Gujarat epicentre of targeted violence against minorities, says compilation of 55 'attacks'

By Jag Jivan*
Last year as many as 55 “attacks” on minority communities in Gujarat took place, a compilation of each of these incidents by a state civil rights group has said. Compiled by the Minority Coordination Committee (MCC), a report enumerating these incidents was released in Ahmedabad at a meeting of around 70 minority community leaders from different districts of Gujarat.
Before releasing the compilation, district leaders spoke about recent atrocities committed against the minority people in their respective districts, agreeing on the need for a coordinated effort to stop the atrocities against the minority community in future and what should be done to protect minority rights “as per the Constitution of the country.”
Claiming that the minority community has been “pushed on the margins” of the mainstream society, MCC in its introduction to the report, titled "Targeted: Documenting Incidents Affecting Minorities in Gujarat", which carries the compilation, said, main aim of the organisation is to “promote and protect the rights of minority communities and advance social justice, equity, and inclusion for all”, even as envisioning a society where diversity is celebrated and differences are respected, where individuals can live their lives without fear of discrimination, harassment, or prejudice.”
As for the compilation, the report claimed, they show that “Gujarat has been the epicentre of targeted violence against minorities”, pointing out, “The nature of violence has now changed.” Thus, while “earlier the violence was prominently in big cities”, now violence has “reached the villages.”
It underlined, “In particular, religious festivals, which are occasions of social harmony, were also used by communal organizations as opportunities for violence against minorities”, adding, “Through this report, we are bringing out different incidents of 2022 in the hope that we understand the destructive designs and work better together for communal harmony and peace.”
Mujahid Nafees, convener, MCC, said, the incidents of violence against minority community people were taken from local newspapers, mainly “Gujarat Today”, run by a minority community leader of Ahmedabad. “We have compiled newspaper cuttings as proof of violence”, he said, adding, “It is most disconcerting that over the three few, religious festivals, which have been symbols of communal unity, are also being used to divide society.”
The date-wise compilation starts with an incident on January 1, 2022, in which a Muslim auto driver was stopped at the gate of a society by a security guard in Ahmedabad. After knowing that the auto driver was a Muslim, he was abused, and dogs were let loose on him. He was threatened not to lodge complaints with the police, lest he would not be spared.
The last incident in the compilation is of December 30, 2023, when, in Junagadh, BJP leader Raman Vora openly stated that those Muslims who will not vote for BJP, their water and electricity connections would be cut and demolition will be done in their areas.

The incidents compiled are not just confined to the Muslim community. Thus, in one incident, there was violent attack allegedly by Hindu fringe elements, in which the house of a Christian community person in Makarpura extension of Vadodara was vandalised and a person dressed as Santa Claus was killed.
Also included in the compilation how, following violence in Borsad village of Anand district due to an attack on two Muslim boys with knives at midnight “in an attempt to kill them”, the police fired 30 rounds of rubber bullets and 50 shells of tear gas, and “took unilateral action only against Muslims.”
Then, the compilation shows how, during Ram Navami procession at various places in Gujarat, one person died in Khambhat district of Anand, following which police fired tear gas and shops and vehicles of Muslims were set on fire, and the huts of four Muslims were demolished with bulldozer. However, “the police took unilateral action against the Muslims”, and did not “even register an FIR on behalf of the Muslims.”
Giving details of the incidents which took place in 2023, which are now in the process of being compiled, Nafees advised participating leaders to be vigilant against attempts of certain sections to spread hatred against the community.
“We must videograph, wherever possible, hate speeches delivered against minorities. We must try to document each incident. We must be equipped with better understanding of the law and the Constitution in order seek justice from the law and order authorities, including courts, he insisted.

---

*Freelance writer

Comments

Academics urge Azim Premji University to drop FIR against Student Reading Circle

By A Representative A group of academics and civil society members has issued an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University expressing concern over the filing of a police complaint that led to an FIR against a student-run reading circle following a recent incident of violence on campus. The signatories state that they hold the university in high regard for its commitment to constitutional values, critical inquiry and ethical public engagement, and argue that it is precisely because of this reputation that the present development is troubling.

Was Netaji forced to alter face, die in obscurity in USSR in 1975? Was he so meek?

By Rajiv Shah This should sound almost hilarious. Not only did Subhas Chandra Bose not die in a plane crash in Taipei, nor was he the mysterious Gumnami Baba who reportedly passed away on 16 September 1985 in Ayodhya, but we are now told that he actually died in 1975—date unknown—“in oblivion” somewhere in the former Soviet Union. Which city? Moscow? No one seems to know.

UAPA action against Telangana activist: Criminalising legitimate democratic activity?

By A Representative The National Investigation Agency's Hyderabad branch has issued notices to more than ten individuals in Telangana in connection with FIR No. RC-04/2025. Those served include activists, former student leaders, civil rights advocates, poets, writers, retired schoolteachers, and local leaders associated with the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress.

Asbestos contamination in children’s products highlights global oversight gaps

By A Representative A commentary published by the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) has drawn attention to the challenges governments face in responding effectively to global public-health risks. In an article written by Laurie Kazan-Allen and published on March 5, 2026, the author examines how the discovery of asbestos contamination in children’s play products has raised questions about regulatory oversight and international product safety. The article opens by reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that governments in several countries were slow to respond to early warning signs of the crisis. Referring to the experience of the United Kingdom, the author writes that delays in implementing protective measures contributed to “232,112 recorded deaths and over a million people suffering from long Covid.” The commentary uses this example to illustrate what it describes as the dangers of underestimating emerging threats. Attention then turns...

Aligning too closely with U.S., allies, India’s silence on IRIS Dena raises troubling questions

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The reported sinking of the Iranian ship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka raises troubling questions about international norms and the credibility of the so-called rule-based order. If indeed the vessel was attacked by the American Navy while returning from a joint exercise in Visakhapatnam, it would represent a serious breach of trust and a violation of the principles that govern such cooperative engagements. Warships participating in these exercises are generally not armed for combat; they are meant to symbolize solidarity and friendship. The incident, therefore, is not only shocking but also deeply ironic.

The kitchen as prison: A feminist elegy for domestic slavery

By Garima Srivastava* Kumar Ambuj stands as one of the most incisive voices in contemporary Hindi poetry. His work, stripped of ornamentation, speaks directly to the lived realities of India’s marginalized—women, the rural poor, and those crushed under invisible forms of violence. His celebrated poem “Women Who Cook” (Khānā Banātī Striyāṃ) is not merely about food preparation; it is a searing indictment of patriarchal domestic structures that reduce women’s existence to endless, unpaid labour.

India’s foreign policy at crossroads: Cost of silence in the face of aggression

By Venkatesh Narayanan, Sandeep Pandey The widely anticipated yet unprovoked attack on Iran on March 1 by the United States and Israel has drawn sharp criticism from several quarters around the world. Reports indicate that the strikes have resulted in significant civilian casualties, including 165 elementary school girls, 20 female volleyball players, and many other civilians.

India’s green energy push faces talent crunch amidst record growth at 16% CAGR

By Jag Jivan* A new study by a top consulting firm has found that India’s cleantech sector is entering a decisive growth phase, with strong policy backing, record capacity additions and surging investor interest, but facing mounting pressure on talent supply and rising compensation costs .

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Search This Blog