On the 13th of March, a video went viral on social media. The video showed several Hindus in front of a mosque in Ratnagiri, approaching its gate with what looked like a tree trunk. The narrative which was then spread on social media by Islamists was that “extremist Hindutva mobs” attacked a mosque amid Holi celebrations.
AltNews‘ Mohammad Zubair shared the video saying, “A shameful video emerged from Rajapur town of Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra. You can see the crowd, during holi celebrations that when people carrying Shimga (a wooden structure) reached near the mosque, they tried to push the Shimga inside the Masjid gate. Shimga went inside the gate of the mosque by about 3 to 4 feet. Not once but twice. Many in the crowd and the police present there did try to stop the mob. But weren’t successful. National media as always ignores such incidents or justifies it”.
A shameful video emerged from Rajapur town of Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra. You can see the crowd, during holi celebrations that when people carrying Shimga (a wooden structure) reached near the mosque, they tried to push the Shimga inside the Masjid gate. Shimga went inside… pic.twitter.com/foIshrY926
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) March 13, 2025
Taking a cue from Zubair, Maktoob Media, another Islamist outfit which regularly targets Hindus and shields Muslim perpetrators shared the video.
A video showing several Hindu devotees in Maharashtra attempting to forcefully enter the gates of a mosque in Ratnagiri while celebrating the Shimga festival—a festival observed a day before Holi in the Konkan region—has gone viral on social media, sparking outrage. pic.twitter.com/uyNb5P8sFC
— Maktoob (@MaktoobMedia) March 13, 2025
Observer Post, another Islamist “media” outlet followed suit.
In Rajapur, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, on March 12, a Hindutva mob broke the gate of a mosque while Taraweeh prayers were being held. The mob, celebrating the Shimga festival of Holi, shouted religious slogans and threw gulal at the mosque during the prayers, despite the presence of… pic.twitter.com/IAHTPfTn47
— The Observer Post (@TheObserverPost) March 13, 2025
After the video was widely shared on social media by Islamists, Assadaddin Owaisi questioned if the “LAW would take its own course” and claimed that it was “shameful” that a mosque was attacked in the presence of the police.
Sir @Dev_Fadnavis will LAW take its own course ?shameful that a Masjid is attacked in the presence of Police. https://t.co/p6gz9lv0ZC
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) March 13, 2025
Islamists on social media insinuated that a “mob of Hindus” had “attacked a mosque” in the area and that it was a manifestation of Muslims being victimised.
What Ratnagiri police said about the alleged ‘mosque attack’
The police said that there had been no forcible entry into the mosque as claimed on social media. The original post, which shared the misleading reel, had been deleted, said the police. The police, however, did not comment on other Islamists who were continuing to share the misleading claim even after the original post had been deleted.
The police said that this celebration was a part of local traditions and rituals in the Konkan area.
According to a report in The Hindu, “The incident took place at around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the village’s Jawahar Chowk, during the Shimga procession, eyewitnesses told The Hindu. The procession, carrying a long wooden tree trunk known as a Madachi miravnuk, starts from Sakhalkarwadi in Rajapur village and ends two kilometres away at the Dhopeshwar temple. By tradition, the trunk is placed for a few minutes on the steps of the mosque along the way”.
The Hindu further reported the police refuting the claims made by the likes of Mohammad Zubair and Owaisi. The police said that the traditions of the Konkan are different. The local rituals is called ‘Madachi miravnuk’ where the Holi procession stops at the steps of the Mosque and the wood that Hindus carry is touched to the gate of the mosque. The honour of giving a coconut to welcome this procession is traditionally given to Muslims,” Ratnagiri SP Dhananajay Kulkarni said. “Last night, there was some sloganeering and aggression during this procession. We have registered an FIR under Section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act for unlawful assembly. Police are investigating the case. Someone falsely spread a misleading reel. That reel has been deleted now. The situation is peaceful and there is no law and order problem there,” he added.
Interestingly, according to The Hindu, even local Muslims admitted that this was a local tradition. The report quoted one local Muslim saying, “Every five years, a procession is carried, during Holi celebrations, taking a few minutes halt at the steps of the mosque. This is done to honour the goddess, Nina Devi”.
The local quoted by The Hindu, however, claims that the tree trunk was rammed into the mosque gate, a claim summarily refuted by the police.
