BJP-RSS has by and large been successful in driving large number of the Majority Hindu community into frenzy by continuous propaganda that Hindus and ‘their country’ are in danger, and the minority communities especially Muslims and Christians are real enemy within. Incidents of communal violence has been on the rise since 2014, in contrast of the claim of the BJP that no riot takes place in their rule. The political divide has been sharp and hardened under Modi rule, which violets the basic premise of democracy in which the voice of even the minority community is honoured. Will of the majority has made Narendra Modi the Prime Minister just brutely magnanimous with total loss of sense of justice towards the minority. The entire BJP-RSS clan do cry for justice for the Hindu majority, while rejoice over the tribulations faced by minorities, and if possible try to create some for them.

Majority of the victims are from the minority communities, data disclose. Logically, therefore, they are far more in danger than the majority Hindus, in contrast of the BJP-RSS propaganda that Hindus are in more danger, and the minorities, the allege, are resorting to violence and terrorism, against the Hindus and the nation. In their propaganda they even brand minorities as anti-national. One can clearly see the politics of communal violence for hardening the political divide against the spirit of democracy, that too, all for power.

Just 12 months ahead of the Lok Sabha election, in May 2023 began Manipur communal violence that is still continuing. The violence involve the majority Meitie, who are Hindus, and the tribal Kuki and Naga communities that are Christians. Other states of the North-East have also become tense. There are 25 Lok Sabha seats in the region, and the BJP and their allies hold 20 seats. NDA in the North-East is led by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is well known for his communal statements against minorities.

Outbreak of Manipur violence against Christians have been in sharp focus in recent months because the state government is also led by BJP, and the Supreme Court of India has noted the ‘complete breakdown of the law and order in the state’ while PM Modi is trying his best not to open his mouth on the issue even when the opposition has moved no-confidence motion against him in the Parliament of India. By the July end 181 people have already been killed in the Manipur violence.

The United Christian Forum had said a month ago in July that at least 400 acts of violence against Christians took place across 23 states in India since January 2023. The number of communal violence has increased and intensified in comparison to 2022 when only 274 incidents were reported. BJP ruled Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 155 incidents followed by Chhattisgarh (84), Jharkhand (35), Haryana (32), Madhya Pradesh (21), Punjab (12), Karnataka (10), Bihar (nine), Jammu and Kashmir (eight), and Gujarat (seven).

Most serious outbreak of communal violence between Hindus and Muslims occurred in Haryana which is presently tense. At least 7 people were killed and over 200 injured so far. The nearby state Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan are also put on alert, since these states have become tense. BJP is faced with political instability in all these states. The party had won all 10 seats in Haryana, 7 in Delhi, 62 in Uttar Pradesh, and 24 in Rajasthan.

There were reports of communal violence in Uttar Pradesh, and now Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been fanning the issues involving Ayodhya and Kashi. It should be recalled that after the Babri Mosque demolition, BJP-RSS clan had sloganeered – Ayodhya to jhanki hai, Mathura Kashi baki hai – Ayodhya is just example and it is yet to be done in Mathura and Kashi. Despite the 1991 law on religious worship that preserves the status quo, legal suits are allowed against its provision in Gyanvapi Mosque case in Kashi. There has also been recent effort to make Uttarakhand communally tense, where all five seats were won by the BJP.

Maharashtra has also recently witnessed communal violence especially in Akola, which has been otherwise a peaceful city. Maharashtra is ruled presently by the NDA alliance, and the BJP had won 23 Lok Sabha seats in 2019. Maharashtra is at present political instable state that has witness split in Shiv Sena and NCP. Hardening of political divide on communal lines into majority and minority is conceived more beneficial for the BJP.

The opposition ruled states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Bihar have also recently witnessed Hindu-Muslim communal clashes. BJP has planned to sharpen the political divide during the forthcoming Durga Puja festival by misusing the religiosity and emotion of majority Hindus against the political opponent TMC alleging it leader Mamata Banerjee pursuing minority appeasement. BJP had won 18 seats in West Bengal, 11 seats in Jharkhand, and 17 seats in Bihar in 2019 general election. All the seats have now become tough for BJP to retain. Communal violence can politically harden the majority into two opposite poles, of which BJP can be major beneficiary.

Gujarat remains communally tense where BJP had won all 26 Lok Sabhas seats in 2019. Karnataka, where BJP had won 25 out of 29 seats in 2019, now presents a dismal political fortune in 2024. It has always been communally tense, and fresh communal tensions are now brewing. Madhya Pradesh has also witnessed communal violence in recent months where BJP had won 28 seats in 2019, but is set to face tough political battle in 2024.

A 2022 study by Pew Research Centre says that communal violence has increased in India since BJP came to power in 2014. The study found that there were 2,900 cases of communal or religious rioting in India between 2017 and 2021, up from 2,200 cases between 2012 and 2016.

The recent spread and intensification of communal violence in the country in 2023 surpasses all past records since 2014. There seems to be correlation between the fast-changing political situation on the ground that creates a sense of ‘political instability’ among the political actors who have been increasingly indulging in fanning communal passions, and setting one religious community against the other.

The Communal violence across the states has caused widespread fear and anxiety among people of all faiths, especially when women are targeted as tool to intimidate communities to submission. Men and women must unite against such communal politics that breed hatred among religious groups making them sufferers and victims. Good Politics brings peace and development, not hatred and violence. (IPA Service)