Court finds “love jihad” claims used to drive Muslims out of Uttarakhand town a hoax

An Uttarakhand court found that an accusation of “love jihad” that led a town to drive out 41 Muslim families was a hoax. 

Last year, Hindu supremacist groups claimed two men, one of them Muslim, had tried to abduct a 14-year-old girl, convert her to Islam, and marry her to a Muslim. The resulting surge of anti-Muslim led 41 families to flee. 

However, a court has acquitted both men after deeming that the only eyewitness in the case, a member of the Hindu paramilitary group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had ordered the uncle of the girl to file a complaint against them. 

Chief Minister says Assam’s Muslim population “matter of life and death”

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a virulent Hindu supremacist, claimed that “changing demography” – a Hindu supremacist conspiracy that falsely claims the Muslim population is vastly outgrowing the Hindu population – is a “matter of life and death.”

This conspiracy is used to further anti-Muslim hatred, violence, and calls for genocide. 

Hindu mob attacks Christian children, women, desecrate the cross

In Uttarakhand state, a Hindu mob attacked worshippers at a Christian prayer meet, including children and women. The mob, led by an RSS member, broke into a home where the prayer meet was being held, attacked congregants, kicked a cross, and harassed a woman, demanding to know where her sindoor (a mark worn by married Hindu women) was. 

In a video of the incident, a Hindu extremist can be heard saying, “They are targeting poor Hindu families, lure them with bags of rice and force them to convert to Christianity.”

UP businesses ordered to display names showing religious identity ahead of Hindu procession

Police in Uttar Pradesh state have ordered small vendors, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses to “display their names” in front of their establishments as a way to show their religious identity ahead of an upcoming Hindu procession.

Muslim journalist Mohammed Zubair criticized the move on X, warning that Hindu extremists might selectively target and attack Muslim vendors. “Isn’t this discrimination based on religion?” he asked.