Escalating Sectarian Violence in India: A Deepening Crisis

A troubling series of violent incidents perpetrated by Hindu groups against Muslims in India has underscored the persistent challenges of sectarian strife within the country. As India strives to present itself as a vibrant democracy committed to equal rights for all its citizens, the shadow of communal violence looms large.

Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s close electoral victory in June, which many interpreted as a rejection of extremist rhetoric, numerous reports from India-focused human rights organizations and a tally from the New York Times indicate that such violence continues unabated. Notably, at least a dozen incidents have been linked to the phenomenon of cow vigilantism — aggressive acts associated with the protection of cows, which often stem from suspicions regarding their slaughter or smuggling.

In one alarming incident in August, a group of Hindu men brutally assaulted a 72-year-old Muslim man after they wrongly suspected him of carrying beef in his bag. In another tragic case from the same month, a self-identified cow protection group fatally shot a 19-year-old Hindu student, mistakenly believing he was a Muslim engaged in cow smuggling, as reported by his grieving family.

The contentious issue of cow protection is emblematic of the broader communal tensions, as it juxtaposes the sacred beliefs of one religious group against the dietary practices of another. Cows hold a revered status in Hinduism, particularly among higher castes, leading many Indian states to impose bans on their slaughter as well as on the sale or smuggling of beef. Conversely, beef remains a significant part of the diet for many Muslims.

Religious violence is not an uncommon occurrence in India, a nation where over a billion Hindus coexist with around 200 million Muslims, 30 million Christians, 25 million Sikhs, and various other religious minorities — often in a state of fragile harmony.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, who has championed a Hindu nationalist agenda since his rise to power in 2014, Muslims have increasingly become targets of hard-line Hindu factions associated with his Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.). According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau, hundreds of incidents involving religious violence, including lynchings, beatings, and various forms of abuse, are reported annually.