BBC’s misleading reportage about Haji Malang Dargah row copied by Pakistani media to cast aspersions on Ram Mandir

The BBC and Pakistani media have carefully dug up a nearly month-old story, just a week after the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha, to weave their basic favourite narrative that “Muslims are living in fear and danger in Hindutva India”. On 3rd January, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena Chief Eknath Shinde while addressing an event in Thane reiterated the party’s commitment to liberate Malanggad, popularly known as the Haji Malang Dargah. On one hand, the BBC report states that “Hindu hardliners have continued the practice of performing pooja at the shrine on full Moon days, occasionally leading to clashes with Muslim devotees and locals.” On the other hand, it quotes the Muslim management of the dargah and Muslim locals to say that “Hindus and Muslims have co-existed in harmony”. A report shared by the Pakistani channel Geo TV’s digital website was titled, “Haji Malang Dargah ‘on radar of Hindutva extremists’ after Ram Mandir’s opening”. This misleading rhetoric does not mention that the issue about the Haji Malang Dargah is an old one and did not result after the opening of Ram Mandir.