Human rights conditions for minorities in India continued to deteriorate throughout 2024 with the introduction of new discriminatory policies, surges in anti-minority violence and lynchings, police brutality, hate speech, and voter suppression during elections. Despite the ruling Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) significant loss of seats in India’s general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term ushered in a new wave of violence against Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and other minorities. Violence was often carried out by members of Hindu militant groups, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), and the Bajrang Dal.

Throughout the year, Hindu militant mob violence against Muslim individuals, neighborhoods, and places of worship remained pervasive and surged around Hindu festivals. In January, the consecration of the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, which was built on the site of the demolished Babri Mosque, sparked nationwide violence against Muslims.

During elections, hate speech ran rampant while opposition parties were suppressed. In addition to controlling the mainstream media, the Modi regime abused government agencies to jail opposition leaders, freeze the Congress Party’s bank accounts, and exclude Muslim voters. Modi and BJP candidates regularly delivered anti-Muslim hate speeches in clear violation of Indian election laws. At the polls, Muslims reported voter suppression in the form of violence, intimidation, and manipulation of voter registries.

Police brutality was also widespread throughout the year, including reports of police carrying out targeted suppression against Muslim voters. Police opened fire on Muslim protestors in two major incidents, first in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani in February, then in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal in November. In both cases, multiple Muslims were killed, and state governments cracked down on the affected Muslim communities in the aftermath.

In light of these events and the grave concerns they raise, it is essential for the international community to pressure the Indian government to curb skyrocketing anti-Muslim violence and hate speech while ensuring accountability for the perpetrators and safety for India’s minorities.