Monday, 14 OCTOBER 2024 | PURNIMA BISHT | DEHRADUN
A disturbing incident in which two Muslim men in Mussoorie were recently arrested for allegedly spitting into tea utensils before serving tourists has garnered significant media attention in recent days. The news, quickly picked up by social media, has not only sparked outrage but also contributed to negative sentiments towards the Muslim community. While such acts are unequivocally condemnable, the Muslim community in Dehradun finds itself grappling with the consequences of how these incidents are framed and propagated online. Many fear that the actions of a few are leading to a wave of communal bias, at least on social media, fuelled by misinformation and sensationalism. Local Muslims share their thoughts with The Pioneer on how they are affected by such incidents and the way they are reported on social media.
A shop owner in Dehradun, Ahmed Khan said, “Incidents like these make us feel isolated and unfairly targeted. When such news comes out, it casts a shadow over the whole community. We are disappointed by the actions of a few individuals but it is not representative of who we are. We wish more people would see that we, too, are hurt by this and do not support such behaviour in any way.” A college student Alay Zehra said that it is painful to see such things happening as a member of this community. “This kind of behaviour does not reflect our values and we are as disturbed by it as anyone else. Unfortunately, these incidents create distrust, making it harder for us to live peacefully. We work hard to build bridges with other communities and it feels like one step forward, two steps back when something like this happens,” she said. A Raipur resident Imran Ali also said that such incidents reinforce negative stereotypes about Muslims. He stated, “These incidents put us in a bad light and we end up facing the backlash, even though we have done nothing wrong. We need to ensure that persons who do such things are punished, but we also need to remind people that an entire community should not be judged by the actions of a few.” Student Rabia Khan also opined that the way such incidents are handled on social media is alarming. She said that people from other communities have treated her with respect in Dehradun and have not judged her based on her faith but the situation is entirely different on social media where misunderstandings and hatred can spread so quickly. “I completely condemn the actions of those involved in incidents like spitting into food, there is no place for such behaviour. However, the way these matters are sensationalised on social media is dangerous. Instead of focusing on the individuals responsible, the narrative shifts to blaming the entire Muslim community. People share exaggerated or false versions of the story without verifying the facts, fuelling hatred and division. We need to hold the guilty accountable but also prevent such incidents from being used to spread communal tension,” she added.
The president of Dehradun Muslim Sewa Sangathan, Naeem Qureshi also emphasised that offenses committed by individuals should be viewed as personal actions rather than representative of an entire community. He pointed out that there have been several instances where reported cases later turned out to be false. “A recent case involved a man accused of spitting while making a roti in a restaurant near Inamullah Building in Dehradun, which was ultimately proven to be untrue after police investigation. I hope that authorities thoroughly investigate such cases before taking action against the accused,” he said. Qureshi also mentioned a recent incident in which a video circulated showing a man finding a dead rat in Rajma Chawal at an eatery on Dispensary Road. He claimed that this incident received comparatively little attention, possibly because the alleged offender did not belong to a minority community. “These incidents can be propagated and sometimes falsely created as a means to divide people, benefiting politicians and others,” he stated. He drew a parallel to the historical context, stating, “Nathuram Godse murdered Mahatma Gandhi and is considered the first terrorist of independent India, yet not all Hindus are labelled as terrorists, nor should they be. The entire community cannot be held accountable for the actions of one individual.”
