Afia Ambreen
Recently, a fight over a parking space sparked an outbreak of violence between Hindu and Muslim communities in the Indian capital Delhi, bringing anti-riot police onto the streets to prevent further conflict. Shops had to be shut in the LalKuan area as tensions boiled over in the Old Delhi neighbourhood, with residents accusing each other of vandalism, beatings and throwing bricks. According to media reports, 45-year-old Sanjeev Kumar Gupta objected to 20 year Aas Mohammad parking a vehicle outside his house next to the temple leading to a huge brawl involving their family members. This led to a series of tit for tat clashes, with one group men allegedly throwing bricks and stones at the temple and other group attacking those who were believed to have vandalised the religious building.
It appears as if there is a growing climate of religious intolerance that is aimed primarily at Muslims. Prime Minister NarendraModi’s ruling BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) has been accused of turning a blind eye to a rising number of vigilante attacks in the name of cow protection. Rights groups say Hindu mobs have been emboldened under the party, who stormed to power in 2014. Many of the victims are Muslims. Unfortunately, Muslims were the target of 51% of violence centered on bovine issues over nearly eight years (2010 to 2017) and comprised 86% of 28 Indians killed in 63 incidents, according to an IndiaSpend content analysis of the English media. As many of 97% of these attacks were reported after Prime Minister NarendraModi’s government came to power in May 2014, and about half the cow-related violence 32 of 63 cases were from states governed by the BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP) when the attacks were reported, revealed our analysis of violence recorded until June 25, 2017. Of the 28 Indians who died over the seven-year period, 24 were Muslim, or 86%. As many as 124 people were also injured in these attacks. More than half (52%) of these attacks were based on rumours, our analysis found. National or state crime data do not distinguish general violence from cow-related attacks and lynchings, so the IndiaSpend database is the first such statistical perspective to a growing national debate over such violence. India historically touts itself as a secular state, one where all religions are recognized and can peacefully co-exist. Well, at least in theory, it is. Unfortunately, the reality is much different. India’s constitution provides for religious freedom, but the country does not always practice it. It has been criticized that India for having high levels of government restrictions on religion, defined as interference in religion practice or proselytizing, hostility to minority religions and inaction on complaints of discrimination.
In a nutshell, the last 68 years have been tumultuous years of denial, torture, destruction, vandalism and death. In the present inclusive and pluralistic world order, it was time for the Indian state to undo the injustice done to its minorities through the Constitution, various laws and regulations and the use of police, paramilitary and army.
Mostly, Muslims live in India deprived of basic necessities such as electricity, roads and municipal services. In some States such as Mahrashtra, banks denied loans to Muslim businessmen. Muslim face worse discrimination in respect of jobs. From the beginning the Muslims are under represented in the Indian Armed Forces. The Indian leaders have also confessed this fact. Mr Nehru once said in 1953 that in our defenceservices, there are hardly any Muslim left.
The Muslims are totally absent from Intelligence Agencies such as Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and National Security Guard (NSG) as they are mistrusted.
Unfortunately, India’s constitution provides for religious freedom, but the country does not always practice it. It has been criticized that India for having high levels of government restrictions on religion, defined as interference in religion practice or proselytizing, hostility to minority religions and inaction on complaints of discrimination. Officials of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at both the central and state government levels made statements that India should be exclusively Hindu and minority communities, including Muslims, Christians and Sikhs, complained of numerous incidents of harassment by Hindu nationalist groups BJP. In the western state of Gujarat state anti-conversion laws do not allow people to adopt a religion without permission from the district magistrate, also hampering religious autonomy (paywall).
In the north, Haryana decided to include the Hindu holy text, the Bhagwad Gita, in its school curriculum. Mass gharwapsi (return to Hinduism) ceremonies, organized by a Hindu nationalist wing of the governing BJP, the RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh (RSS), are attempts to dismantle minority religions.
