{"id":195765,"date":"2026-02-26T17:12:53","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:12:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/?p=195765"},"modified":"2026-02-26T17:46:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:46:00","slug":"even-essential-relief-becomes-marker-of-religious-exclusion-in-contemporary-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/2026\/02\/26\/even-essential-relief-becomes-marker-of-religious-exclusion-in-contemporary-india.html","title":{"rendered":"Even essential relief becomes marker of religious exclusion in contemporary India"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"#MuslimsAreNotAllowedToLiveInIndia<\/strong>
\nIslamabad: Even essential relief has become a marker of religious exclusion in contemporary India.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Kashmir Media Service, the February 22, 2026 blanket distribution drive in Tonk, Rajasthan, organized by former Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has come to symbolize this shift.<\/p>\n

Muslim women, including elderly beneficiaries, allegedly had blankets taken back once their names revealed their faith. A basic humanitarian gesture was thus transformed into a test of religious identity and political loyalty, prompting condemnation from Congress leader Sachin Pilot.<\/p>\n

This episode does not stand alone. At Lucknow University, right wing student activists reportedly sprinkled Gangajal after Muslim students held iftar and namaz, implying contamination of shared space.<\/p>\n

In Rudrapur, a Muslim labourer was assaulted for praying in an open field. In March 2024, a mob stormed Ramadan prayers at Gujarat University.<\/p>\n

in 2025, a mosque faced disruption during Taraweeh in Ratnagiri and in 2026, BJP leaders objected to Muslims offering brief prayer inside a municipal office in Malegaon.<\/p>\n

Critics argue these incidents project a troubling message. Access to charity, campuses, workplaces and civic institutions is increasingly conditional, reinforcing fears among minorities that their belonging in India is being openly questioned.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

#MuslimsAreNotAllowedToLiveInIndia Islamabad: Even essential relief has become a marker of religious exclusion in contemporary India. According to Kashmir Media Service, the February 22, 2026 blanket distribution drive in Tonk, Rajasthan, organized by former Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has come to symbolize this shift. Muslim women, including elderly beneficiaries, allegedly had blankets …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":195766,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-195765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-india"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t