As India prepares for the annual Kanwar Yatra, a disturbing video of Muzaffarnagar-based Hindu seer Swami Yashveer Maharaj has surfaced, in which he makes deeply Islamophobic and hateful remarks, once again targeting the Muslim community in a calculated attempt to stir communal unrest.
In the viral clip, the seer falsely accuses Muslims of setting up shops and food stalls with Hindu names during the Yatra with the alleged intent to “insult Hindu sentiments.” Using derogatory and baseless language, he refers to Muslims as “jihadis” and shockingly alleges that they contaminate food with “spittle, urine, beef, or chemicals” to harm Hindu pilgrims — outrageous claims that have no basis in fact but are intended to provoke hatred.
Such deeply communal statements, coming from a religious figure, have sparked serious concern among civil society, especially as they threaten to destabilize the peace in Muzaffarnagar — a district where nearly half the population is Muslim. Instead of promoting brotherhood and harmony during a religious pilgrimage, the seer appears intent on dividing communities and instigating mob action.
Swami Yashveer also declared that 5,000 so-called “Hindu Veers” would be deployed to monitor the Yatra and prevent Muslims from running shops along the route. He demanded public disclosure of religious identity by shopkeepers — a demand echoing last year’s controversial police order in Muzaffarnagar that was later stayed by the Supreme Court. The apex court ruled clearly that no one can be compelled to reveal their religion and only required shops to mention whether they serve vegetarian or non-vegetarian food.
Despite this, the seer is now brazenly claiming credit for influencing the earlier order and expects similar official backing this year. His statement — “Last year the government supported us” — raises serious questions about the role of state machinery in encouraging religious discrimination.
Community leaders, human rights activists, and legal experts have strongly condemned Swami Yashveer’s remarks. They point out that these repeated attempts to demonize Indian Muslims — who have long coexisted peacefully and contributed to society in countless ways — only serve political agendas that thrive on division and hatred.
The Muslim community, especially in Uttar Pradesh, has consistently demonstrated restraint in the face of such provocations, choosing the path of peace, dialogue, and legal redress. However, the continued targeting of Muslims, particularly during religious events, reflects a dangerous pattern where minorities are portrayed as threats instead of fellow citizens.
Calls are now growing for urgent action from the judiciary and the government to address such hate speech under existing laws, ensuring that public spaces remain inclusive and free from religious discrimination.
India’s strength lies in its unity and secularism — principles that must not be sacrificed for narrow political gains or communal fearmongering. It is the responsibility of both the state and the society to ensure that bigotry does not overshadow the values of harmony and justice that this country stands for.
