Islamophobic Remarks :
Rohan Saxena belongs to the militant Hindu group Bajrang Dal. He is in charge of the Uttar Pradesh branch of the group. His association makes it clear that his full-time occupation includes stirring hatred against Muslims and other religious minorities in the area as well as spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric.
Saxena is active throughout the western region of the volatile state of Uttar Pradesh. He travels with his squad and frequently resorts to violence to spread and carry out Hindu nationalist/supremacist propaganda.
Saxena has a strong preference for the concept of a Hindu Rashtra (Nation), and he frequently urges his followers to support initiatives calling for the same.
The assumption of power by Hindu extreme organizations that used to belong exclusively to the States has become the new normal in India. In spite of orders or notifications from the government, the meat businesses run by Muslims in western Uttar Pradesh are only closed at his discretion.
Similar to this, Saxena organizes ‘couple search’ drives every year during Valentine’s Week, pursuing and harassing couples in the name of ‘preserving Indian culture’.
Apart from the husband and wife, all sisters in Indian culture are to us like mother and sister. In India, you treat every woman as your sister, with the exception of your wife. The boys and girls were cautiously moving about when they informed us that they were single. So, we forced them to tie rakhis,” Saxena said during one such moral policing exercise in February 2023.
This alternative system operates completely unchecked right beneath the state administration’s nose.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad and other militant Hindu groups frequently hold military boot camps to instruct young Hindus in the use of weapons. In June 2022, a similar camp was held in Moradabad under Saxena’s direction without any authorization from the state government. Such arm training is necessary right now, Saxena told the reporters. He continued by saying that in order to defend their faith and sacred texts, Hindus need receive training in the use of weapons in addition to their understanding of the scriptures. According to the Bharat Times, this is so that he might equip himself and defend his religion if necessary.
He took a group of guys into Mr. Zakir Hussain’s private property in Moradabad in March 2023 to participate in Taraweeh Namaz, a prayer offered during the holy month of Ramadan during which the Quran is recited. In addition to interfering with the prayer and calling the police, Saxena also published a widely shared video message.
“We have instructed the police to book anyone trying to establish new customs or disturb the city’s quiet. No ‘new custom’ will be tolerated, Saxena warned in the video.
Ten Muslims who were there received notifications from the police under CrPC 107/116 (a preventive measure to avert a breach of peace), and the Muslim family who owns the land was told not to perform any group prayers. The Muslim community was also questioned by the police about why they should not each pay Rs 5 lakh as punishment for “disturbing peace” in the region. Civil society was outraged by this police action.