Ramleela in UP depicts man in skull cap as terrorist, sparks row

A Ramleela held in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on Friday, October 11, is drawing significant criticism for its portrayal of Muslims as terrorists. The character of Ravana was depicted in a way that many interpreted as an offensive portrayal of Muslims.

The play reportedly organised by the Shri Krishna Bajrang Ekanki Mandal Dal Karuadeeh depicted a villainous character wearing a white Kurta pyjama and skull cap, as a terrorist attempting to abduct the sister of an Indian Army soldier.

This narrative escalated into scenes where the Muslim character is seen assaulting the Army personnel, branding a weapon while delivering inflammatory dialogues “I am Jihadi, I will take over this country.”

The climax shows the soldier fighting back rescuing her sister from the “terrorist” amid applause from the audience. The show concluded with the soldier standing over the dead terrorist and delivering and stating, “This country is ours, whoever jihadi will come where we will send him to their God.”

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The event comes following a series of anti-Muslim hate speeches across the country. Earlier, the radical Hindu priest suggested his followers burn effigies of Prophet Muhammad instead of Ravana during Dussehra.

The shift of Ramleela being discussed as a festival that offers messages of virtue and righteousness into focusing on attacking particular groups has raised concerns. In recent years, these performances have significantly evolved into platforms for hate speech. The portrayal of Muslims as criminals not only continues to perpetuate negative stereotyping but also indicates a worrying rise in Islamophobia in India.

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