Violence against Muslims in India

Since the partition of India in 1947, there have been several instances of religious violence against Muslims. These incidents often take the form of violent attacks on Muslims by Hindutva mobs, forming a pattern of sporadic sectarian violence between Hindu and Muslim communities. From 1954 to 1982, nearly 7,000 incidents occurred, resulting in the deaths of over 10,000 people.

The causes of violence against Muslims in the country are varied. The roots are thought to lie in Indian history, stemming from resentment towards the Muslim conquests in India during the Middle Ages, the divisive policies implemented by the colonial government during British rule, and the partition of the Indian subcontinent into a Muslim-majority Pakistan and an Indian state with a Muslim minority. Many scholars argue that anti-Muslim violence is politically motivated and part of an electoral strategy of mainstream political parties associated with the Hindutva ideology, such as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Other scholars contend that the violence is not widespread but is instead confined to certain urban regions due to local socio-political conditions.