With the 2024 general election just months away, suddenly communal tension is rising in many parts of the country. Be it Uttarakhand, Manipur, or Maharashtra, communal tension targetting the minorities is rising. The situation is alarming in particular in the abovementioned three states. Uttarakhand burns with rising violence against Muslim residents as allegations of ‘love jihad’ against the community are being made by the majority Hindu. Posters were put up in front of Muslim shop owners’ doors in parts of Uttarakhand, warning them to leave their establishments by 15 June, ahead of a scheduled Mahapanchyat called by Hindu organisations. There is growing fear among the Muslims.
In Maharashtra too communal tension is flaring up. At the heart of it are various social media posts related to Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan, which sparked communal tension. Following the communal tension, Section 144 has been imposed in the city of Kolhapur, which is the worst affected. In Manipur, it is alleged that the Hindu majority Meitei community has inflicted major violence against the minority Kuki tribe, who are predominantly Christians. This rising communal tension ahead of the general election signals that the situation will get worse as the election nears. There are some political parties who only know how to win elections by polarising the voters, which is really unfortunate. They are hurting the interests of the nation for their political benefits.