Hindu extremists vandalize Muslim shrines in Rishikesh, India

Published August 31st, 2023 - 05:26 GMT
Hindu communal violence
Indian Hindu devotees light earthen lamps celebrating the Indian Supreme court's verdict on the disputed religious site awarded to Hindus. AFP
Highlights
Muslim communities have become prime targets for extremist Hindu groups, often linked to the ruling BJP party led by Narendra Modi.

ALBAWABA- In a distressing incident highlighting growing communal tensions, Hindu extremists targeted multiple Muslim shrines in the northern city of Rishikesh, within the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand state in India. 

The perpetrators, part of a mob, vandalized the religious sites and chanted Hindu nationalist slogans like 'Jai Sri Ram!' or 'Praise Lord Ram,' a slogan often associated with Islamophobic violence. 

This unsettling surge in violence by Hindu supremacists against minority communities, particularly Muslims, has been observed in several Indian states over recent months, posing a significant threat to India's communal harmony. 

Muslim communities have become prime targets for extremist Hindu groups, often linked to the ruling BJP party led by Narendra Modi. The unsettling incidents raise serious concerns about the future of India, a populous and diverse secular nation.

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