Tension over alleged incident of hoisting of saffron flag on a mosque in Bhagalpur (Bihar)

A Hindu youth tried to lift the wire by removing his slippers and climbing on to a shop next to the mosque

Bhagalpur (Bihar) – Tension escalated here after a video of a saffron flag allegedly being hoisted on a mosque during an idol immersion procession of Shri Kalimata was circulated on social media. A minor skirmish took place at this time, but the administration immediately took control of the situation. During this period the immersion of the idol was stopped for 2 hours. The administration has taken the youth hoisting the flag into custody and is under investigation.

Tension in Bhagalpur (Bihar) over the alleged Incident of hoisting a Saffron Flag on a Mosque

Tension arises over the alleged hoisting of a saffron flag on a mosque; however, when there are attacks on Hindu processions and temples, & tensions occur, Hindus themselves are held… pic.twitter.com/0IjWH8Ilir

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) November 4, 2024

In this regard, Jagdish Prasad, an eyewitness of the incident, said that nothing was done with any wrong intention. At the time of immersion, a wire was hanging down near the mosque. So the vehicle carrying the idol could not move forward. Some people from the Muslim community were also sitting near the mosque. After asking them, a Hindu youth took off his slippers, climbed up the shop next to the mosque and tried to lift the wire. When the young man asked for a stick to raise the wire, someone from below mistakenly gave him a stick with a saffron flag attached to it. The young man raised the string with the same flag and assisted the vehicle carrying the idol in the proceeding. Misunderstanding of this act escalated the matter and created tension between the two communities.

Editorial Perspective

Alleged hoisting of a saffron flag at a mosque creates tension, but if there is tension when Hindu processions and temples are attacked, Hindus are held responsible.