As the 2024 election is nearing, communal frenzy is rising in the country. The religious clashes along with targetting of people based on their religious beliefs are keeping the country on tenterhooks. In a deeply disturbing incident, a Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawan, identified as one Chetan Singh, killed his senior and shot dead three more passengers on the Jaipur-Mumbai central superfast express on Monday. He went from one compartment to another, selecting passengers who were Muslims. Even though the government claims that the incident had no religious angle, selective targeting of Muslims definitely shows that he targetted only one particular community.
Just as the nation is grappling with the Manipur violence and the Jaipur-Mumbai train horror, communal violence hit Haryana’s Nuh on Tuesday evening. Violence broke out during a religious procession yesterday in Nuh – just 50 km from Delhi – following what many say is an objectionable video that went viral. The violence claimed five lives and left at least 70 people injured. The entire Haryana is tense and reports of violence have been reported from other parts of state too. It looks like there is an organised attempt to polarise the nation just ahead of the 2024 election. This is definitely being done with the intention to favour a certain political party. It is unfortunate that, despite the targetting of Muslims on the Jaipur-Mumbai Central superfast express and communal tension arising in Haryana, the top leadership of the country, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, is maintaining silence. Their time appealing for peace can calm down the situation.