Rising social tensions in India!

By M.Y.Siddiqui

Social tensions in India are currently driven by a
combination of identity based conflicts, economic disparities, and
digital-age challenges. Recent reports indicate a rise in communal
tension, with some studies noting a significant increase in incidents
of communal violence, mob lynching, and hate crimes. Key drivers
include the politicization of religion, caste discrimination, and
economic anxieties. Besides, the RSS union government’s players and
movers are fueling rising social tensions through their rhetorical,
communal, religious polarizing, divisive, and discriminatory
practices.

Government policies and majoritarian ideologies are
increasingly seen as drivers of social tensions in the country,
sparking concerns over religious polarization, freedom of expression,
and marginalization of minority groups. Conversely, authorities
emphasise their focus on maintaining law and order while expanding
welfare programmes to combat economic disparities. The role of the
state, in current scenario, in shaping and managing social tensions is
a highly debated topic across the country. Drivers of social tensions
and institutional bias include religious and majoritarian politics, civil
society crackdowns and institutional imbalance. Oversight
institutions and the criminal justice system are increasingly seen to
reflect government bias, often shielding supporters while strictly
prosecuting critics.

Major drivers of social tension are communal polarization,
caste-based conflicts, economic disparity, unemployment, identity,
regionalism, and digital misinformation. Communalism is often
fueled by the exploitation of religious identity for electoral gain,
impacting social cohesion. Recent reports suggest a rise in targeted
violence against religious minorities, including Muslims and
Christians. Incidents generally stem from disputes over places of
worship and allegations of cow vigilantism. Caste discrimination
remains a persistent issue, with studies showing an increase in
crimes against Scheduled Castes (SC). These conflicts are rooted in
deep-seated social hierarchies.

Other important factors include identity and regionalism.
Tensions are arising from increased focus on ethnic and regional
identities, sometimes leading to conflict over resources and
employment, particularly in high-density areas. Digital
misinformation (social media) platforms are spreading the fake
news, hate speech, and manipulated videos, which often act as
catalysts for communal riots and violence.

Key conflict areas and themes for rising social tensions
during 2024-2026 comprise Manipur violence, regional and religious
tensions, legislative disputes, and students and youth discontent.
Continued violence in Manipur has raised concerns about the
government’s response to ethnic conflicts, with United Nations (UN)
experts noting slow and inadequate action in previous reports.
Specific incidents have included riots over contested places of
worship and mob lynching, with a high proportion of victims
belonging to minority communities. The Citizenship Amendment Act
(CAA) and related protests have highlighted divisions over
citizenship and immigration policies. While some youth back the
ruling Sangh Pariwar, many face anxieties over jobs and are
increasingly defining themselves through religious and cultural
identities.

Factors exacerbating social tensions are weak and partisan
enforcement of laws and delays in justice, increasing feeling of
impunity, worsening social frictions, political exploitation of religious
and caste divisions during elections, fostering an “us vs. them”
narrative, sensationalized news and targeted disinformation
campaigns, contributing to the rising tense atmosphere.

These pressures have led to concerns about the impact on
India’s secular (religion-neutral) fabric, prompting calls for better
policy, education, and protection of vulnerable sections of people!

Powered by Froala Editor