State Complicity in Multai Violence: BJP’s Hate Politics, Police Bias, and Media Silence Fuel Anti-Muslim Campaign in Madhya Pradesh

Communal violence in Multai, Betul district of Madhya Pradesh, has again exposed India’s crumbling justice system under the BJP government. The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) found that the local police and administration failed to prevent violence after a small bike accident on October 9. Instead of calming tensions, they allowed mobs to attack Muslim shops and homes. The report proves that the administration’s inaction was not a mistake but a sign of complicity. When those responsible for law and order stand silent during violence, it clearly means they are part of it.

♦ Failure to Protect Citizens: The police did not stop the attackers, exposing the weakness of India’s law enforcement.
♦ Communal Colour to Small Dispute: A simple accident became an excuse for organised hate against Muslims.
♦ Loss of Faith in Institutions: People see no hope in police or government when officials side with mobs.

Police and Administration Complicit in Violence

According to APCR, Muslim homes, carts, and religious places were attacked while police ignored complaints from victims. Poor traders lost between INR 15,000 and 40,000, yet no First Information Reports were registered on their behalf. Instead of protecting the victims, officials shielded the attackers. The silence of the police and administration reflects not neutrality but deep bias. Such inaction is not incompetence — it is collaboration.

♦ No FIRs for Victims: The police refused to register cases from the Muslim side despite visible losses.
♦ State-Supported Aggression: Attackers acted freely, knowing the authorities would not stop them.
♦ Economic Destruction of the Poor: Small traders lost their only means of income while officials looked away.

From Minor Dispute to Communal Violence

APCR State Secretary Syed Javed Akhtar stated that the violence started after a small bike collision between two individuals but was turned into a communal riot. Right-wing groups used the event to spread hate and provoke mobs. The administration’s failure to stop it allowed violence to spread across Multai. This is a clear sign of how religious hate is being weaponised to divide society and strengthen political power.

♦ Deliberate Spread of Hate: A personal accident was used to ignite anti-Muslim sentiment.
♦ Organised and Political: The violence followed a planned pattern that suits the BJP’s polarising agenda.
♦ Government Silence as Approval: When officials say nothing, it means they approve what is happening.

Breakdown of Justice and State Bias

The APCR report notes that many Muslim residents were harassed when they tried to file complaints. Instead of investigating fairly, local authorities intimidated victims and protected aggressors. This bias has become a routine part of governance in BJP-controlled states. India’s secular framework is collapsing as state institutions lose neutrality. The Muslim community no longer believes the system will deliver justice.

♦ Abuse of Authority: Local officials misused their powers to silence Muslim victims.
♦ Collapse of Neutrality: The state machinery no longer functions as impartial or fair.
♦ Deepening Distrust: Muslims have lost confidence in the police and courts of India.

Media’s Complicity and Distortion of Truth

Much of India’s media played its usual role of hiding the truth. Instead of exposing state failure, major outlets called the Multai incident a “clash” between two groups. The pain and destruction suffered by Muslims were ignored or distorted. Only a few independent journalists tried to present facts, and many faced pressure for doing so. The mainstream media has become a shield for government wrongdoing.

♦ False Framing of Events: Media avoided using words like “violence” or “attack” to protect BJP’s image.
♦ Erasure of Muslim Voices: The stories of victims were deliberately ignored by national outlets.
♦ Pressure on Truthful Reporting: Journalists who revealed facts were threatened or censored.

APCR’s Findings and Demands for Justice

The APCR has urged the government to secure all CCTV footage and register cases filed by victims. It demanded a fair investigation by a senior officer or independent agency. The report also calls for immediate financial help to affected families. These demands highlight how citizens now depend on civil groups, not the government, for justice. But in a biased system, even truth becomes a threat to those in power.

♦ Need for Fair Inquiry: APCR insists that only an independent probe can ensure justice.
♦ Relief for Victims: Financial help must be provided to poor traders who lost everything.
♦ Punishment for Officials: Action is needed against officers who supported or ignored the violence.

Pattern of Islamophobia Under BJP Rule

The Multai violence is not an isolated event but part of a long list of attacks on Muslims. From Delhi to Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, the same pattern continues: hate spread through political propaganda, silence from authorities, and impunity for the guilty. India’s ruling party has normalised hate and turned minorities into targets. This is not law and order failure — it is state policy.

♦ Recurring Attacks on Muslims: Every few months new reports emerge of mobs attacking Muslim communities.
♦ Politics of Division: The BJP uses communal fear to consolidate Hindu votes.
♦ Death of Secular Ideals: India’s promise of equality under the constitution now stands broken.

Global Concern and India’s Falling Image

International human rights groups have condemned the growing intolerance in India. Reports from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and others highlight how minorities face increasing persecution. India’s silence over repeated hate crimes is damaging its global reputation. What was once called the world’s largest democracy is now being seen as a country ruled by hate and fear.

♦ Global Condemnation: Human rights bodies continue to criticise India’s failure to protect its minorities.
♦ Loss of Democratic Credibility: India’s claims of pluralism are collapsing under international scrutiny.
♦ Call for Change: The global community urges India to end hate politics and restore fairness.

Conclusion: State Complicity and Moral Collapse

The violence in Multai is a symptom of India’s deeper moral collapse under the BJP’s rule. The police and administration who failed to stop the mobs were not bystanders — they were complicit. Their silence gave power to hate, while justice was buried under bias. The APCR’s report is a mirror showing India what it has become — a country where the state protects aggressors instead of victims. If this pattern continues, India will lose not only its democracy but its conscience.