Rising concerns over hate crimes against Muslims under Modi 3.0

By Syed Ali Mujtaba*

Reports of targeted violence against Muslims continue to surface in different parts of India, raising concerns about religious harmony under the Modi government’s third term. In September 2025 alone, at least six incidents from across the country have been documented by the media, highlighting the persistence of communal tensions and the vulnerability of minority communities.

The incidents span several states—Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Bihar—indicating that these are not isolated cases confined to one region. While in many instances the authorities have taken action against perpetrators, the recurrence of such episodes points to deeper questions about social attitudes, law enforcement, and the political environment.

In Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district on September 16, a 35-year-old Muslim man, Aasif Babu Multani, was allegedly lynched by self-styled cow vigilantes while returning from Rajasthan with cattle purchased for agricultural and dairy purposes. His cousin was also injured. Witnesses reported that the attackers accused them of cow smuggling, though no cows were found in their possession.

On September 19 in Hapur district, Uttar Pradesh, a Muslim family was attacked by a mob while traveling by car. Reports suggest that the assailants vandalized the vehicle, assaulted the men, and harassed women passengers. A bystander, Shahzad, who attempted to intervene, was also beaten.

A day later, in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, a mosque imam, Mustaqim, was assaulted after refusing to chant a religious slogan. He later alleged that he was beaten for hours by a group that threatened to bury him on the spot.

In Godhra, Gujarat, a youth named Zakir Jhabha was allegedly beaten inside a police station after being summoned regarding his social media activity. The incident sparked protests, during which several of his relatives and community members were arrested on charges of rioting.

In Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar district on September 21, a Muslim procession titled “I Love Muhammad” was disrupted by police for reportedly lacking prior permission. Clashes followed, and several participants were detained in house-to-house searches.

That same day, in Madhubani, Bihar, a dispute over loud music during a Hindu religious procession turned violent when a Muslim resident, Mohammed Ibrahim, requested that the volume be lowered during prayer time. He was subsequently assaulted, prompting condemnation from local community leaders.

Taken together, these incidents illustrate the fragile boundary between everyday disputes and communal hostilities in a diverse society. They also highlight the challenge for law enforcement in ensuring that religious freedoms are protected while preventing escalation into broader conflict.

In a nation constitutionally committed to pluralism, the recurrence of such violence raises urgent questions about the state’s responsibility, social accountability, and the need for stronger mechanisms of dialogue and restraint.

—

*Journalist based in Chennai

Comments

From Kerala to Bangladesh: Lynching highlights deep social faultlines

By A Representative The recent incidents of mob lynching—one in Bangladesh involving a Hindu citizen and another in Kerala where a man was killed after being mistaken for a “Bangladeshi”—have sparked outrage and calls for accountability.

What Sister Nivedita understood about India that we have forgotten

By Harasankar Adhikari In the idea of a “Vikshit Bharat,” many real problems—hunger, poverty, ill health, unemployment, and joblessness—are increasingly overshadowed by the religious contest between Hindu and Muslim fundamentalisms. This contest is often sponsored and patronised by political parties across the spectrum, whether openly Hindutva-oriented, Islamist, partisan, or self-proclaimed secular.

When a city rebuilt forgets its builders: Migrant workers’ struggle for sanitation in Bhuj

Khasra Ground site By Aseem Mishra* Access to safe drinking water and sanitation is not a privilege—it is a fundamental human right. This principle has been unequivocally recognised by the United Nations and repeatedly affirmed by the Supreme Court of India as intrinsic to the right to life and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. Yet, for thousands of migrant workers living in Bhuj, this right remains elusive, exposing a troubling disconnect between constitutional guarantees, policy declarations, and lived reality.

Policy changes in rural employment scheme and the politics of nomenclature

By N.S. Venkataraman* The Government of India has introduced a revised rural employment programme by fine-tuning the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which has been in operation for nearly two decades. The MGNREGA scheme guarantees 100 days of employment annually to rural households and has primarily benefited populations in rural areas. The revised programme has been named VB-G RAM–G (Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission – Gramin). The government has stated that the revised scheme incorporates several structural changes, including an increase in guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days, modifications in the financing pattern, provisions to strengthen unemployment allowances, and penalties for delays in wage payments. Given the extent of these changes, the government has argued that a new name is required to distinguish the revised programme from the existing MGNREGA framework. As has been witnessed in recent years, the introdu...

Aravalli at the crossroads: Environment, democracy, and the crisis of justice

By Rajendra Singh* The functioning of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has undergone a troubling shift. Once mandated to safeguard forests and ecosystems, the Ministry now appears increasingly aligned with industrial interests. Its recent affidavit before the Supreme Court makes this drift unmistakably clear. An institution ostensibly created to protect the environment now seems to have strayed from that very purpose.

'Structural sabotage': Concern over sector-limited job guarantee in new employment law

By A Representative The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has raised concerns over the passage of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB–G RAM G), which was approved during the recently concluded session of Parliament amid protests by opposition members. The legislation is intended to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

'Festive cheer fades': India’s housing market hits 17‑quarter slump, sales drop 16% in Q4 2025

By A Representative Housing sales across India’s nine major real estate markets fell to a 17‑quarter low in the October–December period of 2025, with overall absorption dropping 16% year‑on‑year to 98,019 units, according to NSE‑listed analytics firm PropEquity. This marks the weakest quarter since Q3 2021, despite the festive season that usually drives demand. On a sequential basis, sales slipped 2%, while new launches contracted by 4%.

Safety, pay and job security drive Urban Company gig workers’ protest in Gurugram

By A Representative Gig and platform service workers associated with Urban Company have stepped up their protest against what they describe as exploitative and unsafe working conditions, submitting a detailed Memorandum of Demands at the company’s Udyog Vihar office in Gurugram. The action is being seen as part of a wider and growing wave of dissatisfaction among gig workers across India, many of whom have resorted to demonstrations, app log-outs and strikes in recent months to press for fair pay, job security and basic labour protections.

Public responses to the niqab incident and Iltija Mufti’s legal complaint

By Raqif Makhdoomi* Following an incident in which the Chief Minister of Bihar was seen pulling aside the niqab of a Muslim woman doctor during a public interaction, the episode drew widespread attention and debate across India. Public reactions were divided, with some defending the action and others criticising it as an infringement on personal autonomy and dignity. The incident was widely circulated on social media and reported by national and international media outlets.

Search This Blog