Hindu mob threatens mosque demolition in India

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — In Arunachal Pradesh, India, a far-right vigilante group threatened to demolish a mosque and tried to force a Muslim cleric to chant a Hindu nationalist slogan.

The incident has sparked nationwide concern over rising Islamophobic intimidation in a region traditionally seen as peaceful and religiously diverse.

The incident, recorded at a mosque site in the Itanagar Capital Region, shows leaders of the Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO) aggressively questioning a maulana, accusing the structure of being “unauthorized,” and issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to shut it down. 

According to Clarion India, APIYO President Taro Sonam Liyak repeated  Islamophobic trope — asking why “every terrorist is a Muslim” — before demanding that the cleric chant “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”

“Bharat Mata ki Jai,” meaning “Victory to Mother India,” is a slogan historically associated with Hindu nationalist politics. In recent years, it has increasingly been used by far-right groups as a forced loyalty oath, compelling Indian Muslims to publicly prove patriotism. 

Many Muslims object to chanting it for theological reasons, saying their faith prohibits glorifying any entity other than God. When the cleric calmly declined, explaining this doctrinal position, APIYO leaders responded with threats: “There’s no place for you here.”

APIYO leaders linked their actions to fears of “infiltrators” and alleged without evidence that the mosque was connected to migrants from Bangladesh.

Analysts note that this rhetoric mirrors political narratives shaped in neighboring Assam, where Muslims of Bengali origin have been repeatedly targeted under labels such as “illegal immigrants” and “Miya Muslims.”

The incident is part of a broader month-long intimidation campaign targeting Muslim religious sites. APIYO and allied groups — including the Indigenous Youth Force of Arunachal Pradesh and the Arunachali Indigenous Youth Forum — have carried out raids, demanded identity documents such as Inner Line Permits, and called for demolition of mosques and bans on Muslim-run markets. 

Muslims make up less than 2 percent of the state population, and community representatives say every mosque has proper legal approvals.

“This rhetoric is baseless and incites fear,” said Gayah Limpiya Sultan, PRO of the Capital Jamia Masjid, warning that threats against places of worship undermine decades of peaceful coexistence. 

Human-rights advocates say such intimidation violates constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and equality, and warn that silence from authorities risks normalizing mob power.

The growing use of coercive nationalism as a tool against Muslims has been documented in several Indian states where mobs forced Muslims to chant nationalist slogans under threat of violence. 

Analysts say the spread of such tactics into the Northeast reflects an expanding national strategy of reshaping identity politics through fear and forced conformity.

Despite widespread outrage across social media, no arrests or legal action have been taken, and Chief Minister Pema Khandu has not issued an official response, raising concerns that political silence may embolden extremist groups.

Rights groups warn that the coming days will test whether authorities protect constitutional order or allow vigilante groups to dictate religious and civic rights. Observers say the stakes are high, especially with national attention on Arunachal Pradesh during the ongoing National Games.