred in Ambedkar’s town, Mhow (Indore), as clashes erupted at night on March 9 when a victory rally stopped outside Jama Masjid during Taraweeh prayers. 

The rally allegedly raised derogatory slogans and threw a firecracker inside the mosque. Tensions escalated into stone-pelting and arson between the two groups as worshippers rushed outside. The police arrested 13 people – all of them Muslims. A video shows rally participants waving saffron flags and chanting “Jai Shri Ram” outside the mosque, while another captures men vandalising vehicles with sticks and chanting the same. 

Cricket often fuels nationalist fervour in India, with Muslims facing frequent scrutiny over their loyalty.  This time, the violence didn’t follow a match against the so-called forbidden “P” team – it came after a win over New Zealand.

Mhow’s is not an isolated incident but a continuation of a troubling pattern in Madhya Pradesh. Over the past few years, similar rallies – whether in the name of faith or nationalism – have repeatedly turned violent, with Muslims bearing the brunt. The cycle remains unchanged: processions enter Muslim areas and raise provocative slogans, and the crackdown is swift and one-sided if resistance follows.

This pattern has played out before, time and again, making the March 9 incident just another addition to a long list of such incidents.

Dec 2020-Jan 2021: Ujjain to Dorana, a timeline of hate-filled incidents

On December 25, 2020, a BJP youth rally in Ujjain entered Begum Bagh, a Muslim-majority area, shouting sexist and communal slogans. Violence erupted when a local woman allegedly threw a stone in protest. Police arrested 20 Muslims, slapped NSA on five, and later demolished a Muslim home for “encroachment”. 

Four days later, a Ram Temple fundraising rally in Chandan Khedi of Indore stopped outside an Eidgah, blocking roads and chanting threats to the tune of “Tumhara aakhri din aa gaya hai (Your final day is here)“. The mob vandalised the mosque, replacing the religious flag with a saffron one, and later set a Muslim home on fire as police stood by. Days later, authorities demolished 80 more Muslim houses.

A month later, on January 29, 2021, a VHP rally turned violent in Dorana village of Mandsaur district. A mob ransacked 50 Muslim homes and replaced green flags with saffron ones. This escalation was a sequel to a December 25 incident in the area, when locals had peacefully stopped a rally from playing loud music outside a mosque. Videos showed some rally members climbing the mosque and hoisting saffron flags. Social media messages urged Hindus to join and “teach the descendants of Aurangzeb a lesson” in retaliation for the previous incident. 

“For the last 25 years, RSS and VHP have entrenched themselves at the grassroots in Madhya Pradesh. The consistent communal atmosphere ensures their influence remains intact,” says senior journalist Deepak Tiwari. 

“Their strategy is simple – every provocation benefits BJP through polarisation. The percentage of Muslims is irrelevant; one well-timed incident is enough to deepen divisions. BJP’s politics thrives on the perception that Hinduism is under threat, and engineered tensions have become a nationwide pattern,” he adds.

April 2022: Khargone burns amid Ram Navami violence

Communal clashes erupted during a Ram Navami procession in Khargone in April 2022. Two processions were taken out – one by the Raghuvanshi community, who trace their lineage to Lord Ram, and another by Hindu right-wing groups, including Bajrang Dal and Gauraksha Samiti. Tensions surfaced early when a dispute broke out between the police and a BJP official over barricading a particular route during the first procession. However, the second procession moved ahead, and violence erupted near the mosque at Talab Chowk. 

Nearly 1,000 participants gathered, refusing to move beyond Talab Chowk for hours, delaying namaz. Some members provoked violence, raising slogans urging youth to attack homes. The procession featured a tableau inspired by The Kashmir Files. Mobs stormed Muslim-majority lanes, looting, vandalising, and torching homes as police attempted to disperse the crowd with lathi charges. They also attacked a cemetery near the mosque and pelted stones at Muslim houses.

In the aftermath, authorities demolished 16 houses and 29 shops – mostly owned by Muslims – totaling 45 structures. This action was part of a crackdown on alleged rioters following the clashes.

Over 60 km away, violence erupted in Sendhwa city of Barwani district. Authorities demolished 13 Muslims’ homes, calling them illegal the very next day.

Social and political analyst Sachin Srivastava explained how Madhya Pradesh’s political landscape has shifted over time. “They have fused religion with culture. Large-scale communal violence was rare in Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s earlier years – he was busy shaping a national image. BJP’s second generation is locked in a contest to sound more radical. Narottam Mishra played his part on a smaller scale – protests against films, outrage over statements, and the slow communalisation of festivals like Holi and Diwali. Every chief minister eyes national politics. Others must go a step further with Yogi Adityanath already the hardliner. Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, often called ‘islands of peace’, were never really peaceful. Feudal structures run deep. The illusion of peace holds only because the oppressed have no space to resist,” he commented.

July 2023: Spitting allegation, demolition and incarceration in Ujjain

In July 2023, during the ‘Mahakal ki Sawari’ procession in Ujjain, three Muslim youths, including 18-year-old Adnan Mansoori and two minors, were accused of spitting on devotees from a rooftop. The incident triggered protests from Hindutva groups, demanding strict action. The police arrested the accused within hours, and the Ujjain Municipal Corporation demolished Mansoori’s family home, alleging encroachment, while loud music and drum beats played in the background. The complainant and key witness retracted their statements months later, admitting they were pressured by the police. Mansoori was granted bail after spending 151 days in jail. 

Srivastava says that the game of polarisation is played through symbols and distant events. If any religion teaches that its followers should disregard the feelings of others, what is its real purpose? 

“Religion never permits arrogance or humiliation of others, but when it becomes a political weapon, its core message is lost. We saw a time when processions used to lower volume in respect while passing through Mosques. The role of the administration and media is to remain impartial when disputes arise over religious processions. The impact is far-reaching when they accept one-sided narratives,” he says.

January 2024: Ram Temple procession sparks communal clashes in Shajapur

Shajapur experienced communal tensions during a religious procession organised in January 2024 ahead of the Ram Temple consecration ceremony. The procession reportedly encountered resistance from local Muslims near a mosque in the Magaria area, leading to an altercation involving stone-pelting and the use of weapons. This incident resulted in one person sustaining serious injuries and two others with minor injuries. In response, the police registered a case against 24 identified individuals—all from the Muslim community—and an additional 15 to 20 unidentified persons on charges related to rioting, promoting communal enmity, and hurting religious sentiments.

BJP MLA Vishnu Khatri who has lived in Old Bhopal, said, “People here have always celebrated festivals together, and this tradition will continue. Everyone should respect each other and maintain social harmony. If we compare our freedom with other countries, we will find ourselves far better off, and this should make us proud.”

These are selected incidents; many more may exist, each with its own context and impact.