ISLAMABAD: Police in the Indian city of Varanasi have arrested 14 Muslim youths for taking ‘chcken biryani’ during Iftar and throwing bones in the river, it was reported nearly 10 days ago.
The action was taken after an FIR was registered against an unidentified person on the basis of a complaint received by Varanasi’s Kotwali police station on March 16. The complaint was filed by Rajat Jaiswal, the city president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), an offshoot of the ruling BJP.
The FIR in this case has been registered under several offences of the Indian Judicial Code (BNS) 2023, related to hurting religious sentiments, obstructing religious places, divisive acts, and disobeying government order. Section 24 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 has also been added to the case.
ACP Kotwali Vijay Pratap Singh, of the Varanasi Police Commissionerate, has confirmed the arrest of 14 youths. He told the media, “On Monday, 16 March, a video went viral in which some people are seen having an Iftar party on a boat in the holy waters of Mother Ganga. In this video, it appears that chicken biryani is being consumed. A case was immediately registered on the basis of a complaint. Several teams were formed, and so far 14 people have been identified and arrested. The remaining individuals are also being searched.”
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha city president Rajat Jaiswal said that strict action should be taken against the culprits. He alleged, “Non-vegetarian food was consumed by some Muslim youths during an Iftar party in Gangaji in front of the Bindu Madhav Dharhara temple. The way in which the meat was consumed by Muslim youths was found abhorent by the followers of Sanatan Dharma. We submitted a complaint to the administration, upon which action is being taken. We have provided video evidence to the administration clearly showing them consuming non vegetrian food and throwing bones into the Ganges. Action will be taken against whoever is found guilty.”
SM Yasin, joint secretary of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid in Varanasi, has also condemned the Roza Iftar on the boat. “Today (Tuesday), it came to light that some youths were performing Roza Iftar on a boat. There is no place for this in Islam, and Iftar is a purely religious act, not a picnic,” he said. He added that immediately after Iftar, Maghrib prayers are necessary.”
