Bulldozers of Oppression: The Anti-Muslim Campaign in India

Recent demolitions of Muslim sites, including a 1,200-year-old Dargah in Gujarat, clearly illustrate a miserable picture in Modi’s India. These actions are not merely anti-encroachment drives; they expose a relentless anti-Muslim agenda under the BJP’s rule.

The expulsion of Muslim identity from the landscape is clear. Modi’s government frames these demolitions as necessary urban development, but the reality is far more insidious. This is a systematic assault on Islamic history.

The list of demolished structures speaks volumes. Since 2014, several mosques, shrines, and dargahs have been destroyed under dubious pretenses, often linked to supposed development or anti-encroachment. For instance:

• Babri Masjid Remnants – Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh (2015): Cleared for temple construction.
• Alamgiri Masjid – Meerut, Uttar Pradesh (2017): Justified as part of a local development drive.
• Multiple Dargahs – Baroda, Gujarat (2018): Labeled an anti-encroachment drive.
• Badaun Dargah – Badaun, Uttar Pradesh (April 2019): Torn down for road widening.
• Karnataka Mosque – Mangalore, Karnataka (Mid-2020): Targeted in a civic anti-encroachment drive.
• Ahmad Shah Masjid – Ahmedabad, Gujarat (2021): Destroyed for urban development.
• Shrines and Graves – Jahangirpuri, Delhi (April 2022): Demolished after communal clashes.
• Sufi Shrine and Mosque – Mehrauli, Delhi (February 2023): Cited in another anti-encroachment operation.
• Dargah and Mosque – Gir Somnath, Gujarat (September 28, 2024): Cleared for a development project.
• Nine Shrines– Somnath, Gujarat (Early 2024): Another anti-encroachment operation.

This list is not mere coincidence; it’s a deliberate campaign against a community. Under the guise of progress, the BJP is erasing centuries of Islamic heritage. The destruction of these sites sends a chilling message: Muslims do not belong in this nation.

The surge in anti-Muslim violence since Modi took power is alarming. Lynchings, attacks on places of worship, and hate speech have escalated dramatically. Radical Hindu groups, emboldened by state support, operate with impunity, furthering the exclusion of Muslims from Indian society.

This is more than property destruction; it’s a war on identity. The demolition of Islamic sites symbolizes a larger narrative that Muslims are unwelcome in Modi’s India. Even when courts intervene, their decisions are often ignored. This signals a worrying trend: democratic institutions are being weaponized to serve a radical agenda.

International human rights standards, including the right to freedom of religion, are blatantly violated. India’s claims of secular democracy crumble in the face of these actions. The BJP systematically reduces the space for Muslims to practice their faith freely, contravening the very principles of equality and liberty.

Legislative efforts like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) formalize the exclusion of Muslims. Reports from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom categorize India as a “Country of Particular Concern.” This designation underscores the grim reality that religious freedom is under siege.

The ongoing marginalization of Muslims is part of a coordinated effort to eradicate Islamic identity in India. This assault is not limited to physical structures; it aims to obliterate the very essence of Muslim culture and religious practice.

The international community, including the United Nations, must intervene. Action is urgently needed to halt religious persecution and hold India accountable for its blatant disregard for minority rights.

Under Modi’s BJP, India is transforming into a nation where Muslims are systematically denied the fundamental right to live and practice their religion. This undermines the democratic values that are supposed to define the nation.