Communal Tensions and Solidarity in India: Hate Speech, Flood Relief, and Displacement
A series of incidents in September 2025 highlight both rising communal tensions and substantial acts of inter-community support in India.
BJP MLC C. T. Ravi was booked by Maddur police under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Section 196(1)) for allegedly making provocative and communal remarks against Muslims during a Ganesha idol immersion event in Maddur town. According to police, statements such as threatening “beheading” and referring to Muslims as “outsiders” were made amid tensions following stone pelting during the procession. The FIR states these remarks risk communal disharmony. Ravi has defended his words as reactionary, the Times of India reported.
Recently, heavy monsoon rains, dam releases, and river swelling caused catastrophic flooding across Punjab, India. Over 1,400 villages in more than 23 districts were inundated and 40 lives were lost. In response, Muslim communities stepped up: mosques opened shelters housing approximately 300,000 displaced persons, and local organizations, notably in Mewat, collected food kits, clothing, medicines, and cash. Some prominent public figures including artists and actors contributed to relief efforts. The Muslim community of Harda, Madhya Pradesh, raised ₹7.27 lakh in two days for Punjab’s relief efforts, transferring funds directly to official accounts. They mobilized support by reaching out to every household and business, emphasizing that helping those in need is a shared duty beyond religion.
According to Clarion India, hundreds of homes in Assam belonging to Bengali-speaking Muslim families have been demolished despite the families having valid documents, prompting condemnation from the Socialist Party India (SPI). SPI chairman Syed Tahseen Ahmed called the demolitions “illegal and inhumane”, questioning the justification of destroying villages with just two days’ notice. An SPI delegation’s visit revealed severe displacement: 667 families in Hasila Bhal, around 300 in Karbala, 161 in Jannatpur, and nearly 2,000 in Balsipara are now homeless, many living under makeshift shelters.
The delegation urged the Assam government to stop further demolitions and provide immediate relief and rehabilitation. Social media and activists condemned the actions as violations of fundamental rights and systemic discrimination. Ahmed called for international attention to prevent further injustice and highlighted the urgent need for accountability and humanitarian aid for the displaced families.
