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.

Comments

When a lake becomes real estate: The mismanagement of Hyderabad’s waterbodies

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava* Misunderstood, misinterpreted and misguided governance and management of urban lakes in India —illustrated here through Hyderabad —demands urgent attention from Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the political establishment, the judiciary, the builder–developer lobby, and most importantly, the citizens of Hyderabad. Fundamental misconceptions about urban lakes have shaped policies and practices that systematically misuse, abuse and ultimately erase them—often in the name of urban development.

'Serious violation of international law': US pressure on Mexico to stop oil shipments to Cuba

By Vijay Prashad In January 2026, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US security—a designation that allows the United States government to use sweeping economic restrictions traditionally reserved for national security adversaries. The US blockade against Cuba began in the 1960s, right after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 but has tightened over the years. Without any mandate from the United Nations Security Council—which permits sanctions under strict conditions—the United States has operated an illegal, unilateral blockade that tries to force countries from around the world to stop doing basic commerce with Cuba. The new restrictions focus on oil. The United States government has threatened tariffs and sanctions on any country that sells or transports oil to Cuba.

When grief becomes grace: Kerala's quiet revolution in organ donation

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Kerala is an important model for understanding India's diversity precisely because the religious and cultural plurality it has witnessed over centuries brought together traditions and good practices from across the world. Kerala had India's first communist government, was the first state where a duly elected government was dismissed, and remains the first state to achieve near-total literacy. It is also a land where Christianity and Islam took root before they spread to Europe and other parts of the world. Kerala has deep historic rationalist and secular traditions.

Bangladesh goes to polls as press freedom concerns surface

By Nava Thakuria* As Bangladesh heads for its 13th Parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter simultaneously on Thursday (12 February 2026), interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged all participating candidates to rise above personal and party interests and prioritize the greater interests of the Muslim-majority nation, regardless of the poll outcomes.

Beyond the conflict: Experts outline roadmap for humane street dog solutions

By A Representative In a direct response to the rising polarization surrounding India’s street dog population, a high-level coalition of parliamentarians, legal experts, and civil society leaders gathered in the capital to propose a unified national framework for humane animal management. The emergency deliberations were sparked by a recent Suo Moto judgment that has significantly deepened the divide between animal welfare advocates and those calling for the removal of community dogs, a tension that has recently escalated into reported violence against both animals and their caretakers in states like Telangana.

Why 20 years later, Rang De Basanti feels less like cinema, more like warning

By Mohd Ziyaullah Khan* This Republic Day , the Rang De Basanti , starring Aamir Khan , completed 20 years since its release. I first watched it in a single-screen theatre in my city—at a time when multiplexes were only just beginning to appear and our town was still waiting for one. It remains my favourite film, and I often revisit it on OTT platforms or television around Independence Day or Republic Day, when the air is thick with rehearsed patriotism. A few days ago, I noticed it streaming again on Jio Hotstar . Released in 2006, it is a film I have watched many times over the years. Yet, like all powerful cinema, returning to it at different stages of life offers a different experience. Twenty years ago, I found it deeply inspiring. In 2026, watching it again felt suffocating. At its core, the film follows a group of Delhi University friends who challenge the might of the central government after one of their own, a flight lieutenant, is killed in a MiG aircraft crash alleged...

Stray dogs, an epsilon (ϵ) problem: Of child labour, and the art of misplaced priorities

By Bhaskaran Raman The Greek alphabet ϵ (epsilon) is used in maths and science to denote a quantity which is not zero, but extremely small *** Since the Supreme Court's interim order on the issue of stray dogs came out on 07 Nov 2025, there have been a range of opinion pieces speaking for the voiceless. Most of them take the stance that there is a "problem" with stray dogs, but that we need a humane solution. I agree with this broadly, but I think we need new terminology to talk about this.

A. R. Rahman's ‘Yethu’ goes viral, celebrating Tamil music on the world stage

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* Good news for Tamil music lovers—the Mozart of Madras is back in the Tamil music industry with his song “Yethu” from the film “Moonwalk.” The track has climbed international charts, once again placing A. R. Rahman on the global stage.

Constitution vs. mining: The trial of environmental justice in Pachama Dadar

By Raj Kumar Sinha* The auction process for the Pachama Dadar bauxite block in Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, was initiated in 2023. Yet a closer examination of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report submitted for this proposed mining project reveals serious procedural and substantive failures that call into question the legitimacy of the entire exercise.

Search This Blog