Three days after some Hindus returning from a Hanuman Chalisa recitation were attacked near a mosque in Jamui, Bihar, minister and independent MLA Sumit Kumar Singh blamed the victims for not taking permission for the recitation. Instead of condemning the violence, the Minister of Science and Technology in the Bihar government questioned the victims as to why they went to attend the Hanuman Chalisa recitation in the first place.
“Why did you go there? What did you go there to do? And if you went there, did you inform the administration about it? Did you get a license for it? If we organise any Jagran or anything in our houses, a license is taken for that,” said the Minister. “You cannot just go and start reading Hanuman Chalisa at odd hours, there is no restriction on reading though. Those who went there are not bigger Hanuman devotees than me…they do drama by opening Chalisa book and reading out loud, Hanuman Chalisa cannot be read like this,” he added.
Singh accused the victims of disturbing the environment and said they faced the consequence of reciting Hanuman Chalisa at improper time. “Some fanatics were spoiling the atmosphere here. There is no justification for going somewhere illegally and doing the wrong things. If you do anything at the wrong time, it result is bad,” he said.
What was the incident?
On 16th February 2025, some activists from the Hindu Swabhiman organisation gathered in Baliadih village in Jamui for a Hanuman Chalisa recitation. On their way back from the recitation, a mob near a mosque surrounded their convoy and vandalised their vehicles by pelting stones and bricks. Hindu activists claimed that the attackers were Muslims. Several women were also injured in the attack. Internet services were suspended in the area after police took cognizance of the matter. Several individuals were arrested in connection with the attack.
The attack occurred as the convoy passed through a Muslim-majority area. The mob shattered vehicle windows and threw stones. Several activists, including Hindu Swabhiman district president Nitish Kumar and activist Khushbu Pandey, sustained serious injuries. Pandey alleged that there was a plan to target specific individuals, and discussions about attacking the police were also taking place. Many Hindu activists were reportedly stranded in the area for hours. Videos of the incident, showing stone-pelting, have gone viral on social media.
