Muslims in India, accounting for nearly 14.2% of the population according to the 2011 Census, form one of the world’s largest Muslim populations, totaling approximately 200 million people. Despite their significant demographic presence, Muslims face increasing marginalization and socio-economic deprivation, especially in the context of the rising Hindutva ideology and the Indian state’s majoritarian policies.
Historical Context and Demographic Realities
Muslims have played a significant role in India’s history, but the 1947 partition led to deep communal divisions. Despite being a significant portion of the population in states like Uttar Pradesh (38.2 million), West Bengal (31.4 million), Bihar (14.2 million), and Assam (11.5 million), Muslims are underrepresented in politics and economics.
Cultural and Social Marginalization
Culturally, Muslims have been increasingly marginalized in recent years. Bollywood, once a symbol of India’s secular and inclusive ethos, has gradually shifted towards a more Hindu-centric narrative, often depicting Muslims in stereotypical and negative roles. This cultural shift aligns with the broader rise of Hindutva, an ideology advocating Hindu supremacy, which has gained significant traction under the current political regime.
This cultural marginalization is mirrored in social statistics. According to the Sachar Committee Report (2006), which remains one of the most comprehensive studies on the socio-economic conditions of Muslims in India, the community lags in almost all human development indicators. For instance, only 59% of Muslim children in the 6-14 age group attend school, compared to the national average of 67%. Moreover, the average monthly income of Muslims in urban areas is only $10, significantly lower than that of Hindus at $14.30.
Institutionalized Discrimination
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) of 2019 and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) are prime examples of institutionalized discrimination. The CAA, by offering a path to citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, effectively excludes Muslims and introduces religion as a criterion for citizenship for the first time in India’s history.
The NRC, implemented in Assam, had catastrophic consequences for the Muslim population there. Out of 1.9 million people excluded from the final NRC list, a significant majority were Muslims. The process has been widely criticized for its lack of transparency and the almost insurmountable burden of proof it places on the poor and uneducated, many of whom are Muslims.
These measures are part of a broader agenda of social engineering aimed at altering the demographic balance in favor of Hindus. According to a report by the Center for Research and Debates in Development Policy (CRDDP), the implementation of the NRC could lead to a further exclusion of up to 10 million Muslims nationwide, creating a severe humanitarian crisis.
The North-South Divide and Regional Disparities
The plight of Muslims in India is marked by a stark North-South divide. In northern states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where Muslims face more overt discrimination, the Human Development Index (HDI) for Muslims is alarmingly low—0.503 in Bihar compared to 0.541 for Hindus. Uttar Pradesh, with 38.2 million Muslims, has a literacy rate for Muslims of just 46%, far below the state’s overall 69.7%. In contrast, southern states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, with stronger traditions of secularism, offer better living conditions. Kerala’s Muslim literacy rate is 93%, nearly matching the state average of 96%. However, despite these better conditions in the South, economic disparities persist, with Muslims still earning less than their Hindu counterparts. This divide highlights the regional disparities in governance and the need for more inclusive policies nationwide.
World’s Largest Open Prison: Kashmir
Kashmiri Muslims, numbering around 8 million in the region of Jammu and Kashmir, face a unique and highly challenging situation, exacerbated by the Indian government’s decision to revoke Article 370 in August 2019. This constitutional provision granted Jammu and Kashmir special autonomy, including the power to make its laws. The region has seen an alarming increase in human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), over 300 civilians were killed in 2020 alone, a significant number of whom were Muslims. The lockdown and communication blackout that followed the revocation of Article 370 exacerbated the already dire socio-economic conditions in the region, with unemployment rates soaring to over 16%, significantly higher than the national average of around 7%.
Human Rights Violations and the Rise of Hindutva
The rise of Hindutva has also coincided with an increase in human rights violations against Muslims. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), incidents of communal violence have risen by 28% between 2014 and 2020. Muslims are often the primary victims of such violence, with mob lynching under the guise of “cow protection” becoming disturbingly common. A study by the IndiaSpend project revealed that 84% of those killed in cow-related violence since 2010 were Muslims.
The state’s response to these human rights violations has often been lackluster, with a tendency to downplay or outright deny the severity of the situation. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, in many cases, police and local authorities have been complicit in the violence, either by failing to act or by actively participating in the persecution of Muslims.
A Path Forward
Addressing the plight of Muslims in India requires urgent and sustained action. The state must reaffirm its commitment to secularism and take concrete steps to ensure that all citizens, regardless of religion, enjoy equal rights and opportunities. The international community also has a role to play in holding India accountable for its human rights obligations. The increasing marginalization of Muslims in India, exacerbated by the rise of Hindutva, poses a serious threat to the country’s secular fabric.
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