NEW DELHI: The systematic marginalisation of Muslims across India, especially in states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies has taken a new ominous turn when authorities barred Muslims from gym training and membership in the well-being facilities in the Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal city.
This week, a posse of policemen, accompanied by Bajrang Dal leaders, conducted raids on gyms in the Ayodhya Nagar locality of the city, inquiring specifically about Muslim trainers and members. In a widely circulated video, Sub-Inspector Dinesh Sharma is seen instructing gym owners to bar Muslims from working as trainers or enrolling as trainees.
Ironically, SI Sharma got the backing of Alok Kumar, the BJP lawmaker from the city. Media reports quoted Kumar as informing the media that he has submitted a list of gyms in Bhopal, alleging ‘love jihad.’
Another video shared on social media shows Bajrang Dal leaders demanding the names of all trainees and trainers present at the gym. Later, Sub-Inspector Sharma is seen explicitly warning a gym owner not to allow any Muslims to give or receive training.
“Let me tell you clearly, no Muslim will come here, neither for training nor for getting trained,” he warned.
Lawmaker Sharma, media reports said, claims to have submitted a list of gyms where either the trainers or trainees are Muslims. “Madhya Pradesh has Dr Mohan Yadav’s government, which will not allow ‘love jihad or ‘land jihad’ to happen anywhere,” Alok Sharma told the media.
Congress MLA Bhopal-Central, Arif Masood, responded to Alok Sharma’s claims as ‘political theatrics’, asking him to act responsibly rather than trying to ‘increase his TRP’.
“Opening a gym or providing training is not a crime. If someone is trained, they will provide training. If there’s any suspicion, then investigate it. People choose their gyms and trainers, not MPs or MLAs,” Masood said.
