Society loses its moral strength when hate becomes normalised. People begin accepting cruelty as something normal. They ignore injustice that keeps surrounding them. This gradual erosion of one’s conscience leads to a collective collapse of the moral compass of society. The spread of Islamophobia in India is a textbook case of the above process. The continuous rise in hate crimes, boycott and discrimination has failed to create the outrage it deserved. Faith-based hate crimes have moved from being isolated incidents and perpetuated by fringe elements to becoming mainstream and a full-time profession and activity by a large section of society.These hate crimes have started influencing worldviews, key judicial decisions, politics, business policy, media-content and acceptable social norms.
It is now the defining feature for those trying desperately to redefine the “idea of India” that matches “Großdeutsches Reich” i.e. the Germany that was ruled by the Nazis. Each new hate crime invites less outrage and breeds greater apathy and normalisation. People have stopped reacting to injustice as if it no longer matters to them. From the courts, to classrooms, to hospitals and housing societies; discrimination against Muslims has become too blatant. It now threatens the very foundations of our constitutional democracy and basic civil liberties.
Symptoms of the Malaise
Law enforcement officers are pliant to their political masters in our polity and it would be extremely idealistic to expect any officer to go against the trend of scapegoating Muslims for all the evils that overwhelm our nation. Civil society has been frightened into submission by false cases and multiple FIRs at far flung geographies and hence social and political activists are hesitant to take up cudgels on behalf of Muslims. The political opposition maintains a safe distance for fear of antagonising the majority community and losing vote-share in the next elections.
The dread of being labelled “anti-national” by the media and hunted by the IT cell prevents the most moderate voices to speak up against these Islamophobic incidents. The virtual absence of any protest and outrage at these hate crimes has made persecution of Muslims appear lawful, justified and part of the solution to the “Muslim problem” of India or as some believe the unfinished job of what should have happened to Muslims after the country was partitioned.
Long List of Some of Recent Islamophobic Incidents in India
The 400-year-old Mancha Masjid in Ahmedabad was demolished despite public appeals and court petitions citing heritage concerns. In Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, dozens of Muslims were detained under the National Security Act after clashes allegedly begun by mobs; arrests targeted only Muslims. In Jaunpur, a pregnant Muslim woman was denied treatment at a government hospital after revealing her faith, but no criminal case followed. In Uttarakhand, Hindutva groups urged boycotts of Muslim barbers through posters and threats, forcing closures while local leaders backed the move. In Kerala, students performing a pro-Palestine mime were stopped, locked in a room, and removed by police, showing punishment of Muslim-linked expression even in liberal spaces. Across Indian cities, Muslims face housing bias as landlords, dealers, and banks refuse service, pushing many into ghettos.
During Bihar elections, a party sought verification of burqa-clad voters, linking attire with suspicion; the Election Commission rejected but did not censure the demand. In Bijnor, a 16-year-old Muslim boy lost vision in one eye due to custodial torture; no senior officer was punished, and the case soon disappeared. In Sambhal, 80 Muslim families received demolition notices despite valid ownership records, spreading fear. In Bhopal, right-wing groups accused Muslim trainers of “Gym Jihad,” stoking communal tensions without official rebuke. In Hyderabad, BJP MLA T. Raja Singh’s insults toward Prophet Muhammad ﷺled to protests and FIRs, but he faced no lasting action.
Zee News and Times Now Navbharataired false “Mehendi Jihad” stories, portraying Muslim men as deceptive; complaints failed to curb such coverage. In Bareilly, homes of Muslims linked to a Maulana were demolished after unrest, and a councillor’s showroom was sealed without reason. In Surat, three Muslim drummers were removed from a Navratri event after protests, with police calling it a “peaceful settlement.” In Bastar, a Muslim youth was forced to perform Hindu rituals on stage, filmed and circulated online, while authorities stayed silent.
Criminalising Religious Affinity
The harshest instance was the crackdown on the “I Love Muhammad ﷺ”campaign, a peaceful show of devotion through posters and social media. Police filed 21 FIRs nationwide, implicating 1,324 Muslims, including minors, mainly for “unlawful assembly” and “disturbing peace.” According to a study by the Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) and the Quill Foundation, from 2024 to 2025, India recorded 947 hate incidents. Most of these incidents were Islamophobic. Out of 602 hate crimes, 25 resulted in death, all of them Muslims. Uttar Pradesh led the list with 217 cases.
BJP-governed states topped every category of violence. Hate speech spiked during religious festivals and elections. Each month saw an average of 80 hate events. All these incidents across India reveal a pattern of disregard and the impunity enjoyed by the perpetuators. In fact, it is incredulous but true that in almost all cases the victim of Islamophobia is made out to be guilty of the crime and deserving of the punishment meted out to him/her.
Those carrying out these crimes are lauded as heroes in the WhatsApp messaging eco-system of the right-wing forces in India. The police hesitate in arresting these criminals and even if they do, they are set free immediately. This naturally emboldens the masterminds and foot-soldiers of these hate crimes and the graph of Islamophobia continues its vertical climb faster than ever.
According to Dr. Rania Awaad, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, where she directs the Stanford Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab – “Discrimination due to Muslim identity is associated with a greater number of depressive symptoms, fear and anxiety, lower self-esteem, and overall psychological distress.”
This should be extremely worrying for those who work and speak exclusively for the majority community in India. One cannot aspire for global leadership by having a poor track record of treatment towards minorities and a populace that is anxious and distressed.