Muslims in India Continue to Face Harassment and Displacement

According to a series of articles from Clarion India, Muslim communities in various parts of India are facing multiple challenges, including harassment, displacement, and the demolition of their properties and religious sites.

The reports detail several incidents across the country. In Ajmer, Rajasthan, a Muslim egg seller named Arif Mohammad claims he is being unfairly targeted by a local political figure who ordered him to remove his cart while other vendors in the same area were ignored. The harassment has prompted a local political leader to file a formal complaint, citing biased treatment.

In Assam, indigenous Muslim families are facing displacement as the state government carries out demolitions. Despite the chief minister’s public assurances that indigenous Muslims would be protected, several families in districts like Guwahati, Golaghat, and Lakhimpur have received demolition notices. Community leaders view these actions as a targeted attack on indigenous Muslims, as Hindu families in the same areas have not been served similar notices. The Assam Goria Parishad has protested the demolitions, calling on the government to cancel the notices and arrange for the resettlement of the affected families.

The articles also report on “bulldozer action” against Muslim vendors in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, near the Mahakaleshwar Temple. Municipal authorities, backed by a large police presence, demolished non-vegetarian restaurants and shops run by young Muslim vendors. The vendors claim the action was a result of pressure from Hindu nationalist groups and that it disproportionately affected them, despite their businesses being a source of livelihood for their families for several years. The demolitions occurred after a high court-ordered stay was lifted, with authorities stating the businesses were illegal constructions or in violation of zoning regulations.

Finally, the reports highlight the ongoing demolition of what the Uttarakhand government calls “illegal” Muslim mazars (mausoleums). The state’s Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, has stated the drive is part of a broader effort to remove illegal constructions from government land. Officials claim that 547 mazars have been demolished, reclaiming nearly 9,000 acres of land. However, local Muslims are distressed by the drive, arguing that some of the demolished sites have existed for decades and that the actions are selectively targeting their community’s religious structures.