Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Rights group Hindutva Watch flagged on Monday what it described as a celebratory public reception for cow vigilante Monu Manesar after his release on bail in the 2023 Junaid-Nasir double murder case, highlighting fresh concern over the public glorification of an accused in one of India&rsquo;s most contentious vigilante violence cases.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2030798038642446721&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=11c3e4775eb382ba6e9f994d941f719f5f4a7155&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 921px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>Monu Manesar, whose real name is Mohit Yadav, was released from Sevar Central Jail in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, after the Rajasthan High Court granted him bail, reported The Quint.&nbsp; He was freed in a bullet-proof vest amid heavy security, with police deployment outside the jail as supporters gathered at the site.&nbsp;The case relates to the killings of Junaid, 35, and Nasir, 27, two Muslim cousins from Rajasthan whose charred bodies were found inside a burned vehicle in Haryana&rsquo;s Bhiwani district in February 2023, Times of India reported.&nbsp; The case was registered on the complaint of a relative at Gopalgarh police station in Deeg district of Rajasthan. An Indian journalist and published author, Ankur Bhardwaj, commented on the news of celebration of Manesar&#39;s release, calling it &quot;sick.&quot;&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2030851624604971494&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=11c3e4775eb382ba6e9f994d941f719f5f4a7155&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 543px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>According to court reporting cited by Indian outlets, Manesar had spent about two and a half years in judicial custody before being granted bail.&nbsp; The Quint reported that the High Court took note of the length of incarceration and the slow pace of trial proceedings.&nbsp; Reports said a large number of prosecution witnesses are still yet to be examined, meaning the trial remains far from conclusion. Following his release, Indian media reported celebratory scenes involving supporters.&nbsp; Bhaskar English reported that Manesar was accompanied by a convoy as he returned to Haryana, while the social media video cited by the user appears to show supporters greeting him enthusiastically after his release.&nbsp; This development comes as part of normalization of vigilante violence in India.

India

Rights group 'Hindutva Watch' on Monday flagged celebrations after Indian cow vigilante Monu Manesar, accused in the 2023 killing of two Muslim men, was released on bail, while the murder case remains pending and his public welcome renewed scrutiny.

Cow vigilante accused of double murder gets hero’s welcome after bail in India

ISLAMABAD: A senior lawmaker from India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sparked controversy after issuing a warning that pork pieces would be placed outside mosques in Kanpur if those responsible for killing cattle are not arrested within 48 hours. BJP MLA Rahul Sonkar made the threat while visiting a police station following the discovery of the remains of around 100 cattle in a field near a Durga temple in Kanpur, according to local media reports. &ldquo;If the killers of the cattle are not caught within 48 hours, pork pieces will be found in front of mosques in Kanpur,&rdquo; Sonkar was quoted as saying, addressing police officials during his visit.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2011066487919001641&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=5da96554180dd3bdce6457febfc7b6fa5f5fe940&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The statement triggered outrage as pork is considered religiously forbidden by Muslims, and critics say such remarks could inflame communal tensions. In a series of posts on social media platform X, the MLA said he was &ldquo;deeply saddened&rdquo; by the discovery of 40 to 50 cattle remains near Kutra Road in the Bilhore Municipality, which falls under his assembly constituency. He claimed he had ordered officials to reach the site immediately and take the &ldquo;strictest possible action&rdquo; against those involved, as well as against administrative officers.&nbsp;&ldquo;Arrests must be made within 48 hours for this heinous crime,&rdquo; Sonkar wrote. &ldquo;If arrests are not made within 48 hours, we are sufficient to deal with the cow killers in Bilhore.&rdquo; <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/00009693-ef16-4716-8a2b-8235a72a4b6c-Screenshot 2026-01-14 122643.png" alt="BJP lawmaker" class="fr-fil fr-dib"></figure>The BJP legislator described cows as central to Hindu faith and culture, calling the killings &ldquo;an attack on the soul of Hindu society,&rdquo; and said people could no longer remain silent. There was no immediate response from local police on the MLA&rsquo;s threat, nor any confirmation on arrests at the time of filing this report. Rights activists and opposition figures have repeatedly accused Hindu nationalist leaders in India of using inflammatory language that targets religious minorities, warning that such rhetoric risks provoking violence and undermining communal harmony.

