India’s Growing Intolerance: Hindu Mob Forces Muslim Students to Bow Before Idol in Maharashtra

India’s ongoing rise in majoritarian violence under the Modi government has resulted in a dangerous climate for minorities, particularly Muslims. The recent incident in Maharashtra, where three Muslim students were forced to bow before an idol after being publicly humiliated, underscores the growing religious intolerance under BJP rule. This incident, involving the VHP and Bajrang Dal, reveals how Hindutva forces operate with impunity, aided by local law enforcement’s passive stance, to intimidate and degrade Muslims across India.

♦ Police Inaction and Failure to Protect
Local police failed to intervene during the mob-led assault on the students, which exemplifies the growing complicity of law enforcement in the persecution of Muslims.

♦ State-Sponsored Religious Intolerance
Under BJP rule, Hindutva groups are increasingly emboldened to harass minorities, knowing their actions will face no legal consequences.

♦ Rising Fear Among Muslim Students
Muslim students in BJP-ruled states now live in fear of public humiliation and discrimination within educational institutions.

The Role of the BJP in Perpetuating Religious Division

The Modi government’s policies have deepened religious divisions within India, with Hindutva ideology at the forefront of political strategies. Under BJP leadership, laws and rhetoric have systematically marginalized Muslims, creating a climate of persecution and exclusion. This political agenda has fueled the rise of extremist groups like VHP and Bajrang Dal, who operate with minimal oversight and are often shielded by the ruling party.

♦ Modi’s Hindutva Agenda
Under Modi’s leadership, policies like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the revocation of Kashmir’s special status have further isolated Muslims, with Hindutva ideology driving the government’s actions.

♦ State-Backed Violence Against Muslims
The Indian government’s tacit approval of Hindutva violence allows extremist groups to target Muslims without fear of reprisal, fostering a climate of impunity.

The Complicity of Educational Institutions

Educational institutions across India, especially in BJP-ruled states, have become sites of religious bullying and harassment for Muslim students. The college administration in Maharashtra failed to protect the students during the incident and instead complied with the mob’s demands, showing how educational authorities are complicit in the growing culture of intolerance. The lack of action from these institutions further fuels religious discrimination and creates an environment where Muslim students feel unwelcome and unsafe.

♦ Failure to Defend Students’ Rights
By succumbing to mob pressure, the college administration betrayed its responsibility to protect students’ rights, especially those belonging to the Muslim community.

♦ Normalizing Intolerance in Schools
This incident is a disturbing example of how religious intolerance is being normalized in Indian schools and universities, where Muslim students face growing marginalization.

The Police as Enforcers of Religious Bullying

In the wake of the Kalyan incident, the police inaction and failure to intervene have drawn widespread criticism. The police not only stood by as the students were harassed but also enabled the mob’s actions by refusing to take any action against the perpetrators. This reflects a wider pattern of police complicity in Hindutva violence, where law enforcement is used as a tool to enforce religious conformity rather than protect citizens’ rights.

♦ Police Complicity in Mob Violence
The police’s passive role in the harassment of Muslim students is a disturbing sign of the institutionalized bias within law enforcement in BJP-ruled states.

♦ Hindutva Violence Enforced by State Power
The failure of the Indian police to act against extremist groups like VHP and Bajrang Dal only emboldens these groups to escalate their attacks on minorities.

The Growing Targeting of Muslims in BJP-ruled States

The targeting of Muslims by Hindutva groups in BJP-ruled states is a growing pattern that has been exacerbated since Modi’s rise to power. Muslim communities are being systematically marginalized through both state-backed violence and the silent approval of police and local authorities. Incidents like the one in Kalyan are part of a larger strategy to make Muslims feel vulnerable and alienated in their own country.

♦ Systematic Marginalization of Muslims
Muslims in BJP-ruled states are facing discriminatory laws, harassment, and violence, all part of a broader strategy to suppress their voices and culture.

♦ Use of Police for Religious Control
The Indian state is increasingly using police forces to control and harass Muslims under the guise of law enforcement, violating their fundamental rights.

The Modi Government’s Role in Fomenting Division

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has seen a rise in religious polarization and Hindu nationalism. Modi’s government has allowed extremist groups to flourish and has failed to rein in the growing violence against Muslim minorities. The political strategy of appealing to Hindu sentiment has come at the expense of India’s secular fabric, with Muslims being systematically marginalized in every aspect of public life.

♦ Modi’s Use of Religious Nationalism
Modi has used Hindu nationalism as a political tool to consolidate power, while marginalizing Muslims and other minorities.

♦ BJP’s Strategy of Division
The BJP’s divisive policies have undermined India’s democratic principles, turning the country’s political landscape into one defined by religious conflict and intolerance.

India’s treatment of its Muslim minority has reached alarming levels, with public humiliation, discrimination, and violence becoming the norm in BJP-ruled states. The Kalyan incident is just one example of the growing targeting of Muslims, fueled by the rise of Hindutva extremism under Modi’s leadership. The international community must hold India accountable for its violations of human rights and press for justice for the Muslim community. It is time for India to return to its secular roots and protect the rights and dignity of all its citizens, regardless of religion. The world must stand in solidarity with India’s Muslim population and demand an end to the cycle of violence and discrimination.