Cow vigilantism: Now, Mumbra says, Not In My Name

Protestors hold banners and slogans during the silent march in Mumbra to protest against Junaid Khan's lynching last month.

Days after the stir took over streets of various Indian cities, including New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhopal and Bengaluru, the Not In My Name campaign has reached Mumbra. Thousands of people, including senior political leaders, hit the streets of Mumbra on Sunday in a silent march to protest against the climate of intolerance in India.

The campaign comes after 17-year-old Junaid was lynched by a mob on board a Mathura-bound train last month. Among the protesters in Delhi were ordinary citizens, as well as leaders from the Congress, JD(U), AAP and the CPI.

In Mumbra, residents armed with banners and hoardings, many with their mouths taped, marched for over 2 km, from Darul-Fala Masjid to the tehsildar's office, to submit a memorandum protesting the lynching. Over 1,000 people participated in the protests. According to sources, it's the first time that leaders from various political parties united for a single cause. The source said, "From Muslim scholars and clerics to Hindu priests and Dalits, leaders from Bahujan Samaj Party as well as other parties participated in the protests. Nationalist Congress Party MLA Jitendra Awhad too attended the event along with local corporators."

Besides protesting against the Junaid lynching, Mumbra residents also demonstrated about cow vigilantism and communal tension in various parts of the country.

Local activist, Rafiq Kamdar said, "In the name of gau raksha, innocent people are being murdered. Several people from the Muslim and Dalit community have been lynched in the last few months over this issue. Strangely, it shows that the Hindu people are to be blamed for the rising intolerance in the country. Our protest is to end this communal hatred."