Muslims arrested for iftar on Ganges in India

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Police in the northern Indian city of Varanasi have arrested 14 Muslim men for holding an iftar gathering on the Ganges river, in a case that analysts say reflects a pattern of selective enforcement targeting Muslims under the guise of protecting religious sentiments.

The men were detained after a video circulated online showing them eating non-vegetarian food, including biryani, on a boat during Ramadan. Authorities treated the act as a criminal offense, filing charges related to outraging religious feelings, environmental pollution and public nuisance.

The complaint that led to the arrests was filed by a member of the youth wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, raising concerns among opposition figures and rights advocates about political influence in policing decisions.

Observers argue that the swift legal action stands in sharp contrast to the routine activities that take place along the Ganges — including industrial waste discharge, open defecation, ritual immersion of idols and the disposal of human remains — which rarely result in comparable criminal cases.

They say the disparity highlights how laws tied to “religious sentiments” are increasingly enforced in ways that disproportionately affect Muslims, particularly when their religious practices are visible in public spaces.

Member of Parliament Imran Pratapgarhi described the case as a misuse of law, questioning whether everyday acts such as organizing iftar or offering prayers are being reframed as offenses in areas governed by the ruling party.

Police officials have defended the action, stating that the case was registered after the video showed food being consumed and discarded into a river considered sacred by Hindus. Authorities said they are continuing to verify the footage and identify others involved.

However, analysts note that such justifications are increasingly being viewed through the lens of unequal enforcement, where similar or more severe actions do not attract the same legal scrutiny unless they involve minority communities.

The incident has reignited broader concerns about the role of law enforcement in religiously sensitive spaces, particularly in cities like Varanasi — a major Hindu pilgrimage site and the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

For many observers, the arrests are not an isolated episode but part of a wider trend in which policing is seen as aligning with majoritarian sensitivities, while Muslim religious practices face heightened surveillance and criminalization.