Tensions gripped Jaipur’s Walled City area on Friday night after BJP MLA Balmukund Acharya from the Hawa Mahal constituency was booked for allegedly pasting a “Pakistan Murdabad” poster within the premises of Jama Masjid during a protest against the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
The situation escalated quickly, prompting the deployment of heavy police forces from five different stations to control the unrest.
The controversy erupted following a rally organised jointly by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to condemn the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Anantnag district, which claimed 26 lives. During the demonstration, participants assembled at Badi Chaupar, chanting slogans against terrorism and Pakistan, and burning posters as a mark of protest.
Later that evening, a video surfaced showing Balmukund Acharya and other BJP leaders allegedly placing a provocative poster inside the mosque compound and trampling another similar poster near a bathroom. Supporters were also seen shouting religious slogans outside the mosque. However, authorities stated that the authenticity of these videos remains unverified.
Jama Masjid Committee Secretary Lodged a Complaint
Reacting swiftly, Jama Masjid Committee Secretary Zaheer Ullah Khan filed a formal complaint, accusing Acharya and his followers of entering the mosque during night prayers and hurting religious sentiments. “While we were offering Namaz, they came in, shouted slogans, and pasted posters on the stairs. We immediately approached senior police officials and filed an FIR,” Khan stated.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Rameshwar Singh confirmed that a case has been registered against the MLA and others at the Manak Chowk police station. Singh added that police pickets had been set up across Jaipur’s sensitive areas, with additional forces from RAC, STF, and local units deployed to ensure the situation remained under control.
Responding to the allegations, Balmukund Acharya denied any wrongdoing. He said he had only participated in a public demonstration at Badi Chaupar earlier that day, where slogans condemning Pakistan and terrorism were raised. Acharya emphasised that the protest was peaceful and that thousands of Jaipur residents had participated to express their anger over the Pahalgam incident.
Acharya took to the X by Denying Allegations
“We protested with slogans like ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ and ‘Aatankvad Murdabad’. I was not involved in any mosque-related activity,” Acharya clarified via a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Political leaders from the Congress party, including Adarsh Nagar MLA Rafiq Khan and Kishanpole MLA Amin Kagzi, also reached the Jama Masjid premises to engage with protesters and assist law enforcement in calming the situation. Rafiq Khan condemned the alleged action, asserting that religious places must be respected and that those responsible should be dealt with strictly under the law.
Meanwhile, Jama Masjid’s secretary Javed Pathan urged the public to maintain peace, stating, “While our emotions were hurt by the incident, we must not allow tensions to escalate further. We trust the authorities to deliver justice.”
Police Official Monitored the Area
After nearly three hours of negotiations involving senior police officials, the protesters agreed to file a formal complaint and dispersed gradually, restoring calm in the locality. However, police forces remained deployed across the area to monitor the situation and prevent any further disturbances.
Across the country, the Pahalgam attack has triggered similar communal tensions. Reports indicate rising threats against Kashmiri students in states like Uttarakhand and violent incidents targeting Kashmiris in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. In one tragic incident in Agra, a restaurant worker was fatally shot, allegedly as an act of revenge for the Pahalgam attack, according to PTI reports.
Senior officials, including Jaipur Police Commissioner Anand Srivastava, Additional CP Hari Shankar Sharma, and DCP North Rashi Dogra Dudi, personally monitored the situation throughout the night to ensure peace was restored. They confirmed that legal action would be pursued strictly based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
