Reports of attacks, harassment and public humiliation of Muslims are appearing with disturbing regularity across different parts of India. What were once described as isolated incidents are now beginning to look like a pattern one that should deeply worry every citizen who believes in Justice, Equality and the rule of law.
From assaults during prayer to mob violence fueled by rumours and prejudice, the message being sent to ordinary Muslims is chilling: that their safety depends not on law, but on the mood of the crowd. This is not merely a failure of society, it is a failure of governance when perpetrators feel emboldened and victims are left pleading for protection.
Violence does not erupt in a vacuum. It is fed by silence, by hate filled rhetoric and by selective enforcement of law. When abusive language is normalized and offenders walk free, brutality becomes easier and bolder. The daily labourer, the street vendor and the worshipper become easy targets not because they are criminals, but because they are vulnerable.
The Constitution promises every citizen equal protection and freedom of faith. Yet for many Muslims today, those promises feel increasingly hollow. Fear is creeping into daily life fear of being in public spaces, fear of practicing religion, fear of being misunderstood or falsely accused. No democracy can call itself healthy when one community lives under constant anxiety.
Law and order is not about choosing sides; it is about choosing justice. Police cannot afford to be spectators. Governments cannot hide behind excuses. Each act of violence that goes unpunished becomes an invitation for the next one. Neutrality in the face of injustice is not neutrality it is complicity.
India’s identity was built on diversity, coexistence, and mutual respect. If that foundation is allowed to crack, the damage will not be limited to one community. It will poison society as a whole. Hatred, once unleashed, does not remain confined; it spreads.
The question before the nation is simple: Will it protect its citizens equally, or allow mobs and prejudice to decide who deserves safety? History will judge not the victims, but the response of those in power and of those who chose to look away.
