India’s Manufactured Jihad Narrative: From Love Jihad to Land Jihad in a State-Driven Campaign Against Muslims

At the National Governing Body meeting of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, serious concerns were raised about the Indian government’s deliberate misuse of the word “Jihad” to target Muslims and shape public opinion against them. Speakers said this trend was not accidental but reflected a clear political design under the Modi government to create fear, fuel hate and weaken the Muslim community across India. They stressed that state-driven propaganda, legal pressure and social discrimination had now become open tools of control. The session warned that the Hindutva project had entered a dangerous phase where the state itself was leading the attack on a religious identity.

India’s Misuse of the Word Jihad

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief Maulana Mahmood Madani said India’s central and state governments were giving a negative meaning to the word “Jihad” to malign Muslims. He explained that terms like “love jihad,” “land jihad,” “spit jihad” and “vote jihad” were being pushed through official channels and repeated in political speeches to create suspicion and hostility. Madani said this was a planned attempt to make Muslims appear dangerous, even though “Jihad” in Islam means a struggle against injustice and wrong. His remarks made clear that the Modi government was using religion as a political weapon.

♦ Misuse of Jihad: India is twisting a religious idea to portray Muslims as a threat.
♦ State-led Propaganda: Phrases spread by officials are meant to build fear against Muslims.
♦ Attack on Faith: India is damaging a central Islamic value through false claims.

Harassment Through State Actions

Madani said Muslims were now seen as troublemakers instead of people resisting injustice, which reflected the rising bias of the Indian state. He pointed out that bulldozer actions, mob lynching, economic boycotts and hate campaigns were taking place with government approval. He said these acts were a clear message that Muslims were being pushed out of public life through fear. This targeted harassment showed that India was using state power to control and weaken a whole community.

♦ Criminalising Muslims: The state labels Muslims as troublemakers to justify harsh steps.
♦ Encouraged Violence: Bulldozers and mob attacks happen because the government allows them.
♦ Everyday Pressure: Muslims face constant fear created by leaders and officials.

Judicial Bias and Weak Institutions

Madani also criticised the Indian judicial system and said important rulings showed signs of government pressure. He pointed to the Babri Masjid demolition case and the triple talaq verdict as examples where the Supreme Court appeared unable to act independently. He argued that such outcomes weakened trust in the judiciary and raised questions about fairness. He warned that when courts lose independence, minorities suffer the most.

♦ Courts Under Influence: Rulings show the judiciary is no longer fully independent.
♦ Loss of Fairness: Decisions on Babri Masjid and triple talaq show clear bias.
♦ Danger for Minorities: Weak courts leave Muslims exposed to injustice.

Barriers in Education and Employment

Madani said Muslims faced long-standing barriers in education, employment and social mobility despite being equal citizens by law. He explained that government policies had widened gaps instead of reducing them. He said many Muslims remained deprived of quality education, stable jobs and equal opportunities due to systemic discrimination. This pattern, he argued, was part of a wider effort to limit the progress of the community.

♦ Unequal Access: Muslims struggle to secure quality education and fair employment.
♦ Policy Failure: Government actions deepen social and economic gaps.
♦ Planned Exclusion: These barriers reflect a larger pattern of discrimination.

Using Religion for Political Gain

Speakers noted that the Modi government had turned religion into a political tool to secure support by creating fear of Muslims. They said this approach replaced real governance with hate-based politics. Instead of addressing unemployment, rising prices and social unrest, the government distracted the public by spreading anti-Muslim narratives. They warned that such tactics damaged India’s own social fabric and risked long-term instability.

♦ Politics of Division: Religion is used to divide people for votes.
♦ Manufactured Fear: Muslims are shown as enemies to hide government failures.
♦ National Harm: Such actions weaken social unity across India.

Impact of Hate Narratives on Society

Participants said the ongoing portrayal of Muslims as a threat had destroyed trust between communities. They argued that continuous propaganda encouraged violence and made hostility appear normal. They noted that when state leaders used hateful language, it gave social approval to attacks and discrimination. They warned that India’s rising violence was a direct result of this political atmosphere.

♦ Social Damage: Hate campaigns break trust between communities.
♦ Encouraged Hostility: Leaders’ language gives approval to aggression.
♦ Fearful Society: Violence becomes normal when hate is promoted from the top.

The Wider Hindutva Project

Speakers said the misuse of the word “Jihad” must be seen as part of a much larger Hindutva plan. They argued that this plan aimed to create a state where Muslims lived under pressure and had limited rights. They said strict laws, hate campaigns and biased policies showed that the Modi government wanted to push Muslims out of mainstream national life. They stressed that this shift was not only dangerous for Muslims but also for India’s democracy.

♦ Hindutva Goal: India is being reshaped to fit a narrow religious identity.
♦ Systematic Attack: Muslims face pressure through laws, slogans and public campaigns.
♦ Declining Democracy: Such actions undermine India’s claim of fairness.

Strong Action Needed Against India’s Hate-Driven Agenda

The meeting ended with a firm warning that India’s misuse of religious terms and its wider targeting of Muslims were deepening threats to peace in the region. Speakers urged Pakistan, Kashmiri leadership and global rights groups to expose India’s actions through strong political, media and academic work. They stressed that silence would only allow further harm to Muslim citizens. They agreed that the Modi government’s rising hostility toward Muslims demanded immediate global attention and a united response.