Bhopal, (Samajweekly) With a multi-layer security of police and drone cameras monitoring from the sky on Saturday evening when the Hanuman Jayanti procession reached the Char Batti area in Bhopal, people from the Muslim community wecomed the ‘Rath Yatra’ (procession) with flowers.
Apart from Bhopal, people from Muslim community welcomed the Hanuman ‘Shobha Yatra’ with flowers in many others parts of the state.
In Bhopal, flowers were showered from the rooftop and balconies of the buildings of Muslims amid chants of Lord Hanuman.
The roads and narrow streets were packed with people from both (Hindu-Muslim) communities with flowers in their hands.
All the people standing there were heard saying that they have come here to welcome the Hanuman Jayanti procession.
“We are here to welcome our Hindu brothers on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. Bhopal is known for its harmony and brotherhood and we will not let anyone to disrupt it,” Zuber Khan, who was accompanied with many other friends.
“This is the Ganga-Yamuna culture where Hindus-Muslims live together and help each other in Bhopal. We have come here to show the real culture of Bhopal,” said another Muslim Sajid Khan.
It came days after the state witnessed communal violence leaving many injured and fear among the people especially in two districts — Khargone and Barwani during Ram Navami celebration on April 10.
Following the communal violence, some Bhopal-based Muslim clerics had approached the state DGP Sudhir Saxena and the state Home Minister Narottam Mishra urging them to ensure heavy deployment of police personnel to ensure peace in the city.
The Muslim clerics had also urged not to allow Hanuman procession in some senstive areas to avoid any untoward incident.
Bhopal district administration allowed people to carry out the procession, however, prohibition was imposed in some senstive areas.
With the movement of the procession, people of Bhopal sent a message of brotherhood by throwing flowers amid tension gripping the state after communal violence broke out in some parts of the state a few days ago.
