• A surge of communal violence has recently gripped India’s BJP-ruled state of Haryana, shedding light on a concerning pattern of demolitions that disproportionately target Muslim-owned properties in the aftermath of such clashes.
• Bulldozers have been used to demolish numerous houses occupied by Rohingya Muslim immigrants. This action was rationalized by labeling the homes of the Rohingya as unauthorized constructions.
India’s rail of communal riots hasn’t cooled down yet. The communal riots that erupted when a procession organized by the extremist Hindu group, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), along with its affiliated youth wing, Bajrang Dal, arrived at Nuh district in Haryana, populated largely by Muslims. Filled with hate, they find amusement in demolishing the property and hurting the lives of the Muslims living there. The atmosphere is filled with so much fear that even journalists are afraid to cover this on the ground, a reporter who tries to do so was approached by some men asking, “Are you a Hindu or Muslim?” and forced him to turn off his camera.
The repercussions of this violence spread to Gurugram, another Haryana city on the outskirts of New Delhi. During these events, a young imam tragically lost his life in a mob assault, and a mosque was set on fire.
A disconcerting trend emerges in the wake of these incidents – the systematic demolition of Muslim-owned structures. This phenomenon has become a recurrent theme in BJP-governed states, raising concerns about the fair treatment of minority communities in post-conflict scenarios.
The term “Bulldozer Justice” coined by BJP leaders appears to appeal to extremists, seemingly justifying the demolition of Muslim homes under the pretext of protecting land deemed Hindu territory. This narrative fosters the notion that India’s land belongs exclusively to one community, implying that minorities are encroachers with no claim to it. The Indian judiciary has begun to intervene, with a high court temporarily halting the demolition drive in Nuh and seeking explanations from the BJP-led government in Haryana.
Echoing the sentiment of many, Rafiq Ahmed, a resident, voiced his distress at the arbitrary destruction, stating, “Those who had nothing to do with the violence are bearing the brunt of it. This is an abuse of government power.”
Pictured: A store owned by a Muslim demolished
Amid this turmoil, Muslim families are grappling with the aftermath. A significant number of men from these households have been forced to leave their homes, driven by the fear of arbitrary arrests.
Asaduddin Owaisi, a notable Muslim parliamentarian, directed sharp criticism at the Haryana BJP government, alleging their protection of Monu Manesar, the person involved in the earlier killings, as well as various Hindutva [Hindu supremacist] groups. Owaisi emphasized the importance of adhering to due process and principles of justice. He highlighted that these demolitions serve as a form of collective punishment against the Muslim community, devoid of appropriate legal procedures.
