Hindus in Ratlam put up ‘on sale’ signs outside their houses fearing persecution from Muslims
Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, India 
18 January, 2022
Case Summary
In Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district, Hindu villagers from Surana threatened to leave their homes due to persecution by the Muslim community and inaction from authorities. The village, with a population of around 2,200, is predominantly Muslim. Hindus, making up 40%, stated they had lived peacefully with Muslims for decades, but recently, tensions escalated. They reported the Muslim community of attacks, abuse, and filing fake FIRs against them. Fearing further violence, the Hindus submitted a memorandum to the district collector, warning they would leave the village within three days if their concerns were not addressed. Some villagers even placed "on-sale" signs outside their homes, preferring to abandon their possessions rather than endure the situation. Despite a then-recent police-organized meeting between the two communities, tensions remained high. Hindus reported Muslim residents of illegal activities and criticized the police for filing false cases against them. A complaint by a local named Mukesh, who was reportedly assaulted, highlighted the growing unrest. State home minister Narottam Mishra acknowledged the situation and requested a report from district officials, promising action against those spreading terror in the village.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been placed in the hate tracker under the prime category- Attack not resulting in death. Further, according to details, the sub-category chosen here is- Attacked to induce migration from non-Hindu dominated area. There have been cases where the Hindus living in an area, often with a majority dwelling belonging to non-Hindus or those harbouring animosity towards the Hindu faith, the Hindu residents experience threats and violence. The violence is employed with the aim of making the Hindus leave the area and relocate, so the area could be turned into an exclusive ghetto for adherents of the non-Hindu faith or those who harbor animosity towards the Hindu faith. In several cases, the aim of exodus is explicit. However, in several cases, the demand for exodus of Hindu residents is not explicit, however, violence by non-Hindu residents leaves the Hindu residents no option but to leave the area, thereby, turning the area into an exclusive ghetto of non-Hindu residents. In such cases, there are instances of violence against the Hindu residents explicitly. For example, in the Hauz Qazi case of 2019, the Muslim residents claimed that mob violence against the Hindu residents had been triggered by a parking dispute. However, the violence did turn religious with a temple being desecrated and was directed specifically against the Hindu residents. The Hindu residents of the area were clear that the violence was religiously motivated and one of the motives was to affect an exodus of the Hindu residents. In such cases, even though the perpetrators have not explicitly expressed the aim of affecting the exodus, the given circumstances and violence and precedent point to the intention of exodus and therefore would be categorized under this sub-category. Such crimes are religiously motivated and therefore are hate crimes. In this case, Hindus accused the Muslim community of harassment, abuse, and filing false FIRs. The situation became so dire that Hindus submitted a formal memorandum to the district collector, warning that they would leave the village within three days if the authorities did not take action. Some even put up "on-sale" signs, expressing their willingness to leave behind their homes and belongings. This exemplifies a case of religious hate aimed at driving Hindus out of the village. The systematic targeting of the Hindu minority, through both physical attacks and legal manipulation, created an environment of fear and insecurity. The deliberate nature of these actions points to a larger strategy of religious persecution, where the Hindu residents, feeling vulnerable and unsupported by authorities, considered mass migration as their only option for safety. This case underscores how religiously motivated harassment can be used as a tool to alter the demographic composition of a region. Additionally, the complaint lodged by a Hindu resident named Mukesh, who was also assaulted, underscores the increasing hostility and violence faced by Hindus, further fueling their fears of persecution. Mukesh's case is emblematic of the broader pattern of intimidation that Hindus in the village faced. It also suggests that these are not isolated incidents but part of a sustained campaign to marginalize and harass the Hindus living there. Since this case represents a form of religiously motivated hate, where the Hindu minority feels targeted and pressured to migrate from an area dominated by Muslims, this case has been added to the Hinduphobia tracker.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
