44. India is struggling with mob lynching

Source: India Today

Mob lynching refers to a group of violent people attacking a person or a group of people as a reaction to religious intolerance, caste-based discrimination, against a minority or a particular community. Mob lynching in India has resulted in increased hate crimes, particularly against the minorities of India. Horrific cases of mob lynching continue to rock the country.

Here, I would like to point out that mob lynching has continued in India for a very long time. It is because of digital media that more and more of such incidents are coming into light every other day. The rise in the number of social media accounts in India has resulted in the circulation of these graphic videos like never before. There is a new clip, practically every week. Most often, mob lynching is organized and planned on social media, especially WhatsApp. People send messages to each other, mobilizing the crowd to join them in their cause.

The reasons for mob lynching are many: from allegations of beef consumption, cow slaughter to child lifting. Mob lynching has become a national phenomenon, with more than a dozen people killed in this year alone. The Human Rights Watch reported that at least 44 murders occurred between May 2015 and December 2018. A majority of the victims belong to the largest religious minority in the country: the Muslims. Other victims were lower caste Hindus.

For me, Mob lynching comes from the idea of ‘instant’ justice. The society feels that it is their duty to intervene in matters, sometimes without even understanding the situation completely. In such a situation, the police fail to prevent mishap. There is a common notion among the masses, that culprits often go unpunished, and the failure of the judiciary is related to it. But it is high time that people realize that the idea of ‘instant’ justice is in itself a heinous crime. Crime cannot be countered by another crime!

The Supreme Court of India directed the Parliament to make a special law on mob lynching, but the parliament is yet to act on it. While State governments have enacted laws to counter mob lynching, we still have a long way to go. In some ways, mob lynching is threatening the rule of law in the country. But why does mob lynching continue despite the existing legislation? It is time the Indian Government takes concrete steps to prevent this kind of violence. Slowly and steadily, these incidents have become a symbol of the inability of the current government to prevent and control hate crimes. Mob lynching in India has continued unabated.