LUCKNOW, India: Hate crimes against Muslims in India’s Uttar Pradesh are on the rise, reveals a survey.
It has come to light that the Indian state is witnessing a concerning surge in hate crimes against its Muslim population.
The period from 2015 to date has seen 418 documented incidents of crime fueled by religious hatred in the region. Uttar Pradesh, which is the biggest state in the country in terms of population is also home to a significant Muslim population.
It is worth noting that several campaigns against Muslims, such as “Ghar Wapsi,” “Love Jihad,” “Halal Jihad,” “Daughters’ Protection, “Bring Daughters-in-law,” “Hijab Enforcement,” and “Cow Vigilantism,” have found a disturbing foothold in the state.
Under the governance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Uttar Pradesh reported 13,000 crimes against minorities in 2022.
According to a 2016 report by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, Uttar Pradesh detains the largest number of Muslims, with over 18,000 Muslims languishing in its jails. Even in police encounters, Muslims make up the highest number of casualties.
Since 2016, the Modi government has been scrutinizing the salaries of 21,000 Madrassa teachers in the state.
To count a few, in 2015, a Muslim man named Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched on suspicions of cow slaughter, causing a communal anguish.
In March 2019, more than 200 huts belonging to Muslims were set on fire by a BJP leader in Meerut for allegedly occupying land.
During Ramadan, over 1,700 cases were filed against Muslims for offering Eid prayers, while in April 2022, a Hindu extremist leader, Yati Narsinghanand, incited his followers to attack the Kaaba.
In April 2023, extremist Hindus opened fire on Muslim politician Ateek Ahmed during police protection.
In September this year, a Muzaffarnagar Hindu school teacher slapped a 7-year-old Muslim boy for failing to remember a lesson.
There are also debates about renaming two Indian cities Aligarh and Shahjahanpur. Furthermore, there have been calls to demolish Taj Mahal to build a temple over the site. The rising hate crimes and escalating communal tensions in the state raise serious concerns about religious harmony in India’s most populous state.
