Civil rights group warns of anti-Muslim violence risk in India

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A civil rights organization has warned authorities in India’s capital that inflammatory speeches and threats circulating in parts of the city could trigger violence against Muslim residents ahead of the upcoming Eid holiday.

The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) said it submitted a formal representation to the Delhi police commissioner urging immediate intervention in Uttam Nagar, a densely populated area in western Delhi, where it says hate speech and provocative messaging have created an atmosphere of fear among Muslim residents.

In the letter submitted on March 15, the organization warned that speeches circulating on social media and delivered at local gatherings contain threats that Muslims would be prevented from celebrating Eid, one of the most important festivals in the Islamic calendar. This year, Eid al-Fitr is expected to fall around March 20 or 21, marking the end of Ramadan.

According to APCR, some statements have called for Holi — the Hindu spring festival celebrated with colored powder — to be forcibly played with Muslim residents on the day of Eid, while other messages allegedly encourage violence before Eid prayers can take place.

The group said tensions escalated following an incident on March 4 in a settlement known locally as JJ Colony, where a 26-year-old man named Tarun Kumar was killed during a dispute between two families belonging to different religious communities during Holi celebrations.

Police have arrested several individuals in connection with that incident. However, APCR said what initially appeared to be a personal altercation is now being deliberately framed in communal terms by certain groups, raising concerns that the dispute could be used to mobilize hostility against Muslim residents in the neighborhood.

The organization also warned about posters circulating in the area announcing plans to celebrate Holi on March 20 — a date that coincides with Eid this year — which it said could increase tensions.

A large open prayer ground used annually for Eid prayers in the neighborhood draws thousands of worshippers from surrounding areas. APCR said many residents are now anxious about whether they will be able to gather safely for prayers this year.

The group has asked Delhi police to identify those responsible for hate speech and incitement and to take legal action where appropriate. It also called for increased police patrols, public warnings against attempts to disturb communal peace, and security arrangements around mosques and the local Eid prayer ground.

In addition, APCR said it has filed a complaint with the police cybercrime unit regarding the spread of inflammatory content on social media platforms.

Civil rights advocates have repeatedly warned that hate speech and communal mobilization targeting Muslims have increased in parts of India in recent years, raising concerns about the potential for localized disputes to escalate into wider religious tensions.