Over 300 Indian Muslim Homes, Shops Have Destroyed
- Al Jazeera
Haryana's authorities deny any link between the clashes and the demolition campaign, claiming that they raze homes and shops to stop “illegal encroachments” on public lands. But several rights groups have denounced the authorities for the demolitions.
In the wake of the cashes, more than 150 Muslims were arrested for alleged violence, local police said on Monday.
"There may be one or two people from the ‘other side’ but almost all of those arrested from Nuh are Muslim," said Tahir Husain, a lawyer defending most of the arrested, calling the arrests "unlawful and reckless."
The government's crackdown has forced hundreds of people from homes in fear, "The streets have been abandoned and the atmosphere is worse than the COVID-19 lockdown. At least there was no terror in the hearts of people at that time,"
The latest incidents follow increasing violence targeting India’s Muslim minority carried out by Hindu nationalists who have been emboldened by Modi’s silence on such attacks since he came to power.