Officials confiscate house of Muslim man in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand

Government officials in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Uttarakhand state confiscated the house of a Muslim man over allegations that he masterminded protests against the demolition of a mosque and Islamic seminary in Haldwani. 

Protests that erupted on February 8 over the demolitions led to the killing of at least six Muslims in police firing.

Hindu militants harass Muslim men over alleged cattle smuggling 

In Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, members of the Hindu militant group Bajrang Dal harassed nearly a dozen men, including Muslims, over allegations of “cattle smuggling.” Hindu militant mobs have increasingly been targeting Muslims over baseless accusations of committing crimes. These mobs, also known as cow vigilantes, attack and in some cases lynch Muslims accused of transporting cattle or consuming beef. 

School turns away hijab-wearing Muslim students, threatens to reduce their grades

A government-run school in Rajasthan’s Pipar turned away female Muslim students wearing hijab, threatening to drop the students’ grades if they continued to wear hijab on school premises. The girls said their teachers also insulted them with derogatory terms. 

BJP lawmaker, far-right Hindu leaders incite hate against Muslims

In Akola, Maharashtra, far-right BJP legislator Nitesh Rane continued to peddle conspiracy theories, indulged in fear-mongering, and called for a boycott of Muslim vendors.

In Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, far-right monk Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati delivered an inflammatory speech with dehumanizing references against Muslims.

In Kawardha, Chhattisgarh, Hindu militants from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad gave a communal spin to murder of a cowshed worker to stoke anti-Muslim hatred.

Court denies bail to Muslim student leader jailed for protesting discriminatory law

A court in Delhi denied Muslim student leader Sharjeel Imam bail in a case under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), despite finding no evidence of incitement to violence in his speeches criticizing India’s anti-Muslim Citizenship law. 

Imam was one of the leaders of anti-CAA protests in 2019. He was arrested in January 2020 and has been imprisoned since.