Hindu groups give the government two days to bulldoze Muslim homes in the Indian state of Haridwar

Hindu monks asked the far-right Raksha Vahini organization to demolish Muslim homes in the city of Rorke in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and gave the Indian authorities two days to raze the houses.

Indian journalists and activists circulated a video clip in which Hindu local leaders, while talking to local media on Sunday, announced that they would start attacks against Muslims if they were not expelled and their homes demolished in the city within two days.

The city has seen since Sunday the flight of the majority of its Muslim population for fear of attacks by Hindu groups.

BIG BREAKING : Communal violence broke out in #Roorkee during #hanumanJayanti #shobhayatra.

Hindu Raksha Vahini threatens Dharm Sansad in 2 days, if Muslim homes are not destroyed by Bulldozer.

@Newsclick pic.twitter.com/EH6QJl26Or

— Satyam Tiwari (@BBauuaa) April 17, 2022

This incitement comes after violent incidents against Muslims in the city in the past two days during the Hindu celebration of their religious holiday "Hanuman Jayanti".

According to local Indian sources, crowds of Hindus gathered last Friday evening around a mosque in the city, carrying swords and sticks, and chanting inflammatory slogans against Muslims, calling for their expulsion if they did not convert to Hinduism. Jai Shri Ram, a symbol of devotion to Hinduism.

At 2AM, they took the hanuman jayanti shobhayatra in the presence of DM, DIG and heavy police force present.

Swords, lathis, slogans and songs like "Mulla Pakistani" were being played.

pic.twitter.com/FNundn0n26

— Satyam Tiwari (@BBauuaa) April 17, 2022

The Hindu celebration sparked clashes between Hindus and Muslims in the city, which led to the Indian police arresting a number of Muslims only, and issuing complaints against nearly 40 others who managed to escape.

The police threatened to demolish the homes of the wanted men if they did not turn themselves in, and bulldozers had already come to the city to carry out demolition orders at any time, but prominent Hindu figures said that they would attack Muslims in the city if the demolition was not carried out within two days.

For their part, the Muslim residents of the city sent written letters to the police station, talking about the violations practiced by Hindus against them, hate speech and other practices they are subjected to such as beatings, theft and closing their mosques and shops.