NEW DELHI/BAGHPAT— In a speech that has stirred anger and concern, infamous Hindutva leader Sadhvi Prachi accused Muslims of spreading “festival jihad” and called on Hindus to boycott Muslim vendors during the ensuing festival of Raksha Bandhan.
Her remarks, made during a public gathering in the Uttar Pradesh city of Baghpat on Wednesday (6 August), have come in for severe criticism for promoting hatred and endangering social unity.
Sadhvi Prachi, known for her provocative speeches, claimed that Muslims were deliberately designing rakhis featuring symbols like the moon and stars, which she alleged represent “jihad.” She said this was a deliberate attempt to insult Hindu traditions.
“After love jihad and land jihad, now they are running festival jihad by making rakhis with moon and stars embossed on them,” she told a crowd of supporters. “Rakhi is a sacred Hindu festival. Hindus should not buy anything from these Jihadis.”
She went further to say, “I saw a video in which moon and star designs were shown on rakhis. Hindus must open their eyes. They should buy goods only from Hindu shopkeepers.”
The moon and star symbols are often used in Islamic art and on national flags of Muslim-majority countries, including India’s neighbour, Pakistan. Linking these symbols to so-called “jihad” has not only offended Muslims but has also alarmed rights activists and secular voices across India.
Mohammad Saeed, a local Muslim shopkeeper who sells rakhis, expressed his shock: “For years, we have been making and selling rakhis. We never faced any such accusations. How can the moon and stars be a crime now? We are also Indians.”
Prominent activist and lawyer Shakeel Ahmad called Sadhvi Prachi’s remarks a deliberate provocation. “This is nothing but an attempt to divide the society along religious lines. She is inciting people to boycott Muslims economically and socially. This is hate speech, not religion,” he said.
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.