Officials demolish Muslim shrine in BJP-ruled Gujarat
In Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Gujarat state, officials demolished a Muslim shrine after alleging that it was constructed illegally.
Earlier this year, officials demolished multiple Muslim shrines and three madrassas across several villages in Gujarat, alleging that the structures had been built “illegally”. Throughout India, Muslim places of worship have been targets of inhumane demolition drives as a form of collective punishment.
Police seal shop over selling beef kebabs and samosas in Gujarat
In BJP-ruled Gujarat’s Vadodara, police shut down a shop over allegations of selling beef kebabs and samosas. Earlier in April, the shop owners were jailed over similar allegations.
Recently, police in Uttar Pradesh state shut down two cafes and arrested a cafe owner in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly selling beef burgers as part of their menu, after a local Hindu supremacist leader complained that the food items hurt Hindu sentiments.
Court dismisses plea against hijab ban in Mumbai college
The Bombay High Court dismissed a plea challenging the ban on hijab imposed by the administrators of a Mumbai college. The decision comes after nine Muslim students filed a petition arguing that the hijab ban violated their fundamental rights.
The students had argued that the college’s imposition lacked legal basis and was arbitrary. They contended that wearing hijab is an essential aspect of their religious belief and their right to privacy and personal choice.
Police open fire at alleged “cattle smuggler,” victim sustains bullet wound
In Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur, police fired gunshots at an alleged “cattle smuggler,” who sustained a bullet injury in his leg.
The incident is the latest in an ongoing trend of violent attacks against predominantly Muslim cattle traders by law enforcement. Multiple such injuries have occurred on a near-weekly basis due to police firings.
Antony Blinken raises “concerning increase” in hate speech, demolition, anti-conversion laws in India
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged backsliding religious freedoms in India while releasing the State Department’s 2023 International Religious Freedom Report.
“In India, we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities,” Blinken said in his statement.
The report covers a swath of issues faced by religious minorities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule, including anti-Muslim and anti-Christian violence, hate speech and disinformation targeting Muslims, cow vigilantism, punitive home and mosque demolitions, discriminatory policies and laws such as the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and anti-conversion laws, mob violence during Hindu festivals, and attacks on minority homes, shops, and places of worship.
