Hindutva’s Temple March: BJP’s Systematic Erosion of Muslim Sacred Sites for Electoral Gains

The Madhya Pradesh High Court’s recent verdict declaring the Kamal Maula mosque in Dhar’s Bhojshala complex as a Hindu temple is not an isolated judicial decision. It represents the latest chapter in the BJP-led Hindutva project that systematically targets Muslim religious sites to consolidate Hindu majoritarian support.

This pattern began prominently with the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya by Hindu nationalist mobs, an event that triggered widespread riots killing thousands, mostly Muslims. The 2019 Supreme Court verdict allowing a Ram Temple on the site, followed by its grand inauguration by Modi in 2024, opened the floodgates. Similar disputes now rage over the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Eidgah in Mathura. In each case, claims of temples beneath mosques backed by selective ASI surveys, have favored Hindu petitioners while sidelining the Places of Worship Act 1991, which aimed to freeze the religious character of sites as they existed in 1947.

The BJP frequently amplifies communal narratives before polls. High-profile terror incidents such as the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing blamed on Pakistan-backed groups and more recent attacks like the one in Phalgam have often coincided with election cycles. These events are swiftly leveraged to stoke anti-Pakistan and anti-Muslim sentiment, painting the community as disloyal and justifying a hardline Hindutva stance. Such polarization has repeatedly translated into electoral dividends for the BJP by rallying Hindu voters under the banner of nationalism and cultural reclamation.

While Hindu groups celebrate the “restoration” of a supposed Saraswati temple, local Muslims like the long-serving muezzin see it as erasure of their lived heritage and generational worship. The court’s reliance on ASI findings and dismissal of British-era records as insufficient has raised questions about institutional neutrality. Historians and opposition voices, including Asaduddin Owaisi, warn of a domino effect that could endanger countless other Muslim shrines, including extreme claims on icons like the Taj Mahal.

This instrumentalization of history and security threats fosters deep Islamophobia. Muslims face not only physical and legal marginalization but also a shrinking public space for their faith and identity.  As appeals head to higher courts, India must confront whether it wishes to be defined by inclusive pluralism or divisive Hindutva majoritarianism.

SAT Commentary

SAT Commentaries, a collection of insightful social media threads on current events and social issues, featuring diverse perspectives from various authors.