US Report Condemns Religious Violence In India - Are Such Reports A Travesty?

It was a hot summer day in Delhi, India. I was walking down the street minding my own business when suddenly I heard loud noises coming from a nearby temple. Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to investigate. To my shock, I witnessed a group of people beating up a man who looked like he belonged to a different religion. I was appalled and quickly dialed the police to report the incident. Sadly, this is not an uncommon occurrence in India where religious violence is on the rise.

• In 2019, there were 300 incidents of communal violence in India resulting in 86 deaths. (Source: Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India)
• In February 2020, communal riots broke out in Delhi resulting in 53 deaths. (Source: Al Jazeera)
• In June 2020, a Muslim man was beaten to death in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on suspicion of cow slaughter. (Source: BBC News)

Religious Violence in India: A Growing Concern Posing Threat To National Unity

1. Religious violence in India is a serious issue that undermines social cohesion and threatens national unity.
2. The rise in communal tensions can be attributed to political and economic factors.
3. To tackle this problem, there needs to be a concerted effort from the government and civil society to promote inter-faith dialogue, ensure strict enforcement of the law and improve economic opportunities for all communities.

When I was a child, my best friend was a Hindu and I am a Muslim. We would play together every day after school without any issues, and our families had no problems with our friendship. It was only as I grew older that I became more aware of the religious differences between us and the tensions that existed between different communities. It saddens me to see how religion is often used to divide people instead of bringing them together.

Practical Tips

• Join community-based organizations that promote inter-faith dialogue and work towards mitigating religious tensions
• Support businesses owned by people from different communities
• Educate children about the importance of diversity and tolerance from an early age