Cricket, antakshari, messages of 'Hindu Muslim Ekta' in Gujarat to bond communities ahead of Rath Yatra

While communal tensions simmering in various parts of the country following remarks of BJP leader Nupur Sharma against the Prophet during a TV debate, the Ahmedabad police are warming up to both the communities for a peaceful passage of Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra to be held on July 18 through cricket, Antakshari and messages such as "Ekta Ka Raj Chalega...Hindu Muslim Sath Chalega".

In order to spread communal harmony and build confidence among the Hindu-Muslim communities, the police on Monday held "Antakshari and health check-up" camps for senior citizens from both the communities. Besides, a cricket tournament has been planned by the police as part of its "confidence-building measure" for harmony. So far, the police have held two blood donation camps where people from both communities donated over 1000 units of blood.

The cricket tournament is being organised by the Additional Commissioner of Police, Sector-1, R V Asari. He told DH that 16 teams, comprising members from Hindu and Muslim communities, are being formed who will be competing with each other in the tournament to be held from July 15 to July 19. Besides, a team from local police and another one from central jail police will also be participating.

"We are choosing youths from all the concerned police station areas (from where the Rath passes) for making teams. The idea is to spread harmony and friendship through cricket matches," Asari told DH. Similarly, sector-2 police are also organising similar events to "build confidence."

Asari also said that police are also releasing messages such as "Ekta Ka Raj Chalega...Hindu Muslim Sath Chalega" and "H se Hindu...M se Musalmman aur Ham se Sara Hindustan."

Additional Commissioner of Police, sector-2, Gautam Parmar told DH that "Antakshari and health camps" were organised across the concerned police stations for senior citizens for both the communities.

The Rath yatra, said to have become one of the biggest public gatherings in the state over the years, passes through Hindu and Muslim localities, where the city has witnessed innumerable communal clashes for the past several decades. This is also said to be the second biggest Rath Yatra after Puri in Odisha, which is guarded by at least 20,000 policemen who are deployed from across the state.

The yatra is being held for the public after two years of gap due to a coronavirus outbreak and two to three lakh people are expected to participate. The 9-km Yatra procession passes through police stations such as Gaekwad Haveli, Khadia, Kalupur, Karanj, Shahpur, Madhupura and Dariapur among others. For the past five to six decades, these areas have remained communally sensitive. In some of these areas, locals protested against the BJP leader and spokesperson, now suspended, Nupur Sharma.

"These are good decisions that the local authorities are taking. However, it is not new. In the past, the peace committees, comprising community leaders from both the communities, have been holding such events for peace. In the past also, we have held blood donation camps, cricket matches for school children to create a friendly environment to welcome the Rath," said Aziz Gandhi, a resident of Dariapur, who has been part of peace committees.