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{{Short description|Civil unrest in Kawardha, Chhattisgarh}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox civil conflict|place=[[Kawardha]], [[Chhattisgarh]]|side2b=[[Bajrang Dal]]|goals=[[Arson]], [[stoning]], [[civil unrest]] and [[rioting]]|leadfigures3=Sandip Garg ([[Indian Police Service|IPS]])|leadfigures2= [[Abhishek Singh (politician)|Abhishek Singh]]|leadfigures1=Ramesh Sharma ([[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]])|result=* Police [[flag march]]
* Re-opening of the region|side2c=[[Vishva Hindu Parishad|VHP]]|side2a= [[BJP]]|title=2021 Kawardha riots and unrest|side1c=[[Central Reserve Police Force|CRPF]]|side1b=[[Chhattisgarh Police]]|side1a=[[File:Chhattisgarh Flag(INDIA).png|18px]] [[Government of Chhattisgarh|Chhattisgarh state]]|side2={{centre|'''Protestors'''}}|side1={{centre|'''Authority'''}}|date={{start date and age|df=yes|3 October 2021}}{{Sfn|Verma, Indian Express|2021}}|partof=[[religious violence in India]]|coordinates={{coord|22.02|N|81.25|E|display=inline,title}}}}

Incidents of [[Religious violence in India|religious violence]] between Hindus and Muslims occurred in [[Kawardha]], [[Chhattisgarh]], India, between 3 and 7 October 2021.{{fact|date=January 2025}}

== Background ==
[[Kawardha]] is a small city in the [[Kabirdham district]] of [[Chhattisgarh]]. It is the home of former state [[Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh|Chief Minister]] [[Raman Singh]] and Forest Minister [[Mohammad Akbar (politician)|Mohammad Akbar]].{{Sfn|Tiwari, The Quint|2021}} The district is 92.4% Hindu and 7.76% Muslim.{{Sfn|2011 Kawardha census}}

== Incident ==
On Sunday, 3 October 2021, a group of Muslims and Hindus had an argument over the placement of religious flags in Loahara Naka Chowk in the town of Kawardha.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chhattisgarh's Kawardha tense after violence over removal of religious flags, curfew on|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/chhattisgarh-kawardha-lohara-chowk-removal-religious-flags-violence-curfew-1861622-2021-10-06|access-date=2021-10-21|website=India Today|date=6 October 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=छत्तीसगढ़: कवर्धा में धार्मिक झंडे हटाने को लेकर दो गुटों में झड़प, इलाके में धारा 144 लागू|url=https://www.amarujala.com/chhattisgarh/two-groups-clashed-on-the-matter-of-removing-riligious-flag-in-kawardha-chhattisgarh|access-date=2021-10-21|website=Amar Ujala|language=hi}}</ref>{{Sfn|Tiwari, The Quint|2021}}{{Sfn|ANI News|2021}}{{Sfn|Verma, Indian Express|2021}} An eyewitness claimed that following the altercation, a green flag had been torn down, and some hours later, a saffron flag was removed in retaliation.{{Sfn|Tiwari, The Quint|2021}}{{Sfn|Verma, Indian Express|2021}} Two days later, right-wing organisations, including the [[Vishva Hindu Parishad]] and the [[Bajrang Dal]], held a rally protesting the flag removal. The rally led to civil unrest in the region, including arson and rioting. The police conducted a [[lathi charge]] to disperse the protestors,{{Sfn|Mishra|2021}}{{Sfn|Verma, Indian Express|2021}} invoked [[Section 144]] (barring unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code, and imposed a [[curfew]] in the region.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2021-10-06|title=Curfew imposed in Chhattisgarh's Kawardha town after communal violence; 15 detained|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/curfew-imposed-in-chhattisgarh-s-kawardha-town-after-communal-violence-15-detained-101633460056009.html|access-date=2021-10-21|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Curfew In Chhattisgarh Town After Violence During Right-Wing Rally|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/curfew-in-chhattisgarh-town-after-violence-during-right-wing-rally-2565934|access-date=2021-10-21|website=NDTV.com}}</ref>{{Sfn|TOI|2021}}{{Sfn|Mishra|2021}}

The police stated that the Vishva Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal had promised peaceful protests.{{Sfn|Verma, Indian Express|2021}} They registered a [[First Information Report]]s against several people, including [[Santosh Pandey (BJP)|Santosh Pandey]], a [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|Member of Parliament]], and [[Abhishek Singh (politician)|Abhishek Singh]], a former Member of Parliament, both of whom were from the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]].{{Sfn|Tiwari, The Quint|2021}}

== References ==

=== Citations ===
<references />

=== Sources ===

* {{Cite web|last=Tiwari|first=Vishnukant|date=9 October 2021|title=After Communal Tensions in Chhattisgarh's Kawardha, Cops Book Over 90 People|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/communal-violence-kawardha-chhattisgarh-police-book-90-people-file-7-firs|website=[[The Quint]]|ref={{SfnRef|Tiwari, The Quint|2021}}}}
* {{Cite news|date=10 October 2021|title=FIRs registered against thousands including former, current MP in Kawardha riots, says SP Mohit Garg|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/chattisgarh-firs-registered-against-thousands-including-former-current-mp-in-kawardha-riots-says-sp-mohit-garg20211009145340/|work=[[ANI News]]|ref={{SfnRef|ANI News|2021}}}}
* {{Cite news|date=9 October 2021|title=FIR against Raman Singh's son, BJP MP for clashes in Kawardha|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/raipur/chhattisgarh-fir-against-raman-singhs-son-bjp-mp-for-clashes-in-kawardha/articleshow/86883855.cms|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|ref={{SfnRef|TOI|2021}}}}
* {{Cite news|last=Verma|first=Gargi|date=6 October 2021|title=Argument over flags erupts in communal violence in Chhattisgarh's Kabirdham|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/curfew-in-chhattisgarh-town-following-clashes-25-detained-7554541/|newspaper=[[Indian Express]]|ref={{SfnRef|Verma, Indian Express|2021}}}}
* {{Cite news|last=Mishra|first=Ritesh|date=7 October 2021|title=Uneasy calm in Chhattisgarh's violence-hit Kawardha town|newspaper=[[The Hindustan Times]]|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/uneasy-calm-in-chhattisgarh-s-violence-hit-kawardha-town-101633582261184.html}}
* {{Cite news |date=11 October 2021|title=Chhattisgarh Police targeting only BJP people, alleges MP Santosh Pandey|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/kawardha-riots-chhattisgarh-police-targeting-only-bjp-people-alleges-mp-santosh-pandey/822561|work=[[Times Now]]}}
* {{Citation |mode=cs1 |date=2015|title=Kawardha Population, Caste Data Kabirdham Chhattisgarh |work=[[Census of India]]|ref={{SfnRef|2011 Kawardha census}}}}

== External links ==

* {{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaQr_-nrSHY|title=Disturbing visuals coming from Kawardha|via=[[YouTube]] |work=[[Free Press Journal]]|year=2021}}

{{Riots in India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kawardha riots (20210)}}
[[Category:2021 crimes in India]]
[[Category:2021 riots]]
[[Category:Arson in India]]
[[Category:2020s political riots]]
[[Category:2020s in Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Crime in Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Religious riots in India]]
[[Category:October 2021 in India]]
[[Category:October 2021 crimes in Asia]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party controversies]]
[[Category:Political riots in India]]

2021 Kawardha riots - Revision history

Veirdo at 21:08, 27 December 2025