One hour agoAuthor: Devanshu Tiwari
Khairabad town is 18 km away from Sitapur. The people of 70 Muslim families living here have not been able to sleep peacefully in the last 9 days. Women do not even allow girls to come out of their homes after dusk. The reason is the threat of Mahant Bajrang Muni, who lives in the town itself, openly threatening to rape the girls.
This is from 2nd April 2022. At around 1.40 pm, Mahant Bajrang Muni of Badi Sangat Ashram in Khairabad with a crowd of more than 400 people takes out a procession in the town. Mahant was sitting in the car and behind him a crowd of supporters, along with the police, was walking with slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
Around 2 o’clock in the afternoon the procession reaches in front of the glass mosque. Now the voice of people with saffron flags all around suddenly intensified. Slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ start, when Bajrang Muni sitting in the car starts speaking on the mic, “There is a village of pigs somewhere nearby. The pigs have collected Rs 28 lakh for my murder. I am very lovingly explaining to you that if you molest a Hindu girl in this area, I will openly pick up your daughters-in-law from your house and rape them.
We reached Khairabad after the video of this incident went viral. We have spoken to the Muslim families living here and the district administration officials. First understand the incident minute by minute through the graphic given below, then read the story of the people of Khairabad…
‘Khairabad, a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity, was defamed by Bajrang Muni’
Shabbir Alam, who runs a cloth shop in Khairabad market, said, “Our friend’s house is built right next to the mosque. When he returned home after work on the 2nd, his wife told about the incident. Baba had said such bad things that she started crying while speaking. Till now Khairabad was always known for Hindu-Muslim unity. But this Mahant brought the whole town into disrepute. ,
This is the glass mosque of Khairabad. In front of this mosque, the Mahant had threatened Muslim women with rape.
‘Baba kept abusing our daughter-in-law, the police kept watching’
Ehtesham Hussain, a resident of Khairabad says, “The biggest pain was when the Mahant was continuously abusing our daughters-in-law and the policemen were listening to him standing silently. The administration here is aligned with that of Baba. This is the reason why he keeps quarreling with people every day and no one even takes action against him.
‘Women are afraid to go to the ashram after the threat of rape’
The woman, who runs a tailoring shop in the Main Market of Khairabad town, told us off-the-camera, “After the ruckus on the day of the procession, people here have stopped going to the big sangat. When the people living here openly threaten our girls with rape, then how can one live in peace. We have even refused our daughter to go towards the sangat.”
Big Sangat Ashram of Mahant Bajrang Muni in Khairabad town of Sitapur. There is silence here after the video went viral.
‘The agenda of the Mahant was to spit fire against the Muslims’
Habib Mian, who met in the glass mosque, said, “Many Mahants came and went in the big company of Khairabad, who supported us a lot. But Bajrang Muni, who was made the mahant of the sangat two years ago, always kept the Muslims on his target. He carried only one agenda to humiliate Muslims. During this, the police also supported him. This increased Baba’s courage to spread hatred.
What do the police have to say?
Six days after this incident, the district administration swung into action after this video of Mahant Bajrang Muni appeared on social media. The investigation of the case was handed over to ASP North Rajiv Dixit. Dixit explains, “After the video came out, we have registered a case against Mahant Bajrang Muni of Badi Sangat. Further legal action is being taken on the basis of whatever evidence we have got. Also, the security of the entire area has been tightened to maintain peace.
Women’s Commission took action after the video went viral
The National Commission for Women has taken cognizance of the matter. Describing the matter as serious, the commission’s chairperson Rekha Sharma has directed the DGP of UP to take action and submit a report in 7 days.
What did the Mahant say in the clarification…
After the action of the Women’s Commission, another video of Mahant Bajrang Muni has surfaced. Now the Mahant has said that Muslims are threatening to kill him. Mahant said in his clarification, “If any of my words have hurt the women, then I apologize to all the mothers and sisters. I respect all women castes.”
Two to three gunners are always engaged in Baba’s security.
Police force engaged in the security of Mahant Bajrang Muni.
- Mahant Bajrang Muni is a resident of Auvar village of Pratapgarh.
- Mahant Bajrang Muni has been handling the responsibility of Mahant in Badi Sangat Ashram of Khairabad for 2 years.
- Bablu Rajput, who met at Khairabad railway station, told that the real name of Bajrang Muni is Anupam. Two to three gunners and PAC personnel are always engaged in Baba’s security.
Bajrang Muni’s name was in controversies even before
- In February 2021, there was a fight between Mahant Bajrang Muni and Muslim families over the possession of vacant land near Badi Sangat. People on both sides were injured in this. Mahant was so injured in this bloody clash that he had to be referred to Lucknow Trauma Center for treatment.
- In the year 2021 itself, Mahant Bajrang Muni had accused Piyush Kumar, CO City of Sitapur, of killing him.
- Many complaints have been registered against Baba in Khairabad police station for disturbing the atmosphere and inciting violence.