Indian lawmaker threatens to throw pork outside mosques in Kanpur

ISLAMABAD: An Indian lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Medha Kulkarni, has come under criticism after leading a controversial &quot;purification&quot; ritual at a historic site in the western city of Pune, following a video showing Muslim women offering prayers at the location.&nbsp;Kulkarni, a BJP Member of Parliament, led a group that poured a mixture of cow dung and urine at the Shaniwarwada fort, describing it as an act to &ldquo;cleanse&rdquo; the site. The move came after a short video circulated online showing a few Muslim women offering namaz, Islamic prayers, in a quiet corner of the fort.&nbsp;Speaking to local media, Kulkarni defended her actions, saying:&nbsp;&ldquo;If offering namaz is not a crime, then neither is prarthana [Hindu prayer]. We only performed prayers and purification to maintain the sanctity of this place.&rdquo;&nbsp;However, the act has been widely criticized by opposition parties, minority rights groups, and heritage activists for promoting intolerance and politicizing a public monument. Opposition figures in Maharashtra accused Kulkarni of &ldquo;disturbing communal harmony&rdquo; and &ldquo;misusing religion for political visibility.&rdquo;&nbsp;A senior opposition leader from western state of Maharashtra said in a televised statement:&nbsp;&ldquo;No religion teaches hatred. This fort belongs to every Indian, not to one community. Such acts of provocation serve no purpose other than deepening divisions.&rdquo;&nbsp;Local civic groups have also pointed out that Shaniwarwada is a protected heritage monument, not a temple, and is open to visitors of all faiths. The fort, built in 1732, was once the seat of the Maratha Empire&rsquo;s Peshwas and is an important cultural landmark in western India. Notably, the Maratha leader Baji Rao I lived there with his wife Mastani, who was of mixed Hindu and Muslim heritage, a historical symbol of plural coexistence.&nbsp;Growing concerns over religious polarizationThe incident comes amid growing concern over rising religious polarization in India. Analysts and rights observers say that Hindu nationalist politics under the BJP has intensified communal rhetoric, often targeting religious minorities, particularly Muslims.&nbsp;Since the BJP came to power in 2014, human rights monitors have documented multiple incidents of violence linked to accusations of cow slaughter or interfaith relations. Several of these have resulted in mob lynchings and social boycotts of minority communities.&nbsp;Social activists warn that events such as the &ldquo;purification&rdquo; ritual at Shaniwarwada risk normalizing exclusionary ideas under the guise of cultural pride.&nbsp;&ldquo;Such symbolic acts, though seemingly minor, reinforce a message of division,&rdquo; said a Pune-based social worker. &ldquo;India&rsquo;s strength lies in its shared spaces and inclusive heritage, not in rituals of separation.&rdquo;&nbsp;Historical significance of ShaniwarwadaThe Shaniwarwada fort, an architectural symbol of the Maratha legacy, holds deep historical and cultural value. Despite its association with Hindu Maratha rulers, the fort also embodies India&rsquo;s composite heritage, reflecting centuries of cultural intermingling.&nbsp;The incident has sparked debate within India over whether religious practices of any kind should be performed at protected monuments. Heritage experts have called for stricter enforcement of archaeological site regulations to prevent political or religious appropriation of historical spaces.&nbsp;Broader implicationsObservers in South Asia note that such developments highlight a worrying pattern of identity-based politics encroaching on cultural heritage and public life.&nbsp;For Pakistan and the wider region, the episode underscores the importance of safeguarding pluralism, tolerance, and respect for all faiths, principles that have historically underpinned South Asia&rsquo;s shared civilization.

Indian MP Medha Kulkarni faces backlash after leading a 'purification' ritual at Shaniwarwada fort following a viral video of Muslim women praying there.

Articles tagged with "COW LYNCHINGS"

Cow vigilante accused of double murder gets hero’s welcome after bail in India

Indian lawmaker threatens to throw pork outside mosques in Kanpur

Indian lawmaker sparks outrage with ‘purification’ ritual at fort