Panic is on the rise among minorities particularly Muslims in India. While one can be arrested, threatened, or intimidated for even criticizing the majority, threats against the minorities with vicious hate speeches and ferocious social media campaigns hardly face the course of law.
In recent weeks several far-right groups with ties to the ruling party have called for ethnic cleansing of minorities, especially the country’s Muslims.
A three-day religious event, which was held in the northern Indian city of Haridwar from 17 to 19 December, faced a tremendous backlash on social and political domains. The event witnessed a dramatic quantity of hate speeches, mobilization threats, and violence against Muslims.
Local media reports say some ruling party members also attended the event. Critics say these groups are operating and functioning with strong political patronage.
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A police case has been registered to investigate the matter but there is no arrest yet. Rights activists however say there is less chance of any concrete action from the administration considering the past incidents.
They say if not addressed in accordance with the rule of law, this could tear apart social harmony in a diverse country like India which has a long history of remarkable communal violence.
