Hindu extremists enraged by interfaith relationship, set ablaze Muslim man’s house
A Hindu extremist mob arsoned the home of a Muslim man who eloped with a Hindu woman in far-right BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly. The couple were in a consensual relationship and wanted to get married.
Hindu militants are known for violently policing interfaith relationships and interactions between Muslim men and Hindu women, resulting in Muslim men being publicly attacked, arbitrarily arrested, and sometimes lynched.
Muslim student expelled from college in Uttar Pradesh for having a beard
A Muslim student, Farman Ali, was expelled from a college in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly for having a beard.
Over the past month, Farman was being pressured by the college principal to shave his beard and faced threats of expulsion if he did not comply. When Farman arrived at the college with his beard intact, the principal refused to let him attend classes, stating, “This is a college, not a madrasa. Cut your beard; you can’t study like this here.” The principal then expelled Farman from the school.
Mosque trustee, Muslim woman arrested after Hindu woman converts to Islam
Police in Maharashtra’s Thane have arrested a Muslim woman after her Hindu neighbor decided to convert to Islam. Police also arrested a local mosque trustee who stamped the woman’s official conversion declaration in 2022.
The woman left her house after converting, leading the family to file a missing person’s report. When questioned by the police, she willingly admitted to her conversion. The arrests come after the woman’s family later filed a complaint alleging that she was forcibly converted.
Twelve out of 28 states in India have implemented anti-conversion laws, leading to increased harassment and violence against minorities.
BJP leader forcibly shuts Muslim-owned meat shops in Delhi
In the capital city of Delhi, far-right BJP leader Ravinder Negi forcibly shut down Muslim-owned meat shops. He also harassed Muslim shopkeepers, demanding that they display their names in front of their stores as a way to show their religious identity.
Last month, Uttar Pradesh police issued a directive ordering businesses to display their names in front of their establishments as a way to show their religious identity. However, the Supreme Court stayed the order after rights experts described the directives as “discriminatory” and tools for “anti-Muslim violence.”
BJP lawmaker promotes anti-Muslim conspiracies, advocates violence
In Solapur, Maharashtra, far-right BJP lawmaker Nitesh Rane promoted anti-Muslim conspiracy theories of “love jihad,” “land jihad” and advocated for violence. In Mumbai, a leader of Hindu militant groups Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal also promoted the anti-Muslim conspiracy theory of “love jihad” and advocated for violence.
In Domariyaganj, Uttar Pradesh, Hindu preacher Raju Das promoted anti-Muslim conspiracy theories and false claims against Rohingya refugees. In Shahjahanpur, a Hindu supremacist leader incited hate against Muslims and calls for the Hindu takeover of historic mosques.
