Violent anti-Muslim rhetoric escalates in India’s Rajasthan & Maharashtra states
Jaipur/Mumbai: Recent events in India have intensified concerns over escalating anti-Muslim sentiment, marked by inflammatory rhetoric and calls for violence from Hindutva groups.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in Rajasthan’s Balotra area, a Hindu monk delivered a hate-filled speech against Muslims. Addressing a large gathering, the monk made derogatory remarks about Muslims, calling them “demons” and “cannibals,” and inciting mass violence. A video circulating on social media shows the monk urging his audience, who were waving Indian and saffron flags, to retaliate with violence if any Hindu is harmed. “If they (Muslims) kill one Hindu, we will kill 100 Muslims. We will enter their homes and kill them,” the monk is heard saying.
The monk propagated a dangerous conspiracy theory, falsely claiming that the Muslim call to prayer, Azan, serves as a warning for Hindus to be killed. The gathering concluded with an oath to “make Hindus aware and teach lessons to Muslims,” further inflaming communal tensions.
In Maharashtra’s Thane, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), in conjunction with Sakal Hindu Samaj, organized a rally, marked by similarly incendiary rhetoric. The event featured explicit calls for an open genocide against Muslims. The Hindu extremist leaders urged their followers to act against the Muslim community in response to alleged violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. Anti-Muslim slogans and offensive chants were heard during the rally.
These incidents come amid a troubling rise in anti-Muslim violence across India, often fueled by Hindu extremist groups. Such rhetoric and calls for violence exacerbate the already precarious situation for the Muslim minority in Modi’s India.
