Rising religious violence in India-NYT
Islam News – Analysts, activists and former civil servants fear that widespread communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims will continue growing, pushing India into a cycle of violence and instability, according to The New York Times.
When conflicts have spilled into violence in recent months, the authorities enacted swift, one-sided punishments on Muslims. They sent bulldozers into their neighborhoods, demolishing shops and homes, circumventing legal processes and skipping full investigations.
“I fear that we are in the stage of perpetual violence,” said Asim Ali, a researcher who has studied the rise of Hindu nationalism.
National right-wing groups have called for violence against Muslims, emboldened by the silence of the country’s top leaders. They are increasingly turning religious occasions into political events, promoting a Hindu-first vision of India that relegates minorities to second-class citizens.
In the past, such clashes, while often deadlier, were usually set off by a local issue and were contained to a single area. Now, thanks to social media, the right-wing provocations inspire local groups across the country.
India’s top court paused the use of a colonial-era sedition law that has been used to quash dissent. Hundreds of people jailed under the law became eligible for bail.
