In yet another incident of rising religious intolerance in Modi’s India, Muslim aid workers distributing food to flood-hit communities in Uttar Pradesh have come under police scrutiny following accusations by a Hindutva supporter. The incident took place in Farrukhabad district, where Mohammad Shami, the elected head of Raipur Chinhat Pur village, along with his sons Mohammad Saif Ali and Talib Ali, has been accused of serving non-vegetarian biryani during Janmashtami, a Hindu festival.

The whole episode is being dubbed as “biryani jihad” by Hindutva elements on the lines of ‘love jihad’, ‘spit jihad’ and other kinds of systematic campaigns to malign the Muslim community. The complaint was filed by Sunil, a resident of Raipur Chinhat Pur, who alleged that the food distribution was an attempt to “mislead people and interfere with their religious beliefs.” Acting on the complaint, police have arrested two of the accused and say they are gathering further evidence. However, Shami Mohammad has strongly denied all allegations.

“We did not distribute any biryani on Janmashtami,” Shami stated. “Our boat was providing food aid to flood-affected villagers across more than two dozen villages in the Kampil area. People from many villages came and collected food from us. This complaint is purely a result of political rivalry against me and my family.” Multiple eyewitnesses and local residents have corroborated Shami’s account, stating that the food distributed consisted of essential vegetarian items. They emphasized that the aid workers were providing critical support to displaced families, irrespective of religion or caste.

Community members have rallied in support of Shami, decrying the accusations as a dangerous mix of communalism and politics. Some believe that Shami’s proactive flood relief work may have attracted opposition from certain groups who seek to discredit him. “Shami Mohammad has never been involved in any communal controversy,” said Amina Khan, a local social worker. “He has worked tirelessly for the welfare of everyone in this region, especially during times of crisis. To accuse him of religious provocation is deeply unjust.” 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)