Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across India Amidst State-Sanctioned Demolitions
India witnessed a significant escalation of hate crimes against Muslims in June 2025, continuing a concerning trend since the BJP-led government came to power in 2014, Muslim Mirror reported. Approximately 85% of these incidents reportedly involve individuals connected to the BJP or affiliated Hindu organizations, with documented cases spanning at least 15 states. These incidents highlight widespread communal violence, discrimination, and state actions that disproportionately target Muslim communities.
One of the most extensive actions occurred in Assam’s Dhubri district on Tuesday, July 8. The Assam government initiated one of its largest eviction drives in recent memory, displacing nearly 1,400 Bengali-origin Muslim families from over 3,500 bighas (more than 450 hectares) of land. This land is being cleared for a proposed 3,200 MW thermal power plant. The eviction began across three revenue villages—Charuabakhra, Santoshpur, and Chirakuta Pt. 1—affecting an estimated 10,000 people, many of whom are erosion-hit victims who had settled in these areas over decades.
These developments come amid a striking international silence, despite repeated accusations against the Indian government of discriminatory policies against Muslims. These policies include forced evictions, denial of legal documentation, and marginalization from national development projects.
Human rights activists warn that the events in Assam represent a new chapter in the systematic persecution of Muslims in India. They are calling on the international community to act urgently to hold those responsible accountable and to guarantee the rights of indigenous populations to housing and safety.
Beyond Assam, significant demolitions have been reported elsewhere. In Jamnagar, Gujarat, over 300 Muslim-owned houses and religious sites, including mosques and dargahs, covering approximately 800,000 sq ft and valued at ₹150-200 crore, were demolished. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have also seen multiple bulldozer actions targeting mosques, madrasas, cemeteries, and Muslim-owned houses, often under the pretext of illegal encroachments or cow slaughter. Notably, in Kushinagar district, Uttar Pradesh, Muslims in Chintamani Gadhiya village self-demolished a mosque and an adjoining Idgah after receiving an eviction notice and facing pressure from Hindu groups, a move widely seen as an act of maturity to prevent conflict but also a reflection of shrinking space for minorities.
Mob violence by Hindutva groups continues across various states, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana, Karnataka, and West Bengal. Incidents range from lynchings and assaults, often involving forced chanting of “Jai Shri Ram” and arson attacks on vehicles suspected of carrying cow meat, to the death of two Muslim men after an assault by cow vigilantes in Madhya Pradesh. Police response in many of these cases has drawn criticism for perceived indifference or mishandling. In a recent incident, a 17-year-old Muslim teenager, Shahrukh, was beaten to death by a mob in Churu, Rajasthan, shortly after a Muharram procession, sparking widespread tension and calls for justice. Another alarming event in Bhiwani District, Haryana, saw two houses belonging to a Muslim family set ablaze by masked individuals after a Muslim youth allegedly eloped with a Hindu girl.
These events collectively reflect deepening communal polarization, raising urgent concerns about minority rights violations, law enforcement bias, and the erosion of social harmony across India.
