Federal minister says India’s “biggest mistake was to let Muslims live here”

In Bihar, federal minister and far-right Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Giriraj Singh made a blatantly anti-Muslim remark, claiming that India’s “biggest mistake was to let Muslims live here.”

“If the country was partitioned on religious lines, why were Muslims allowed to remain here?” Singh said. 

Cow vigilantes barge into Muslim shop, assault worker over alleged beef sale

In Punjab’s Ludhiana, Vishal Thakur, a leader of the cow vigilante group Gau Raksha Dal, launched a raid on a Muslim-owned meat shop and assaulted a worker for allegedly selling beef. In another incident in Dhule, Maharashtra, cow vigilantes assaulted a truck driver and occupant for allegedly transporting cattle.

Hindu priest vandalises Hindu deity Ganesha idol, blames two Muslim men

In Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu priest was arrested after he broke an idol of the Hindu deity Ganesha and falsely blamed two Muslim men. 

The police booked the two men, but later learned that the priest had deliberately staged the vandalism in order to drive up anti Muslim hatred in the area. 

Officials issue notice of demolition to 1,386 religious places in BJP-ruled Gujarat

In Ahmedabad, Gujarat, authorities issued a notice for the demolition of a mosque.

 “If you do not remove the mosque yourself within 7 days, then the municipality will demolish [it],” a notice posted on the door of Madni Masjid read.

Civic officials have issued a notice to demolish 1,386 religious sites in the city, including temples, mosques and tombs.