Muslim councillor’s son faces Islamophobic assault at Indian civic meeting

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A Muslim woman politician and her son were assaulted and subjected to religious abuse during a municipal meeting in eastern India, with the son saying he was called a “terrorist” as police officers stood nearby.

The attack took place during a Bettiah Municipal Corporation board meeting in Bihar’s West Champaran district on Aug. 19 but came to wider attention this week after video of the confrontation circulated on social media.

Zohra Khatoon represents Ward 32 in the municipal council, while her son, Azad Hussain, had accompanied her to the meeting.

Hussain said in a complaint to senior police officials that the violence began after the auditorium doors were closed following the meeting, leaving the mayor, councillors and their representatives inside. He said he approached the auditorium because his mother has health problems and he was worried about her safety.

The video shows Hussain surrounded by several people during a heated confrontation as police personnel intervene. The footage captures only part of the episode and does not independently establish all the accusations made by Hussain and his mother.

Hussain accused Ward 25 councillor Ruhi Singh of verbally abusing him and striking him on the head with a nameplate. He alleged that he was also threatened with death over complaints he had previously filed concerning alleged irregularities involving municipal officials and councillors.

The confrontation allegedly took on a religious dimension as Hussain was being escorted from the premises by police and a senior administrative official.

Hussain alleged that Deputy Mayor Gayatri Devi struck him, while another man identified as Goldy Singh verbally abused him and called him a “terrorist.” He also accused the deputy mayor’s son, Rohit Byahut Gupta, of attempting to attack him.

The use of “terrorist” as an alleged slur against a Muslim man adds a communal dimension to what appears to have begun as a local political dispute.

Indian Muslim groups and rights advocates have repeatedly raised concerns about Muslims being stereotyped as terrorists or security threats amid increasing anti-Muslim rhetoric in the country.

Hussain believes the alleged attack was also retaliation for complaints he had previously filed against several of those involved. He said those complaints concerned alleged irregularities within the municipal corporation.

Another councillor, Prema Devi, was allegedly targeted when she tried to intervene. Hussain accused Ruhi Singh and her husband, Keshav Raj Singh, of abusing Devi, including with caste-based language, and alleged that Singh spat on her.

None of those allegations has been independently established.

Khatoon has separately asked the municipal commissioner to preserve CCTV recordings from the corporation premises between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Aug. 19, saying the footage could establish what happened and identify those involved.

She expressed concern that the recordings could be deleted or damaged and requested a copy.

Hussain said he approached police after the incident but alleged that they did not register a formal case. He subsequently submitted his complaint to senior district officials.

Police and the people accused by Hussain had not publicly responded to the allegations.