India's Minorities Under Pressure: Mosques Demolished as Hate Speech Surges, Says USCIRF

NEW DELHI - In a continuing pattern that has drawn sharp international criticism, the Indian government has been accused of systematically erasing Muslim heritage and enabling communal violence. Reports of mosque demolitions and calls for genocide have surged, leading to warnings from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that religious freedom in the country is on a "downward trajectory" .

Demolition of Mosques Sparks Outrage

Recent actions in Uttar Pradesh have intensified scrutiny of the government's policy toward minority religious sites. Authorities have demolished several mosques, including the historic Ganj-e-Shahidan Mosque in Varanasi, which local reports indicate is over a thousand years old . This structure became the latest target of what observers describe as an anti-Muslim campaign.

In Sambhal district, the demolition of the Mustafa Qadri Mosque, which community members claimed was a 150-year-old registered Waqf property, led to police filing charges against eight individuals . Police justified the demolition by stating the mosque was built on land designated as a graveyard. A local MP questioned the legal basis for the charges, asking how displaying posters reading "I Love Muhammad" could be considered a crime .

The demolition of over twenty-three mosques, religious seminaries, Eidgahs, and shrines has been reported within a span of just forty-five days . These actions have been condemned as part of a systematic effort to erase minority heritage.

"Eight Stage of Genocide": International Alarm

The severity of the situation has prompted direct intervention and statements from international figures. At a recent event organized by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar stated that according to the reports emerging from India, the country is in the "eighth stage of genocide" .

"Omar said, 'According to the reports coming from India, it is in the eighth stage of genocide. It is extremely important for us to keep issuing warnings, because we know that it is not just the Modi administration that is creating havoc in India, but it is becoming a systematic and social problem,'" the report quoted her as saying .

The Westminster Genocide Declaration

This follows a significant development in May 2026, when a historic declaration was passed in the UK Parliament, formally recognizing atrocities against minorities in India and Pakistan as acts of genocide. The resolution was tabled by Conservative MP Paul Bristow and received cross-party support, with speakers specifically referencing the systematic demolition of mosques, the looting of Muslim properties, and the targeting of Christians and Sikhs.

The UK Parliament's declaration has added significant diplomatic weight to the allegations, which have also been supported by NGOs and independent watchdogs. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held a hearing on May 7, 2026, documenting the "deteriorating religious freedom conditions in India" .

Government's Defense

Amid these international condemnations, the Indian government has maintained that it remains "one of the safest and most inclusive homes for minorities" . Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, addressing a conference of State Minorities Commissions, said that "when we look at neighboring countries in the Indian subcontinent, we often see minority communities facing existential challenges and seeking refuge in India" .

The government contends that actions against religious structures are based on land disputes, public safety, and legal orders, not religious bias . Officials have presented the demolition in Sambhal as a legal action against an unauthorized structure built on cemetery land , and the Varanasi actions as part of railway expansion projects .

A Pattern of Hate Speech

Beyond the demolition of physical structures, there is growing alarm over the rhetoric being employed. In a video that went viral, a woman speaker at a Hindu gathering in Haridwar called for the mass killing of Muslims, stating: "Even if just a hundred of us become soldiers and kill two million of them, we will be victorious... If you stand with this attitude only then will you able to protect sanatana dharma" . The police have launched an investigation into the event, which also featured calls for a "cleansing" and praise for Mahatma Gandhi's assassin .

This has reignited concerns about the increasing normalization of hate speech, which critics argue is creating a climate of fear and legitimizing violence against minority communities.