The Kanwar Yatra is an important Hindu tradition. It is an annual pilgrimage of Shiv devotees, known as Kanwariyas or ‘Bhole’, to sacred pilgrimage places of Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttrakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch holy waters of holy river Ganga. Each year millions of devotes fetch sacred water of the Ganga for Mahabhishek of Bhagwan Shiv, or specific temples such as Pura Mahadeva and Augharnath temple in Meerut and Kashi Vishwanath, Baidyanath, and Deoghar in Jharkhand. Kanwar Yatra brings people of all caste and class together. People forget all the caste and class differences, for few days they are only Kanwariyas or ‘Bhole’.

https://twitter.com/Abhina_Prakash/status/1027580793881800704

Events like Ganesh Utsav, Kanwar unite Hindus like anything. And that is why they are being relentlessly targeted by Hindu haters. https://t.co/X0sxAaSu4I — हम भारत के लोग (@India_Policy) August 10, 2018

Now, the age-old beautiful tradition of Kanwar Yatra is under attack from anti-Hindu media and Liberal-Leftist lobby. From the past many years, they are demanding to put a ban on Kanwar Yatras. They run a malicious campaign against the Kanwar Yatra and cherry pick one or two unfortunate incidents of minor skirmishes to tarnish the entire Kanwar Yatra and kanwariyas. This year also they did the same thing. Anti-Hindu media is repeatedly highlighting a clip of vandalism ostensibly involving some Kanwariyas. But they have maintained a stoic silence on the reports where Kanwariyas have been attacked. They are ignoring such reports in order to peddle their nefarious agenda. Anti-Hindu media and leftist intellectuals have special problem with those Hindus who are not apologetic of being Hindu and have the courage to celebrate their faith and celebrate their tradition with great enthusiasm. The media and liberal-leftist lobby have no problem with Muslims performing Namaaz on roads, highways and open spaces which result in heavy traffic and chaos and sometimes create a riot like situation. But Lutyens’ media and Leftists-Liberals turn completely blind to all these kinds of incidents. These are the same tribe of people who after every terrorist attack are quick to maintain that terrorists have no religion but they took no time to find out the religion of the goons who indulged in vandalism during Kanwar Yatra.

Anti-Hindu media and intellectuals, after running a malicious campaign against Kanwar Yatra and Kanwariyas, are now saying that they are against vandalism and not Kanwar Yatra. Now, this is an absolute lie and a bogus argument. Vandalism happens during rallies and strikes also but they cover all such vandalism under the blanket of freedom of expression and freedom to protest.

This is the Kanwariya I have respect for. Walking peacefully next to ongoing traffic. "I've been walking since 6 days. With gangajal. Blisters are no worry, Shiva gives me strength. We should co-operate with all and not get violent." #KanwarYatra pic.twitter.com/SeNF3nBann — Pooja Shali (@PoojaShali) August 9, 2018

These elite and privileged people living in their ivory towers don’t want to share roads with non-elitist religious and spiritual people. For these elite people, Kanwariyas are jobless and unemployed. However, the reality is that most of the Kanwariyas earn more money than these urban elites who even after working more than 12 years in call centres fail to fulfil all their needs. Some of the Kanwariyas have more wealth and property than the Lutyens’ journalists who even after doing yellow journalism for years and doing the bidding of their political masters do not have enough money to buy a home of their own and are still living on doles rolled out by their political masters.

The left-liberal elites living in metropolitan cities think that government has constructed roads for their luxury vehicles only. Even after millions of car accident these people never demand to ban cars but one or two minor incident of skirmish and they want a ban on whole Kanwar Yatra. Lakhs of people do Kanwar Yatra in Delhi. These Hinduphobes claim that the Kanwariyas are responsible for the traffic jam in Delhi. In metropolitan cities like Delhi people face the problem of traffic jam and everyday but these people hardly dare to question the authority. Despite the fact that connectivity in Delhi is better than any other city of India, most of these liberal elites still prefer owning their personal luxurious cars instead of travelling by metro or DTC bus. Increasing number of cars owned by these people is the main problem behind traffic jams and not the few days of Kanwar Yatra. In fact, the lack of footpaths and heavy traffic jams is an inconvenience for the Kanwariyas. Authorities should be questioned about the lack of footpaths on the roads. Age-old tradition is facing criticism because of bad planning of authorities and oversized ego of elites and privileged people.

Media ignores those cases where Kanwariyas have been found helping people because it doesn’t suit their agenda. For instance, in this incident, Kanwariyas made arrangements for a quick passage from lanes allotted to them for this gentleman.

Today I accompanied my ailing friend in an ambulance from Shahdara to Kashmere Gate, The road was jam packed due to eveng rush & Kanwar yatra, To our surprise it was not the daily commuters but the Kaanwariyas who made arrangements for our quick passage frm lanes allotted to them pic.twitter.com/kk6nYhkyrk — सुमित मिश्र (@_SumitMishra) August 7, 2018

Some even started running aside us asking those traveling ahead to give side to the ambulance, special thanks to three friends riding pillion on bullet who accompanied us for nearly 3-4km and helped us by asking the travellers ahead of giving side to our Ambulance. — सुमित मिश्र (@_SumitMishra) August 7, 2018

The Police gives free hand to Kanwariyas is another huge misconception. When Kanwariyas misbehave, the police often take harsh measures.

Another misconception – Police and state gives free hand to Kanwariyas. Reality – when they misbehave police treat them like any other hooligan. Some pics from last year pic.twitter.com/EhJ9pUKBE0 — ? (@AndColorPockeT) August 9, 2018

Some criminals dress up like Kanwariyas and carry out their nefarious activities and these incidents are played up by the Hinduphobic Lutyens’ media.

Delhi Police makes first arrest in the "kanwariya" vandalise car incident..

Who is the arrested kanwar?

Name: Raju Billa

Profession:a renowned criminal involved in car thefts around Uttam Nagar who was posing as a #Kanwariya In another incident 2 jihadis were posing as #Kanwars pic.twitter.com/RvKzQgIz87 — ऋतू राठौर (सत्यसाधक) (@RituRathaur) August 9, 2018

Lutyens’ media also raises objection over Kanwariyas carrying baseball bats and sticks. Kanwariyas carry baseball and sticks for their self-protection.

Why Kanwariyas carry Baseball bat and sticks.. pic.twitter.com/F9n2u8wUiX — ? (@AndColorPockeT) August 10, 2018

Some people dress as Kanwariya and perpetrate violence in order to defame Kanwar Yatra.

Peaceful are doing violence in the dress of Kanwarias in many places to defame Kanwar Yatra. Real pilgrims can't do violence with innocent citizens. pic.twitter.com/vjZXYtOEts — प्रशान्त पटेल उमराव (@ippatel) August 9, 2018

Liberals-Leftists also have a problem with UP government’s decision where top cops showered petals on Kanwariyas from a helicopter. But, the same tribe of people had no problem when Akhilesh Yadav had spent crores of rupees to construct Haj House in Ghaziabad. Liberals-Leftists don’t just embrace hypocrisy but celebrate it. Only because of these reasons, liberal-leftist is increasingly becoming an abusive word. Those who complain about increasing intolerance in the country are now getting intolerant. They are attacking freedom of Kanwariyas to walk on the road and practice their faith. They are disrespecting the constitution which guarantees the individual to practice his faith. The idea of India is in danger.