In a disturbing pattern of targeted Islamists’ violence during Hindu festivals, Holi celebrations came under attack across different parts of India. The recent incidents of Islamist attacks unfolded in West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Punjab where the Hindus celebrating the festival of colours were attacked by the Islamists.
Holi Attacked in West Bengal’s Birbhum
On March 14, 2025, in Anaipur village, Birbhum district, a Muslim mob attacked Hindus celebrating Holi. The violence, reportedly led by a local Trinamool Congress Panchayat member, escalated when Hindus chanted Jai Shri Ram. Incidentally, the Islamists, had been falsely painting Jai Shri Ram as a war cry to communalise it as a war cry, brand it as ‘ostrocised religious chant’ rather than a Hindu chant to hail Lord Ram’s victory and put it at the same pedestral of a terrorist invoking Allahu Akbar while detonating bombs or IEDs.
BJP leader Amit Malviya condemned the attack, highlighting how West Bengal under Mamata Banerjee’s rule is increasingly resembling Bangladesh, where Hindus have faced relentless persecution.
Despite the presence of law enforcement, Hindus were assaulted while the police allegedly shielded the attackers. Instead of taking strong action against the perpetrators, the administration chose to impose internet restrictions in five Gram Panchayats, preventing crucial information from coming out. This state-backed suppression raises questions about whether the government is protecting the attackers rather than the victims and letting information die down to save its already tainted image.
Temple Vandalism and Religious Intolerance
Attacks on Hindu religious sites have also intensified. In Kamalpur village, Nandigram (Purba Medinipur), Hindu deities were vandalized because certain individuals were “offended” by continuous Ram Narayan kirtan, the same excuse that of Jai Shri Ram or Bharat Mata ki Jai to hide the fact that the Islamist violence is premediated and unprovoked.
Earlier, in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas, a Muslim man named Sheikh Indu set fire to the idol of Goddess Shitala. While locals managed to apprehend him, the police shockingly dismissed the attack as an act by a “mentally unstable person” a familiar excuse used whenever Hindu places of worship are targeted. A similar idol desecration incident took place in Basirhat, North 24 Parganas, where a Kali temple was attacked under the leadership of TMC politician Shahanoor Mondal. Yet again, the police denied any communal angle, showing blatant bias and reluctance to act against Muslim perpetrators.
Clashes During Holi Processions in Jharkhand and Punjab
The attacks on Hindu festivals were not limited to West Bengal. In Giridih, Jharkhand, a Holi procession was attacked when it passed near a mosque. The procession, which had been carried out peacefully for years, was objected to by the local Muslim community, leading to violent clashes. Shops and vehicles, including one belonging to a BJP leader, were torched.
In Ludhiana, Punjab, a similar incident unfolded in Bihari Colony, Transport Nagar, where a Holi procession was attacked as Muslim worshippers exited a mosque. While the police denied any communal angle, eight people were arrested, showing that tensions were deliberately escalated by anti-social elements.
A Pattern of Systematic Suppression
The systematic attacks on Hindu festivals, temple vandalism, and processions being obstructed are part of a larger pattern. The response from opposition political parties are deeply troubling, with officials either ignoring the crimes or downplaying them as isolated incidents. In many cases, police ends up shielding the attackers by downplaying the gravity and motive behind the attack. It is also often accused of suppressing Hindu voices, and blame the victims for simply celebrating their festivals. The repeated targeting of Hindu festivals like Holi and the vandalization of temples cannot be dismissed as random acts. They highlight a growing intolerance against Hindu religious practices, worsened by political appeasement, police inaction, and a lack of accountability.
