In-depth report from Mandya
– A K Kukkila
Maddur in Mandya, Karnataka, which was in national news for the stone-pelting incident on the Ganesh procession, is now quiet. After burning for four days, it is lying down like a tired cold. The ‘Rama’ and ‘Rahim’ of Ram-Rahim Oni, which witnessed the stone-pelting, have returned to their usual activities. The Azaan is being sounded as usual from the Abubakar Masjid of Ram-Rahim Oni, which witnessed the violence and suffered a lot of stone-pelting. It seems as if it has nothing to do with violence and that violence is the enemy of humanity. This Oni next to Ram-Rahim Oni is the big Oni of the rope. This Oni was the place where Ganesh was placed this time. Every year, Ganesh is placed here. This Oni is the same. It is natural for me to say that there is no place for violence and hatred. It seems that there is no dispute between the Abubakar Mosque on the neighbouring road and the Ganesh idol installed in it.
Generally, any town that witnesses violence is divided into Hindu-Muslim for a few days at least. Those who used to face each other and talk face to face behave as if they have been heated by the fire of violence. They hesitate to talk face to face. Even if they do talk, they accuse each other of violence and create an atmosphere conducive to another round of conflict. Hindus are stopped from going to Muslim shops. Muslims are also stopped from going to Hindu shops. When the memory of violence and conflict is fresh, such divisions are inevitable.
However, neither in the Ram-Rahim Oni in Maddur nor in the big Oni where Ganesh was made to sit, the Sanmarga team saw this division at all. When the Sanmarga team visited the site three days after the stone-pelting incident, both the Onis welcomed them with such love that it shattered all expectations. Both the Onis demanded that the guilty be punished, but they did not justify the indecent assault uttered by a petrol pump employee named Jyoti during the protest, nor the hateful words uttered by politicians. Both the Onis kept the hateful words spewed from outside under the pretext of the protest at bay. The Muslim leaders also spoke very wisely. They did not deny that the youth of their community were accused of stone-pelting. More importantly, they did not support the accused. Not only that, but it was also clear that they were wary of the danger of writing down the Sharia before the truth came out of the investigation. While saying that violence is not a part of religion and that the community has never been for violence, there were questions, doubts and suspicions of conspiracy among them and the locals about the place where the stone-pelting took place, the arrests that followed and even before that, the Ganesh procession passing through a road that had no map route.
What happened?
September 7, Sunday. Between 7 and 8 pm, the Ganesh Visarjana procession, which started from the nearby Haggadada Dodiya Oni, crossed the Abubakar Masjid on Ram-Rahim Oni and went 100 meters away, stones were pelted on the procession. Maghrib (evening) prayers were not yet complete at Abubakar Masjid and people had not yet dispersed. This stone-pelting took place at this time. The procession was disrupted by stone-pelting. The devotees were outraged. They pelted stones at the Abubakar Mosque, located 100 meters away. This stone-pelting angered those who had just finished their namaz and were ready to go home. They also pelted stones in response to the unexpected stone-pelting. In the stone-for-stone action-reaction, 6 people suffered minor injuries. Among them were a Hindu and a Muslim. Two policemen and two home guards. There were also scuffles and fights between Hindus and Muslims. A person who was capturing the incident on camera was attacked. About 25 people have been arrested by the police. All of them are Muslims. Among these arrested are those accused of stone-pelting, as well as those who were arrested on charges of attacking a person who was capturing the incident.
It’s noteworthy that there have been no examples of communal clashes in the past, whether it is this Ram-Rahim Oni in Maddur or the adjacent Haggad Doddi Oni. On September 11 last year, Nagamangala in Mandya was in the news due to Hindu-Muslim clashes. The Ganesh idol immersion procession installed in Badari Koppa here was widely discussed due to stone pelting. Before this procession, the police had called leaders of both the communities and held a meeting. They had taken precautions to prevent any untoward incident. However, there were allegations that the procession had taken a different route without following the route map given to the police. There were also allegations that the procession had stopped for a long time near the dargah and danced. Locals had expressed their opinions, both denying and supporting this allegation. A clash broke out on this occasion. On September 12, the clash had escalated to the point that local schools and colleges were declared holiday.
What is the connection between Nagamangal and Maddur?
Nagamangala, which was the scene of a clash on September 11, 2024, and Maddur, which was the scene of a clash on September 7, 2025, are both neighbouring taluks. Both have a history of relationship and coexistence that can be called twins. There is an opinion that a stone-pelting incident took place in Nagamangala in 2023 as well. But it did not make the news. But Maddur is not like that. Ram-Rahim Oni, who is now in the news due to stone-pelting, is not like that either. This is a town that has been giving only sugary news till now, in deference to the name of Mandya, the land of sugar. There is only a distance of 60 km between Nagamangala and Maddur. Therefore, there is a possibility that whatever happens in Nagamangala could have its impact and shadow fall on Maddur as well. Neighbouring taluks are where people move, talk, do business, etc., naturally. Most of the feelings are exchanged. Marital relationships are also taking place. There may be such a relationship of give and take between the people of Maddur and Nagamangal.
