From Bakra Eid to Ram Navami: The politics of festival polarisation

By Ram Puniyani 
Eid-ul-Adha (Bakra Eid) is the second most important festival for Muslims. Widely known as the Festival of Sacrifice, it commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham's) unwavering faith in Allah and his willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail in obedience to God's command before Allah provided a ram in his place. Muslims who can afford to do so perform the ritual sacrifice of an animal such as a goat, sheep, cow, or camel. This serves as a physical and symbolic re-enactment of Prophet Ibrahim's sacrifice.
The festival highlights the spirit of sacrifice, compassion, and sharing. The meat from the sacrificed animal is traditionally divided into three portions: one for the immediate family, one for relatives and friends, and one for the poor and needy. This practice underscores the Islamic values of empathy, charity, and community solidarity. The festival has been observed peacefully in India for generations.
As we witness the increasing use of Hindu festivals as occasions to spread hatred against Muslims, Muslim festivals too are increasingly coming under the radar of vigilante groups and BJP politicians seeking to turn them into opportunities for communal mobilisation. This year, during Bakra Eid, Mumbai's Muslim community faced significant challenges in performing ritual goat sacrifices despite existing municipal regulations and a 2019 Bombay High Court order permitting sacrifices within residential premises—though not inside homes—under specified conditions.

Permissions granted to three housing societies were reportedly withdrawn at the last minute, largely following interventions by politically connected individuals, including BJP state vice-president Kirit Somaiya, along with activists associated with the Bajrang Dal and the VHP. The controversy generated extensive media attention and public spectacle, fuelling outrage against Muslims.
Freelance journalist Jyoti Punwani, writing in Frontline, observed: "Every local and many national TV channels focussed on the story, repeatedly playing visuals of Muslims forced to take their goats out of the building societies. The result: the hounding of a community on its second most important religious festival became a public spectacle. Social media was awash with revulsion and outrage against Muslims, based as always on half-truths and hyperbole."
Punwani notes that sacrifices had been conducted in some housing complexes with Hindu-majority residents for many years without controversy. In one such society, goats were kept within the complex until Eid and then taken to designated locations for sacrifice.
This year, however, considerable tension was generated in one of the housing complexes on Mumbai's Mira Road. In the Poonam Estate cluster, communal friction escalated between the afternoon of June 25 and the morning of June 26. As in previous years, animals were housed in a temporary shed within the compound. Bajrang Dal and VHP activists objected, insisting that the animals could not be kept inside the complex. No rules were reportedly being violated. Nevertheless, the police and municipal authorities appeared to side with those creating the disturbance. Matters worsened when pigs were allegedly brought into the compound in an attempt to intimidate Muslim residents.
Traditionally, festivals are occasions for joy, peace, and social harmony. Yet organisations such as the VHP and Bajrang Dal increasingly appear unwilling to spare even these occasions from communal polarisation. India has a long history of people from different faiths participating in one another's celebrations and sharing moments of collective joy. These recent incidents have contributed to growing social tension and reflect the broader rise of communalism in society.
Over the past several years, there have been reports of Muslim youth being discouraged or prevented from participating in Garba celebrations, particularly in Gujarat. Identity checks, including verification of Aadhaar cards, have reportedly been used before granting entry to Garba venues. At the same time, warnings have been issued against offering Friday prayers in public spaces, creating an atmosphere in which Muslims increasingly face restrictions not only during their own festivals but also in relation to public religious life more broadly.
At another level, concerns have emerged regarding the Kanwar Yatra. Food and fruit vendors along the pilgrimage routes have reportedly been instructed in some areas to display the names of business owners. Critics argue that such measures are intended to discourage pilgrims from purchasing goods from Muslim-owned establishments. Practices rooted in notions of purity and pollution, they contend, are being reinforced with the support of state authorities.
Similarly, Ram Navami and Krishna Janmashtami processions have undergone significant changes over time. During my childhood, these processions were occasions of celebration and fellowship. Prasad was distributed to all passers-by, and Muslim groups often set up stalls offering sharbat to participants. Today, however, there is an emerging pattern in some places where processions are deliberately routed through Muslim-majority localities and accompanied by anti-Muslim slogans. Participants sometimes gather outside mosques, shouting provocative and abusive slogans. In some instances, individuals have climbed onto mosque premises to remove green flags and replace them with saffron ones.
The direction in which this hatred is taking society is deeply troubling. India has long been known for its syncretic culture, where diverse traditions have enriched one another and strengthened community life. Festivals have historically provided opportunities for interaction, joy, and relief from the pressures of daily life. Communalism is steadily eroding this positive and inclusive aspect of our social existence.
A recent study by Irfan Engineer and Neha Dabhade, Weaponisation of Hindu Festivals (Pharos, Delhi), offers a detailed ground-level examination of this phenomenon and serves as a warning about the dangers of misusing religious festivals for political and communal purposes. As communal hatred erects ever higher walls between communities, the lives of Muslims are increasingly marked by insecurity and intimidation. This represents one of the most serious challenges facing Indian society today. It is an assault on the values enshrined in the Constitution, particularly the foundational principle of fraternity.
There is an urgent need to restore harmony, mutual respect, and trust among the diverse sections of our society. Such an effort is essential not only for preserving social peace but also for ensuring that India's democracy remains vibrant and healthy.