“Muhammad Zubair” closed his eyes, put his head on the ground and tightened his body strongly. About 30 Hindu extremist goons beat this Muslim young of Delhi with wooden sticks and metal rods; his only crime was being a Muslim. Mohammad Zubair, 37, was on his way home from a local mosque in northeast New Delhi when he came across a mob of Hindu goons on Feb. 24, 2020. He was lucky as he survived, but many others lost their lives in the riots.
Due to the secular constitution of India, despite some obstacles created by the extremists, generally the Indian Muslims have been enjoying social, political and religious freedoms. In the recent decades, mainly two major rival parties (BJP and INC) have been contesting for power in India. The Congress party is famous to have a soft corner for Muslims while the BJP has shown to be a radical rightest party creating difficulties for Muslims.
The BJP is the political wing of a paramilitary “volunteer” group (RSS). The government of this party revoked autonomy of India-administered Kashmir in August 2019; it means occupation of an area whose status should be specified with referendum.
Also, the Indian government passed and ratified the disputable act of ACC in December 2019 which gives citizenship to six minority communities of three counties, but Muslims are excluded.
As well as, the BJP-run government implemented the NRC act to identify and register Indian citizens and “illegal migrants” in the Assam state which was opposed widely as mainly Muslim citizens cannot prove their Indian citizenship.
Another issue which made Indian Muslims angry was the case of the Babri Masjid. After years of legal fight, the Indian high court made a decision in favor of Hindus and against the Muslims’ well.
According to the official census, more than 200 million Muslims live in India. The “Sachar Committee Report” suggested in 2006 that Muslims constitute 14% of the entire population of India, but their share in state-run offices is 2.5%.
The government of the BJP considers India the country of Hindus. So the Muslims have no option but to resist and protest. That’s why Muslim organizations have been active and they are protesting. Some protests turned violent by the suppression of Delhi Police and with giving free hand to wayward goons. These incidents left 30 persons dead and dozens arrested. Muslim public figures and political leaders know well their due rights and they are determined to follow up the case by all legal means.