The scenes that have been unfolding in India since Monday, July 31, are causing alarm in the Muslim community and raising fears of an outbreak of violence during the campaign for the Spring 2024 general elections.
After religious clashes that left six people dead in Haryana (the state bordering the capital) on Monday, tensions have shown no signs of abating. New Delhi, which will host the G20 summit in September, was placed on high alert on Wednesday, and thousands of security forces personnel were deployed in surrounding towns and at the gates of the mega-city to prevent violence during rallies in the capital and its outer suburbs. These rallies have been organized by two Hindu extremist groups, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and its paramilitary armed wing, the Bajrang Dal.
In Badarpur, one of the gateways to New Delhi, around 100 of them gathered, briefly blocking one of the city's main access routes. They chanted slogans in praise of the Hindu god Ram and recited prayers in honor of Hanuman, the monkey-headed god. Elsewhere, placards called for the "locking up of staunch jihadists who attack Hindus."
These two organizations belong to the same ideological family as India prime minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). They mobilized, threatening to use their "right to self-defense," after the deadly clashes between Hindus and Muslims in the Haryana town of Nuh on Monday. The VHP had deliberately chosen to hold a religious procession in this Muslim-majority district. The procession had all the hallmarks of a provocation and was likely to get out of hand. Videos posted on social media suggested that Monu Manesar, a Hindu extremist, was involved: A member of the Bajrang Dal and its self-proclaimed militia for the protection of cows (which are sacred in Hinduism), he is wanted for the murder of two Muslims in February.
"The BJP-led state of Haryana is accused of ignoring the warnings of its own intelligence services and allowing this controversial procession, making violence almost inevitable. Especially as the Bajrang Dal chanted provocative slogans and was heavily armed with guns, machetes, and sticks," said independent researcher Asim Ali.
The march quickly degenerated into a riot; Local television and videos circulating on social media showed crowds throwing stones and attacking stores, and cars burning in thick clouds of black smoke. The authorities imposed a curfew and shut down mobile internet services in certain parts of the state. All to no avail. In the evening and the following day, the violence spread to the city of Gurgaon. Located some 30 kilometers from Delhi, Gurgaon is known as the "millennium city." It is the showcase of modern India and home to the offices of multinationals such as Microsoft and Alphabet. It was also the scene of a new wave of violence. In retaliation, rioters attacked Muslims. Shops were looted and burnt, a mosque was set alight, and a Muslim cleric was killed.
You have 51.8% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.