Lucknow: A judicial panel has submitted a 450-page report on the November 2024 violence in Sambhal, but early leaks and political reactions suggest it frames the incident largely through a lens of demographic anxiety and alleged plots against Hindus. The report, submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has been described as “confidential” by its members, yet ruling party figures have already claimed it highlights a decline in the Hindu population and a conspiracy by “radical groups.”
From the outset, this framing raises serious concerns for Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. The violence occurred during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, which Hindu petitioners claim stands on a demolished temple. The second survey on November 24 led to clashes that killed four people and injured nearly 30 policemen. Police subsequently filed cases against Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq, mosque officials, and thousands of unnamed individuals.
Reports from government-linked sources suggest the panel emphasizes demographic shifts, accusing Muslims of “systematic targeting” of Hindus since 1947, and credits police for preventing a “massacre.” This narrative aligns with long-standing political attempts to portray Muslim-majority towns as security risks.
Community observers point out that the repeated focus on population figures and alleged outside involvement overshadows key issues. These include the circumstances of the mosque survey, accountability for the use of force, and the danger of criminalizing entire communities based on contested historical claims.
For Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, the concern is that such reports deepen stigmatization, normalize suspicion, and shift attention from justice for victims to demographic fear-mongering.
