ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORTER
In yet another alarming episode of communal violence under the hardline rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, widespread riots have erupted across India, targeting the Muslim community. Reports indicate that the recent Hindu-Muslim clashes are a grim continuation of Modi’s divisive and extremist Hindutva agenda, which critics say has turned India into a testing ground for fascist politics.
According to Indian media outlet India Today, the latest wave of violence began in Kanpur on September 4, in what is being described by some as an attempt to recreate the horrific events of the 2002 Gujarat riots. The unrest has since spread across multiple states, sparking fear and outrage among minorities, particularly Muslims.
Eyewitnesses and rights groups report that scores of innocent Muslims have been injured in violent attacks fueled by religious hatred. The Indian police have reportedly responded not by protecting the victims, but by filing criminal cases against Muslim protesters in several districts of Uttar Pradesh.
Observers note that in today’s India, freedom of expression and religious liberty are increasingly constrained by the majoritarian Hindutva ideology. The situation has sparked condemnation from human rights advocates, who argue that the space for dissent and pluralism in India is shrinking rapidly.
Critics of the Modi administration allege that the government’s silence — or in some cases, tacit approval — of communal violence is emboldening extremist elements. The recent unrest has raised serious concerns about the safety of minorities in India and the overall health of the country’s secular democracy.
International observers and civil society organizations have called on the Indian government to take immediate steps to restore law and order, ensure the safety of all citizens, and uphold the constitutional values of religious freedom and equality.
