A 57-year-old Muslim taxi driver from Agra was subjected to harassment and an alleged assault after he refused to chant “Jai Sri Ram.” The main suspect, Rohit Thakur, has since been arrested in connection with the incident.
This case highlights ongoing reports of harassment against Muslim individuals, with several community members being pressured to chant “Jai Sri Ram,” a slogan often associated with Hindutva nationalism, across various regions in India.
According to a viral video, Thakur approached Raheesh Khan, the cab driver, and demanded that he chant the slogan. When Khan expressed his discomfort and requested Thakur to “mind his business,” Thakur responded threateningly, stating, “In two or three days, you will have to say Jai Sri Ram.” Thakur later shared this video on his Facebook account, captioning it with the phrase, “These are the real terrorists.”
Khan reported that Thakur, accompanied by another individual, physically assaulted him when he declined to chant. “When I refused (to say Jai Sri Ram), they pulled my beard and slapped me,” Khan recounted.
Reports indicate that Khan has been a taxi driver for 38 years and had recently purchased his car through a loan. On the day of the attack, he had just picked up tourists from Agra Cantt railway station to take them to the Taj Mahal Metro parking when he was confronted by Thakur and his associate.
Journalist Madan Mohan Soni, who covers Uttar Pradesh, announced on December 2 that Thakur had been apprehended by the Agra Police.
Thakur’s Facebook page reveals a history of similar hostile behaviors, showcasing his support for the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Following the incident, he posted another video featuring Islamophobic insults directed at Muslim visitors at the Red Fort. He can be heard demanding that others chant “Jai Sri Ram,” and one individual appears to comply under pressure.
In previous posts, Thakur boasts of his confrontations with Muslim men, where he forces them to chant “Jai Sri Ram” or employs Islamophobic rhetoric. Notably, in a video from November 24, he is seen asserting that the Taj Mahal is actually Tejo Mahalay, a claim promoted by certain right-wing groups. During this confrontation, he attempts to include a Muslim man in his video as the individual walks away.
This incident falls within a broader context of rising sectarian tensions and violence against minority communities in India, raising concerns among human rights advocates.
Tags: BJP worker who attacked Muslim driver for refusing ‘Jai Sri Ram’ arrested; had targeted Muslims earlier Extract 5 SEO-friendly keywords as tags. Output only keywords, comma separated.
Hashtags: #BJP #worker #attacked #Muslim #driver #refusing #Jai #Sri #Ram #arrested #targeted #Muslims #earlier
