Assaulting Muslim women, calling for boycott of Muslims: Hindutva hate continues

Despite several warnings from the Supreme Court and its directions to file suo motu cases to curb the increasing hate against Muslims, the recent incidents across the country show that neither the police nor the authorities have much regard for the Court, as right-wing Hindutva groups continue to intimidate, boycott, and assault Muslims even in public.

In a series of alarming incidents pointing to escalating intolerance, a Bhopal police officer ordered a gym to exclude Muslims, Hindutva groups led a boycott call against Muslim businesses in Uttar Pradesh, and a Muslim family was assaulted and abused with religious slurs in Delhi.

The three events, unfolding within days of each other, reflect a growing pattern of intimidation, discrimination and violence targeting Muslims across the country, often driven by right-wing groups operating with increasing boldness.

In Madhya Pradesh, a sub-inspector posted at Ayodhya Nagar police station in Bhopal was removed from field duty after a video emerged showing him telling a gym owner to bar Muslims from entering or working in the facility. The statement came after members of the Bajrang Dal arrived at the gym, objecting to the presence of Muslim trainers. The police officer's communal instructions were caught on video, leading to his attachment to police lines and the initiation of an internal inquiry.

Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal members held an anti-terrorism march in Ghatampur, near Kanpur, during which they called for a boycott of Muslim-run businesses such as barber shops and vehicle repair centres.

Armed with wooden sticks and shouting slogans, participants in the march also engaged in provocative speeches aimed at Muslims. The mobilisation involved attendees from Hindutva arms training camps, where weapons like trishools and air guns are used, with the organisers claiming legal compliance despite growing criticism over the events’ communal undertones.

In Delhi’s New Friends Colony, a Muslim family, including two women, was physically attacked by a group of men who shouted religious insults and assaulted their brother. The women, in a video now circulating online, recounted how the men initiated a seemingly casual interaction before turning violent, grabbing their brother and striking him, while making derogatory remarks about their religion.

The attackers were detained by Delhi Police, but the family reported facing a second attack even after lodging a formal complaint.

These incidents—spanning public spaces, law enforcement, and private enterprises—point to a coordinated environment of exclusion and hostility where Muslims are being targeted not only through physical violence but also through institutional and social pressure.