Hindu mob lynchings stoke fear and anger among India's Muslims

Brutal killings come days after Modi's nationalist BJP clinches third term

India's cow vigilantes set up roadblocks to catch Muslims and others transporting cattle. Cows are sacred in Hinduism and beef is banned or restricted in many states. © Reuters

QURATULAIN REHBAR, Contributing writer

June 26, 2024 10:59 JST

NEW DELHI -- A string of lynchings in India has stoked fear and anger among minority Muslims, just weeks after an election that saw the ruling Hindu nationalist party accused of spouting hate-filled rhetoric.

Longstanding religious tensions have soared as critics blame Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for ignoring a jump in violence and hate directed at Muslims, who make up about 14% of India's Hindu-majority 1.4 billion population.