As India bulldozes Muslim homes, fears grow officials are taking leaf from Yogi Adityanath

Activists and critics of India’s Hindu nationalist government have called for an independent investigation after dozens of Muslim homes were arbitrarily demolished following a spate of communal violence, furthering fears by minority groups that their rights are increasingly being whittled down by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The conflict erupted on April 10 after groups of Hindus marched through Muslim localities in central Madhya Pradesh state and blared anti-Muslim songs during a procession to mark the birth of the Hindu god Ram, leading to scuffles and stones being pelted. CCTV footage appeared to show some police officers participating in the clash, which led to the death of one person.

Riots played out elsewhere across the country following the Ram Navami festival, killing one person in the western state of Gujarat, and injuring many others, including eight police officers in the capital. Police arrested 14 people in Delhi on Sunday on charges of rioting and criminal conspiracy, among others.

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While communal conflict is far from new in India, the local authorities’ decision to unilaterally bulldoze the homes of some 50 suspected Muslim rioters in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh has left the community on edge, with one commentator describing the unprecedented move as part of a bid by officials from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party to “dismantle” the constitution.

“We watched silently. There were so many officials and police officers that we were scared for our lives,” local shopkeeper Raees Tariq told reporters in Khargone district. “My neighbour’s home came down in half an hour. He wept.”

Police said they were justified in knocking down the homes without due process as the homes had been “illegally” built on government land even before the conflict broke out.

Aakar Patel, chair of Amnesty International India’s board, said the decision was a breach of international human rights law.

“The majority of the demolished properties are owned by Muslims. Such punitive demolition of family homes of suspects could amount to collective punishment, in violation of international human rights law,” he said.

“The authorities must urgently carry out a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation into the demolitions and ensure that those responsible for fanning violence and vandalism are brought to justice through far trials.”

Opposition politician Ashok Gehlot from the Congress Party, which governs northern Rajasthan state, condemned the bulldozing.

“No one has this right. This right lies only with the law,” he said. “Without any investigation, without being found guilty, how can you go and demolish someone’s house?”

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Far from backing down, BJP officials in the western state of Gujarat continued to send bulldozers to Khambhat city to punish Muslims suspected of being involved in violence during the same festival. Shanty homes were torn down, leaving vulnerable communities homeless.

Bangalore-based social activist and Muslim youth leader Zia Zomani said the bulldozing was an act of “state vengeance”.

“Not only is it illegal, but it must be seen as a criminal act by the Madhya Pradesh state,” Zia said. “The UN should take note of it and send a fact-finding delegation.”

Growing Islamophobia

Since Modi took power in 2014, India’s 200 million Muslims – who make up some 13 per cent of the 1.3 billion population – have faced increasing curbs to their rights, including the 2019 law by the BJP to deprive Muslims of citizenship.

On the ground, Modi’s leadership has emboldened Hindus in targeting followers of Islam, a religion that arrived in the country in the 7th century.

Hindus have attacked Muslim street vendors selling meat dishes in Gujarat, while in Uttar Pradesh, Muslims are banned from selling meat near sacred Hindu sites.

Muslim traders were recently banned from setting up their stalls during Hindu festivals at some temples in the southern state of Karnataka, where there are calls for the wearing of the hijab, or headscarves worn by Muslim women, to be banned in colleges. Others want Karnataka authorities to ban the azaan, or call to prayer which is broadcast on mosque loudspeakers.

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Some analysts have noted a trend of “one-upmanship” among BJP officials under Modi’s India, with politicians trying to outdo Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, known for his virulent Islamophobia.

Adityanath in 2020 took the unprecedented step of imposing steep fines of up to 300,000 rupees (US$4,000) on Muslim men who allegedly vandalised public property during protests. Those unable to pay up had their property confiscated. This, said Adityanath, was his “revenge”.

Others have observed the violence as a part of the polarisation that escalates when elections approach. Both Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka go to the polls next year.

For political analyst and politician Yogendra Yadav, the BJP’s campaign against Muslims suggests “the dismantling of the Indian constitution”, which promotes “unity in diversity”.

“The constitution is only as good as the forces that uphold it,” he said. “If they don’t want to uphold it, it is no more than a piece of paper. That’s how Muslims must have felt when government officials ran bulldozers into their homes on a mere allegation.”

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Meanwhile, amid growing condemnation over the bulldozing incident, the leaders of 13 opposition parties on Saturday issued a joint statement against bigotry and hatred. They said a clear pattern was discernible – that of “incendiary speeches preceding aggressive armed religious processions which unleash communal violence”.

They criticised Modi for his silence, calling it “an eloquent testimony to the fact that such private armed mobs enjoy the luxury of official patronage”.

The constant attacks against Muslims have even alarmed some within Modi’s camp. Veteran BJP politician B.S. Yediyurappa, a former Karnataka chief minister, waded in last Monday to urge right-wing Hindu groups to show restraint and “allow our Muslim brethren to lead a life of dignity”.

“It is our desire that both Hindus and Muslims should live like children of the same mother,” he said.

Additional reporting by AP