In the present scenario, instances of violence and discrimination against the weak or powerless people is a common view to see. Whether it is religion, power, position or standard, the weak are bound to bear disgrace and inhumane treatment since the time immemorial.
In the same row, the Human Rights Watch, in its recent publication has alluded that the Muslim population in India is in the constant fear of summary and abusive punishment by the people who are in the position to continue violence against them.
The comment came as a quick response after several Muslim men were flogged by the local police men in the Kheda district of Gujarat on the allegation of pelting stones during garba performed on the occasion of Hindu festival Navratri.
The incessant instances occurring in the different states of India, has arisen the continuous apprehension of violence and discrimination towards the Muslim minority living in the country especially in the areas governed by ruling BJP government. The apprehension now takes the shape of state policy being followed by the government with the ruthless demolition of houses and shops.
In the report being published, Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director at Human Rights Watch said, “The authorities being present in several Indian states are carrying out violence in the form of summary and abusive punishment against the minority Muslims.”
She further added,”The Officials usually send direct messages to the public that minority Muslims are bound to be discriminated against and attacked.”
The large scale violence and discrimination are witnessed by everyone and in the view of Opposition parties and rights activists, such incidents have increased since the coming of BJP government in 2014.
Further, in the alignment of summary punishment, the generalization of demolition of homes and shops belonging to the the Muslim population has been done in various states of India. The demolition being supported and done by the coordination of local government and municipal corporation, is on the pretext of illegality of building. The demolition, in the words of critics, is the retribution or collective punishment against the whole community.
The non-governmental organisation also reiterated that being a part of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, India is obliged to follow the call for equality before law and prohibition of discrimination on any grounds. The organisation has noted that the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, an expert which monitors that the principles of covenant must be followed by the parties, has stated that demolition of homes as a punitive measure is contrary to the Covenant.
Recent incidents of summary punishment against the minority Muslims
The incidents of violence and demolition can be tracked down in the recent months.
The police filed a case of attempted murder and rioting against 19 Muslim men in the Mandsaur District of Madhya Pradesh, on October 2 on the accusations that the accused were throwing stones at a Garba event. Of these 19 Muslim men, 7 were detained for the offence. After two days, the authorities demolished the homes of 3 of them without any legal justification, on the pretext that the holes were made illegally.
In the month of June, the authorities demolished the house of a local politician, Javed Mohammad, in the city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, the houses of dozens of Muslims were demolished in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi, after a BJP Politician made derogatory comments on Prophet Mohammad on national television.
Further, in the month of April, in Khargone district in Madhya Pradesh, Anand and Sabarkantha districts in Gujarat and Jahangirpuri neighborhood in Delhi, the properties belonging to Muslims were demolished following the communal clashes. The cause of clashes arose when the Hindu men passed through Muslim localities during festivals. The Hindu men shouted islamophobic slogans in front of the mosque while the police men stood in silence.
However, the action was justified as a delusion that the properties were illegal; however, their statements alluded that the demolition was a retribution and collective punishment towards the whole community.
The estimate of the demolished houses in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh is found to be 16 houses and 29 shops while in the Anand district, the shops demolished are 10 and the warehouses 17.
The local authorities reiterated that finding out the culprits one by one was a time taking process, so they recognized the whole area where the violence took place and demolished the shops, houses and warehouses to teach the rioters a lesson.
