Muharram Mourning Ritual Outside Mumbai Airport Sparks Row; Bajrang Dal Seeks Police Action | Video

Mumbai: A video showing a group of men dressed in black performing matam — a ritual act of mourning observed by Shia Muslims — outside the entry gates of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has sparked controversy, with Hindu right-wing organisations alleging misuse of a public space and demanding police action.

A functionary of the Bajrang Dal has written to Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti seeking action against those who participated in the ritual near the departure area of Terminal 2 of the airport. This newspaper could not independently verify the date of the incident.

In his complaint, Gautam Rawariya, Konkan Province Co-Convenor of Bajrang Dal, said a video circulating on social media showed a group publicly observing matam and urged the police to conduct an impartial inquiry into the incident.

Rawariya stated in his letter that the gathering had the potential to affect law and order, disturb public peace and inconvenience other citizens. He called for preventive measures to ensure that similar incidents do not recur in the future. The Bajrang Dal has warned that if no action is taken within 48 hours, its activists will stage a protest at the same location.

CSMIA declined to comment on the incident.

Members of the Shia community, however, said such rituals are not uncommon when pilgrims depart for Iraq to visit the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf during Muharram. “It is possible that they were going on ziarat (pilgrimage) during the first ten days of Muharram to offer their condolences to Imam Hussain,” said a member of a Shia organisation in Mumbai.

The ritual commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad and a central figure in Shia Islam, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.

The community member, who requested anonymity, nevertheless expressed reservations about the choice of venue. “When I saw the clip, I told my wife that this is not the right thing to do. Religion is a private matter and should not be practised at an airport. People may find the ritual unusual. It should be observed at home, in a mosque or at an imambargah. Many people in the community feel the same way, as such displays can create a wrong perception of the religion,” he said.

The Senior Inspector of Sahar Police Station, which has jurisdiction over the airport, could not be reached for comment.

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