A viral video from a shop in Bahrain has outraged many in India, as it shows a woman knocking idols of Lord Ganesha down from a shelf in a store.
In the video, two woman wearing an abayah can be seen, as one of them destroys Ganesha idols by smashing them to the ground. The woman can be heard saying in Arabic, “This is a Muslim country” while threatening one of the shop attendants. “I am also Muslim,” he says in an attempt to pacify them, but they continue to throw the idols to the ground.
The Bahrain police later took cognizance of the incident and have taken legal steps against the woman.
“Destroying religious symbols is not part of nature of the Bahraini people,” royal adviser Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said. “It’s a crime that exposes alien and rejected hate,” he added, saying that in Bahrain, “all religions, sects and peoples coexisted”.
Bahrain’s police website issued a statement responding to the incident. “Concerning a circulated video on social media, the Director-General of Capital Governorate Police announced on Sunday that a woman, 54, was summoned for intentionally damaging a shop in Juffair and breaking religious idols. Legal proceedings are being taken to refer the case to the Public Prosecution.“
The Indian Embassy in Bahrain welcomed the move by the Bahrain police.
We thank Bahraini Authorities for the swift action taken in the matter. This is yet another reflection of Bahrain's tolerant culture and the spirit of friendship between our two countries and people. @MOS_MEA @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia @khalidalkhalifa @moi_bahrain @bahdiplomatic https://t.co/7inLZpvsfi
— India in Bahrain (@IndiaInBahrain) August 16, 2020
While Islam is the official state religion of Bahrain, the country permits people of all religions to practise their beliefs—with limits, however, on proselytizing. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bahrain in 2019, he launched a $4.2 million project to redevelop a 200-year-old Krishna temple .
In the 2019 Human Freedom Index compiled by the Cato Institute, Bahrain ranked 95 out of 162—just one rank lower than India.
