The violent clash in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, that led to the deaths of three people and injuries to several others highlights an alarming and persistent trend of rising communal tensions and violence against Muslims in India. On Sunday, a local survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, mandated by a court after allegations of historical wrongdoings, turned into a fierce confrontation between the police and an enraged mob.
The Sambhal Incident: A Flashpoint
The violence in Sambhal erupted when a court-appointed commissioner, along with his team, entered the Shahi Jama Masjid for a second round of surveying the mosque. The survey was ordered after a temple priest claimed that the mosque had been built on the ruins of a Hindu temple. This historical allegation, which has been at the heart of several similar confrontations across India, ignited tensions within the community.
After completing the survey, the police and survey team were ambushed by a mob, with stones thrown and gunfire exchanged. In response, the police fired shots into the air and used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Five men were killed and dozens of police officers were injured.
Everyone’s Truth
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak expressed regret over the violence, emphasizing that the survey was conducted on court orders. “Whatever incident happened is very sad. An investigation will be done,” he stated. Meanwhile, Masud Farooqui, Secretary of the Jama Masjid Committee, appealed for peace and communal harmony, attributing the escalation to possible rumors. “The survey team had come, and suddenly it happened. People should maintain harmony. The administration was strict,” he remarked.
Opposition leaders criticized the state government for its handling of the situation. CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat called the incident a grave failure of the administration, accusing the UP government of stoking communal tensions. “Lives are being lost. Without taking the affected people into confidence, sending a survey team backed by police has led to this tragic outcome,” she said. Former Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav also alleged a political conspiracy, claiming, “This is a riot done by the government.” He further defended his party MP, Ziaur Rahman Barq, who was accused of inciting violence despite not being present at the scene.
The Yogi Adityanath government has yet to issue an official statement on the incident, leaving many questions unanswered. As tensions simmer, the need for transparent investigations and dialogue between communities becomes ever more critical.
The Bigger Picture: Hate Crimes Against Muslims
The Sambhal clash is symptomatic of a broader and disturbing pattern of rising hate crimes against Muslims across India. According to a report by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), India saw 56 hate-related incidents in January 2024 alone, with Muslims being the victims in 95.5% of the cases. These incidents include mob violence, physical assaults, property attacks, and even deaths, revealing a troubling increase in hostility toward the Muslim community.
The scale of this violence is exacerbated by political and cultural factors, with Muslim communities being targeted in the name of nationalism, religion, and even conspiracy theories. The rise of Hindutva ideologies, which often frame Muslims as a threat to national identity, has further fueled these attacks. APCR’s report points to the significant role played by political leaders, particularly from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in inflaming tensions through provocative rhetoric.
Motivations Behind the Attacks: Data Insights
A closer look at the motivations behind attacks targeting Muslims in India offers deeper insights into the factors that drive such violence. A chart from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) reveals several key motivations for attacks by Hindus on Muslims between June 2019 and March 2024.
- Cow Vigilantism (22%): The largest proportion of attacks stem from accusations of cow smuggling or slaughter. Cow protection has become a politically charged issue in India, with vigilantism linked to Hindu nationalist sentiments. The violence often involves unprovoked assaults on Muslims accused of being involved in the trade or slaughter of cows. In the first half of 2024, more than 70 major cases of cow vigilantism were reported, including the murder of a 19-year-old in Ghaziabad and the assault of a 72-year-old man on a train to Jalgaon, both of which were carried out under the suspicion of carrying beef.
- Claims of ‘Love Jihad’ (18%): We often find this claim splashed across mainstream prime time debates. The spread of this narrative has led to a rise in attacks, driven by unfounded fears of religious conversion and interfaith marriage.
- Refusals to Invoke Nationalistic/Hindu Slogans (12%): A significant number of attacks are rooted in individuals refusing to chant or endorse slogans associated with Hindu nationalism, a growing demand in some regions that targets Muslims who do not conform to these nationalist symbols.
- Claims of ‘Corona Jihad’ (12%): During the COVID-19 pandemic, Muslims were falsely accused of deliberately spreading the virus. This Islamophobic conspiracy theory fueled attacks and discrimination against Muslims who were blamed for the pandemic’s spread. An infamous example of this would be the Tablighi Jamaat case.
- Retaliation in Inter-Communal Clashes (6%): A smaller percentage of attacks are retaliatory, occurring as a response to broader inter-communal violence, where Muslims are often targeted in the aftermath of riots or violent clashes.
- Claims of ‘Economic Jihad’ (3%): This conspiracy accuses Muslims of economic dominance or efforts to undermine the Indian economy. Attacks based on this narrative reflect the growing tension over perceived economic rivalry. The most recent evidence of this would be the controversial debates around the subject of Waqf.
- Expression of Muslim Religion (2%): Some attacks are fueled by hostility toward visible expressions of Islamic faith, such as the wearing of hijabs or the practice of prayers, as seen in the 2022 Hijab row in Karnataka.
- Claims of ‘Land Jihad’ (1%): The least frequent motivation, this conspiracy theory alleges that Muslims are systematically acquiring land to change demographic patterns, especially in Hindu-majority areas. For example, the recent claims made by the Karnataka BJP that the state government had given away farmer’s lands as Waqf.
- Other Reasons (29%): A significant portion of attacks falls into a miscellaneous category, reflecting the complex and multifaceted nature of the violence.
Implications: A Society Divided
The government’s response—or lack thereof—to these growing incidents of hate crime is concerning. The failure to hold perpetrators accountable for such violence, combined with the spread of divisive rhetoric, creates a culture of impunity. This, in turn, emboldens further violence and discrimination.
Furthermore, the emphasis on slogans and conspiracy theories, as reflected in the ACLED data, highlights the profound impact of cultural nationalism in shaping social dynamics. As religious minorities, particularly Muslims, find themselves increasingly marginalized and targeted, the risk of communal violence and division continues to grow.
Government Inaction and the Need for Change
The lack of official data on hate crimes and the government’s failure to address the root causes of communal violence have allowed these issues to persist. As the APCR report pointed out, despite the Supreme Court’s directives for swift action against hate speech, there has been little meaningful change at the ground level. The recent blocking of the “Hindutva Watch” website, which tracks hate crimes, further signals a troubling attempt to suppress information and evade responsibility.
To combat the rising tide of hate crimes, India must create a legal framework that defines and tracks hate crimes, ensuring that authorities can hold perpetrators accountable. Additionally, political leaders must be held to account for their role in stoking division and hatred.
