A CENTURY AND A HALF OF COMMUNAL RIOTS IN INDIA : A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

A CENTURY AND A HALF OF COMMUNAL RIOTS IN INDIA : A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Over the past 150 years, India has witnessed a recurring pattern of communal riots mainly between Hindus and Muslims that have inflicted immense human and material loss. These episodes have resulted in thousands of deaths, mass displacement and destruction of property. Statistically an estimated 80-85% of those killed in these riots have been Muslims and approx similar percentage of arrests have also been from the Muslim community. The following is the an illustrative list riots showing, place and number of people killed :

Here is a table summarizing the data you provided, listing the year, place, and casualties:

YearPlaceCasualties
1857Bharuch2
1893Mumbai100
1920Malabar12000+
1924Kohat (now in Pakistan)155
1925Calcutta, other cities44
1926Delhi, many other cities28
1927Nagpur22
1927Lahore103
1928Bombay204
1929Nagpur35
1931Cawnpore400
1939Benaras, many other cities151
1946Calcutta, Bengal4000
1946Noakhali5000
1957Ramnad T.N38
1961Jabalpur55
1961Aligarh UP14
1961Meerut UP13
1964Calcutta, Bihar, Orissa134
1966Delhi14
1967Ranchi-Hatia184
1968Karimganj Assam82
1969Ahmedabad600
1970Bhiwandi164
1974Mumbai1
1974Delhi11
1977Varanasi10
1978Sambhal UP25
1978Hyderabad15
1978Aligarh UP15
1979Jamshedpur Bihar108
1980Godhra Gujarat10
1980Moradabad400
1981Biharsharif Bihar52
1981Hyderabad40
1982Meerut UP42
1982Baroda Gujarat12
1983Hyderabad45
1983Nellie Assam1400
1984Hyderabad20
1984Bhiwandi Bombay500
1984Delhi & other cities2733
1985Ahmedabad260
1987Delhi8
1987Meerut346
1988Aurangabad26
1988Muzaffarnagar UP37
1989Jammu15
1989Bombay11
1989Kota Rajasthan26
1989Bidar Karnataka14
1989Badaun UP24
1989Indore MP23
1989Bhagalpur1000
1990Gujarat12
1990Karnataka (many cities)46
1990Udaipur, Jaipur50
1990Ayodhya firing incident60
1990Aligarh11
1990Kanpur20
1990Agra22
1990Khurja UP96
1990Colonelganj UP100
1990Hyderabad200
1991Bhadrak Orissa33
1991Saharanpur UP40
1991Kanpur20
1991Meerut UP30
1991Varanasi20
1991Karnataka16
1992Sitamarhi Bihar65
1992Bangalore30
1992Assam90
1992Rajasthan60
1992Calcutta35
1992Delhi53
1992Bombay1700
1992Surat Gujarat200
1992Kanpur254
1992Bhopal175
1992Bombay (1992-93)900
1994Hubli Karnataka6
1994Bangalore25
1997Coimbatore T.N60
2002Gujarat2000+
2003Kozhikode Kerala9
2005Mau UP14
2005Lucknow4
2006Vadodara Gujarat8
2007Kandhamal Odisha3
2008Kandhamal39
2008Indore MP8
2012Assam77+
2013Muzaffarnagar UP62
2013Canning W.B200
2014Saharanpur UP3
2015Nadia W.B4
2017Baduria W.B23
2017Haryana & other states41
2020Delhi53
2020Bangalore5
2021Darrang Assam2

In 2002 Gujarat witnessed horrific anti Muslim violence that left over 1000 dead majority of them Muslims. The role of then CM remains controversial with allegations of state complicity.

The violence was triggered on Feb 27, 2002 when the train carrying Hindu kar sevaks returning from Ayodhya, caught fire near Godhra station, killing 59 passengers on board. The cause of fire remains disputed. A Gujarat government appointed commission blamed local Muslims, a separate inquiry by Indian Railways called it accidental.

Following the incident, Hindu extremist groups incited widespread violence, claiming retaliation against “Muslim terrorism.” Police were accused of standing by or actively enabling the mobs. In Meghani Nagar, a police inspector reportedly gave rioters hours to carry out attacks. Secretly recorded conversations implicating officials were ignored by the Supreme Court appointed SIT.

Mobs targeted Muslims using voter rolls and business directories. Outlook magazine reported that preparations to locate Muslim establishments began months in advance. Local politicians were allegedly seen guiding mobs, managing police and coordinating weapon distribution.

Washington Post Sept 26, 2023 reported; “India, a country with a population that is 80 percent Hindu and 14 percent Muslim, has long wrestled with religious strife. But in the past decade, the Hindu nationalist BJP has been accused of abetting violence and fanning incendiary speech against Muslims to enhance it’s Hindu base. Religious tensions have existed in India since independence in 1947 and the right wing followers and beyond turned to inflammatory rhetoric and violence against Muslims to secure support from Hindus. Government censorship of critical views has been on the rise.”

Since Independence, the country has failed to curb the menace of communalism. Hindus feel besieged Muslims threatened and have felt increasingly vulnerable. Government commissioned inquiry reports consistently cite a range of riot triggers: religious processions with provocative slogans, hate speeches, interfaith tensions, cow slaughter, and economic rivalry, among others. Often, the role of law enforcement has been complicit or ineffective.

CONCLUSION

A sincere non partisan approach focused on national interest not political gain is needed to eliminate this chronic malaise. Despite recurring violence most recommendations of a number of commissions of inquiry reports have not been implemented. The persistence of communal riots points to a deeper societal malaise one that demands not just political will but a sincere commitment to justice and national unity. Without such commitment, the cycle of violence is likely to continue. 

Najmuddin A Farooqi

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