It maybe the noted that the medical team was attacked by stone-pelters when they had gone to take away the relatives and contacts of a covid victim for keeping them in quarantine, as is routine response in such cases.

According to video reports shown on media, local people including women were seen to be participating in stone-pelting on the medical team.

Taking the strict action, the Moradabad administration arrested 17 persons, including seven women, while FIR was lodged against 24 named and 200 unknown persons.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered that NSA would be invoked against the culprits.

Beside Moradabad attack, there have been several incidents in various parts of Uttar Pradesh, in which vegetables vendors were forced to reveal their religion by the purchasers.

So much so, in some places Aadhaar cards too were demanded from vegetable vendors to find out their religion before buying vegetables.

In Bulandshahar, it was revealed that saffron flags were put up by vegetable vendors who said it helped boost the sale and ensured protection.

Under the prevailing atmosphere of rampant communalization, there is a sense of fear and isolation in minority community.

There has been large-scale criticism of the Moradabad incident from those belonging to minority community publicly, especially on social media.

But at the same time unchecked hate campaign and communal propaganda during Covid 19 coverage is responsible for Moradabad type incidents and insecurity in vegetable vendors.

It was observed that there was vicious social media campaign against popular cold drink sharbat in view of the community tag. (IPA Service