Textile capital tested as Bijaynagar incident revives communal wounds in Bhilwara

In Bhilwara, a Rajasthan district known for textiles and marble, tension now overshadows daily life. The latest trigger: five Hindu girls, aged 14-16, from Bijaynagar in Beawar district, alleged in February that Muslim youths blackmailed and sexually exploited them. What began as a disturbing case has spiraled into communal unrest, exposing the region's fragile peace.Bijaynagar, 70 km from Bhilwara, saw the girls and their families approach police on February 16. They accused a group of young men—painters, welders, tempo drivers, and laborers, most with minimal education—of harassment, blackmail, and attempted forced conversion, including coercion to recite the Kalma and fast. A case that could have been settled by courts has instead fueled a firestorm of division.This isn't Bhilwara's first flare-up. In July 2023, a Mandal girl claimed two minority students mixed urine in her water bottle and left an "I Love You" note, sparking clashes. In August 2024, animal remains near a Bhilwara religious site led to protests. Weeks later, a cleric in Mandalgarh was attacked over alleged anti-national slogans, shutting markets. September saw stones thrown at a Jahazpur procession, and in October, a firecracker dispute ended with a councillor's husband stabbed. These incidents, alongside attacks on processions, have deepened mistrust, with the Bijaynagar case now a flashpoint.Right-wing groups allege foreign funding and anti-national motives, amplifying outrage. The accused's community, however, claims unfair targeting, suspecting a polarizing agenda. Despite modest livelihoods, the accused allegedly lured the girls with costly gifts and café outings.On March 10, Hindu groups called a Bhilwara bandh. Shops closed, transport stopped, and fear gripped neighborhoods. Shutdowns spread to Ajmer, Beawar, and Kekri. Protesters, including students and saints, rallied, while Bijaynagar Municipality issued demolition notices for the accused's homes, a mosque, and a graveyard—halted by the Rajasthan High Court's status quo order.Bhilwara's history of minor incidents escalating is well-known. Aam Muslim Sabha's Shambhu Khan condemned the crime but questioned targeting entire communities: "Punish the guilty, not madrasas and graveyards." In 2022, the murder of Hindu youth Adarsh Tapadiya by minority men sparked week-long tensions. Towns like Mandal, Gulabpura, and Asind have seen repeated unrest.Under the RSS's active Chittorgarh Prant, and with remnants of banned groups like PFI, the region is a tinderbox. "Any cross-community crime gets politicized fast," a police official said. In January 2013, Asind saw minority shops torched before Republic Day, amid Gulabpura procession disputes. "Rioters mobilized too quickly to stop," an ex-IG of Ajmer Range recalled. The 2022 beheading of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal, linked to Asind's Muhammad Riyaz Attari, also rippled here.Police, led by SP Dharmendra Singh, are holding peace meetings, monitoring social media, and deploying plainclothes officers. Yet, tensions persist. On March 22, Sarva Hindu Samaj Sangarsh Samiti enforced a Bijaynagar bandh, demanding a CBI probe. "This isn't just one case—it's organized. Who's behind it?" asked RSS activist Ravindra Kumar Jaju. Mahant Hansaram Maharaj, a protest leader, echoed: "This is shameful. The government must investigate."The gap between the crime and its communal framing widens. "This is being weaponized to isolate a community," said Bijaynagar's Munsif Khan, noting the town's trading past rarely saw such strife. Muslim residents fear backlash on their businesses and safety, while trader Dhirendra Goyal lamented: "Markets suffer, tourism drops, and Bhilwara's name turns to conflict."Social media, videos, and protest slogans now shape perceptions. "It's not just about security—it's how people view each other," a district official said. The challenge ahead: separating a heinous crime from the rhetoric threatening to fracture the region further.(With inputs from Nitesh Kumar & Somdutt Tripathi)