In a viral video circulating online, two women were seen breaking and destroying Ganpati idols at Bahrain Supermarket. The video drew outrage in several countries with netizens demanding strict penalties against those women. However, in a swift charge taken by the Bahraini police, legal action has already been put in place.
In the video, one out of the two women standing near an aisle close to Lord Ganesha’s idols starts throwing them on the floor. One by one she goes on shattering multiple idols into pieces. The other woman records the incident on her phone. “This is a Muslim country, correct?” the woman is heard saying to the man in the shop. “Let us see who will worship these statues. Call the cops,” the other woman said.
Take a look at the video here:
The viral #video shows a burqa-clad woman in a supermarket in #Bahrain slamming #Ganpati idols, kept on the display ahead of the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival, on the floor and shattering them into pieces. बप्पा माफ़ करना इनको ? pic.twitter.com/bH0HAP8RwT
— Vivek Bajpai विवेक बाजपेयी (@vivekbajpai84) August 16, 2020
The incident took place inside a souvenir store in Manama’s area of Juffair. The Bahraini police said they had taken legal action against the woman. The Ministry of Interior of Bahrain tweeted, “Capital Police took legal steps against a woman, 54, for damaging a shop in Juffair and defaming a sect and its rituals, in order to refer her to the Public Prosecution.”
Royal advisor Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa condemned the incident. “Destroying religious symbols is not part of the nature of the Bahraini people,” royal adviser Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said in his statement.
The video drew sharp reactions from the online community across the globe. While many called Bahrain a liberal country, others called for sharp action against those women.
Columnist Tarek Fateh described it as “tyranny that passes for tolerance.”
Well Done @moi_bahrain. This deserves as much circulation.. As a Ganesha Devotee i am glad to have read this.. ?? https://t.co/mohCbCWEkD
— Vineet Chhajer (@Vineet_Chhajer) August 16, 2020
Thankfully it was dealt with appropriate action!! https://t.co/5gqOjU5yfs
— kingshuksen (@kingshuk_sen) August 17, 2020
Foreigners account for over half of Bahrain’s total population of 1.7 million. While the world is battling the severity of coronavirus, religious polarisation is the last thing we need.
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