What are the questions?
The Ram-Rahim area, where the incident took place, has a large Hindu population. Locals say that on average, there may be one Muslim house for every three Hindu houses. When the procession passed the Abubakar Mosque and went 100 meters away, stones were pelted on it. At that time, there were no street lights there. It was dark. That is why some questions arise. Was this act premeditated? Who hatched this conspiracy at that particular place, especially a short distance from the mosque? Shouldn’t the conspirators have known that if they pick up a street lamp and throw stones near a mosque, it would naturally raise suspicion on Muslims? Despite knowing all this, did the Muslims choose this particular place to throw stones? Had they come to the position of being ready to throw stones and subject to arrest? If this is true, shouldn’t they have surrendered directly to the police? Why didn’t they do so? Or was there some other conspiracy behind this stone-throwing? Was that particular place chosen with the intention of raising suspicion on Muslims?
Another question
The locals allege that the route of the procession, which used to take place every year, has been changed this year. The procession did not take place every year with the mosque as the front route. It was customary for the Ganesh Visarjana procession to take the right turn a hundred meters before the mosque. It is also believed that the police were informed that the procession would take the same route this time too. It is also said that there was no mention of this Masjid Road in the route map given to the police. That is why there was no police surveillance on this road. There was no deployment of the necessary police. It is reported that only two home guards and one policeman were there. That is why they were unable to prevent the clash initially. Moreover, they are on the list of those injured in the clash. Locals believe that if additional police had not arrived immediately, more disasters would have occurred.
Possibilities
Ram-Rahim Oni and Hagada Doddi Oni are both side-by-side Onis. There is nothing wrong with calling them brother Onis. There is not only no camaraderie between people who talk, see each other and do business every day. There are also fights. There is also resentment and hostility. Is it possible that such resentments were the reason for this incident? Since they are seen daily, could they have turned off the street lights and thrown stones so that they would not be recognised? The people here are not very rich. That is why the number of cars is also less. The number of big houses is also less. Two-wheelers are the norm here. There are also many bicycles and pushcarts. The people here grow and sell vegetables, work in hotels, do wage work and run businesses on street pushcarts. In other words, the people here work locally and earn their daily meals by fighting. Therefore, it is more likely that most of the people here are people who meet and talk face to face every day. In such situations, there is more opportunity for fights, clashes, and angry words.
Protest and then…
A protest took place after the stone-throwing. BJP state leaders participated. From BJP leader MLA City Ravi to Yatnal and from former MP Pratap Simha to Opposition leader Ashok, everyone has given fiery speeches. A petrol pump employee named Jyoti has verbally abused Muslim mothers. There have been huge marches and protests, regardless of Section 144 imposed by the police.
However, it has been alleged that none of the political leaders who participated in this protest have talked to these Ram-Rahim and the residents of Haggad Doddi Oni. The locals also feel pain that they have not taken them into their confidence or listened to their life and feelings. What is special is that these Ram-Rahim Oni people are living on the land given by the government. Many have not yet got the land title deeds. Most of them are those who earn 12-15 thousand rupees a month. The locals believe that the protesters did not even pay attention to the fact that the majority of the people in this lane are Hindus, nor did they meet them or provide them with land titles. This incident has been used only for political gain. It seems that these lanes, which are mostly inhabited by the weak and backward, have become newsworthy for no reason and have once again become nationally famous.
Whatever these are, injustice does not discriminate between Hindus and Muslims. Whoever commits injustice, it is injustice. Such people should be punished regardless of religion or caste. There is no problem for the mosque or Islam in taking out a Ganpati procession in front of a mosque. No mosque or temple in this country should stop any procession of any religion. There should be no hatred towards it. Doing so is against justice. In this country where festivals and holidays are plentiful, Hindus and Muslims should live together. They should understand each other and live together. All religions have taught us to respect other religions while following our own religion. Let the law punish those who do not agree with this.
If this is the case, let the law also keep an eye on those who deliberately incite violence. The police should take strict action against anyone who dances provocatively in front of a mosque, plays DJ music, etc. This type of behaviour is not part of religion. It is not even part of the ritual. If Hindus and Muslims show the wisdom to consider the perpetrators as perpetrators and hand them over to the law without dividing them based on religion, the number of anti-social elements will naturally decrease. I hope so.
[The writer is Editor-In-Chief Sanmarga, Mangaluru, Karnataka]
