Daijiworld Media Network - Ayodhya/Agra 

Ayodhya/Agra, Jun 9: Dhirendra Raghav, a Hindu youth, has been arrested after a video of him posing as a Muslim and verbally abusing Hindu voters went viral on social media. The incident has sparked widespread attention and raised concerns about communal harmony in the region.

In the video, Raghav, wearing a skullcap, pretends to be a Muslim and refers to Hindus in Ayodhya as “two-faced.” He claims that if Rahul Gandhi had come to power, he would have provided reservations for Muslims. “If a leader had built a mosque for us, we would vote for him for the rest of our lives, but you did not vote for Modi despite him having done everything for you,” Raghav says in the video.

The video surfaced shortly after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost in Ayodhya, just months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Ram Temple on the site of the demolished Babri Masjid. The timing of the video has led to questions about its intent and the underlying tensions in the region.

Raghav was apprehended by the New Agra Police on charges of "provoking and breaking religious harmony" and "inciting hate." An Agra Court has since sent him to judicial custody. The case is registered under Section 295 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, and Section 505 (2) for making statements likely to create or promote enmity on grounds of religion.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) City, Agra, Suraj Kumar Rai, stated, “A video came to our notice through social media that a person posted on his Instagram account which could disturb communal harmony. Taking immediate cognisance of the video, the New Agra Police Station team took the accused into custody and presented him in the court which sent him in judicial custody.”

Fact-checker Mohammed Zubair highlighted the video on June 7, tagging senior officials of Uttar Pradesh police. “Dhirendra Raghav pretending to be a Muslim by wearing a skullcap and abusing Hindus. This video is viral on social media with a communal claim to incite Hindus against Muslims,” Zubair posted, tagging the Director General of Police (DGP), Uttar Pradesh, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Agra Zone, U.P. Police, and Agra Police.

Authorities have emphasized that actions aimed at disrupting communal harmony will not be tolerated and have urged citizens to promote peace and unity. The incident underscores the fragile state of religious harmony in the region and the need for vigilance against incitement.