Indian skit mocking demolition of Muslim homes sparks outrage
Video showing bulldozer tearing down Muslim family’s house drew laughter from crowd, intensifying concerns over anti-Muslim rhetoric in Assam
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A stage performance depicting the demolition of a Muslim family’s home has sparked outrage in India’s northeastern state of Assam, after a video of the skit circulated online days following the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s sweeping election victory in the state.
The performance was staged by a local political group that had campaigned alongside the BJP during the state elections. In the video, actors wheel a cardboard bulldozer across the stage toward a makeshift structure representing a Muslim family’s home, while audience members can be heard laughing and cheering.
Actors portraying the family wore skullcaps and traditional clothing commonly associated with Muslims in the region, while women and children were also costumed to emphasize the household’s religious identity. Other performers dressed as officials overseeing an eviction operation.
In one scene, a character portraying a female police officer beats Muslim men with batons as they attempt to stop the demolition. Another scene shows officials watching as members of the family, including children, are restrained during the destruction of the home.
The crowd responded with loud laughter during several moments showing the family in distress, drawing criticism on social media and renewing concerns about the normalization of anti-Muslim imagery in political and public spaces.
The incident comes shortly after the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance secured a landslide victory in Assam, winning 102 of the state’s 126 assembly seats.
The election outcome has already triggered debate over constituency redrawing, known internationally as electoral boundary delimitation, which opposition groups and analysts say weakened Muslim political representation in several areas.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has publicly acknowledged that the BJP benefited from the redrawing of constituency boundaries. The exercise split several Muslim-majority constituencies and merged them with areas dominated by indigenous communities, reducing the electoral influence of Muslim voters in key seats.
The skit has also drawn attention because of its use of bulldozer imagery, which has become politically charged in parts of India in recent years. Rights advocates and opposition parties have repeatedly accused BJP-led administrations of disproportionately targeting Muslim homes and businesses during demolition drives carried out in the name of removing illegal structures.
Authorities have often denied allegations of religious bias, maintaining that demolition campaigns are conducted according to law.
The performance and the public reaction to it have intensified broader debates over political rhetoric, minority rights, and the portrayal of Muslims in public discourse in BJP-ruled states.
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