Muslim workers are being boycotted, shops vandalised, and students threatened nationwide, exposing a chilling wave of communal hatred and helplessness
NEW DELHI — A violent backlash against Muslims has erupted across India following the Pahalgam terror attack. In the days following the tragedy, Muslim workers have been forcibly removed from jobs, their shops vandalised, and innocent Kashmiri students have faced brutal attacks and threats, pushing many into fear and despair.
The country’s fragile social fabric seems to have torn further as some extremist Hindu groups and organisations seized the moment to spread hatred and communal discord. Videos circulating widely on social media reveal harrowing scenes of Muslim labourers being chased away from work sites, shops being destroyed, and students being physically assaulted — all acts that paint a deeply disturbing picture of intolerance and injustice.
हाथरस में नाम पूछकर मंदिर में वेल्डिंग का काम करने वाले मुस्लिम मज़दूरों को काम से हटा दिया गया है, इसका कारण पहलगाम हमलें को रखा है!
— Zakir Ali Tyagi (@ZakirAliTyagi) April 25, 2025
हाथरस में श्री बलकेश्वर महादेव मंदिर पर कुछ हिंदूवादी संगठनों के सदस्यों ने वहां काम कर रहे मुस्लिम कर्मचारियों को काम करने से रोक दिया, प्रवीण… pic.twitter.com/L2PQHoIfuP
In the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh, the construction work at Shri Balkeshwar Mahadev temple came to a sudden halt after a group of Hindu extremists intervened to stop Muslim labourers from continuing their work. The labourers, who were engaged in routine tasks, were confronted and told that Muslims were responsible for the killing of Hindu tourists in Pahalgam.
Among those present were Hindu leaders Praveen Varshney, Praveen Khandelwal, Gopal Krishna Sharma, and Devendra Verma, who openly declared: “We boycott you people. After the Pahalgam incident, the entire Hindu society is angry, and we will not let Muslims work in our temples and houses anymore.” The heart-wrenching scene of skilled workers being chased away for no fault of their own has left many in shock.
Ghaziabad, Siroli Village.
— هارون خان (@iamharunkhan) April 25, 2025
Muslims were barred from entering the village,Poor laborers, vegetable vendors, and hawkers were asked their names and forced to leave.@Uppolice must take strict action lawlessness and hate cannot be allowed to rule. pic.twitter.com/t02Sg2ZDLE
In Haryana, the backlash has taken an even darker turn. Videos show mobs attacking unarmed Muslim individuals in public, including a particularly distressing clip of a man with a beard being beaten by a crowd. Another video shows the violent vandalism of a Muslim businessman’s shop, where not only was property destroyed, but the shopkeeper was severely beaten, and food supplies were looted.
The growing wave of hatred has plunged many Muslim families into a state of fear and helplessness. “We are terrified,” said one shopkeeper, requesting anonymity. “We cannot understand why we are being punished for something we had no part in. We just want to live in peace.”
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the backlash is the targeting of Kashmiri Muslim students studying in various Indian cities. Reports from Chandigarh, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh reveal that Kashmiri students are being harassed, physically attacked, and forcibly evicted from their rented homes and university hostels.
वीडियो ग़ाज़ियाबाद के बादशाहपुर गांव के है जहां मुस्लिम फल व सब्जी विक्रेताओं को नाम पूछ पूछकर धमकाया जा रहा है और उन्हें गांव से निकाला जा रहा है, दोबारा गांव में ना घुसने का भी आदेश दिया जा रहा है, पहले इन गुंडों ने वीडियो बनाकर मुस्लिमों को गांव में ना घुसने देने की बात की,… pic.twitter.com/lymoZPFNFl
— Zakir Ali Tyagi (@ZakirAliTyagi) April 25, 2025
One Kashmiri student in Chandigarh described a terrifying attack: “At 3 am, Hindu students broke into our flat and beat us badly. We had no way to defend ourselves.” In Dehradun, home to a large Kashmiri student population, many are fleeing in fear after the Hindu extremist group Hindu Raksha Dal issued public threats stating they would leave no Kashmiri alive if they did not vacate the city.
Nasir Khoihami, convener of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, condemned the campaign of hatred, saying, “This is not a mere security issue. It is a deliberate and targeted campaign to defame and terrorise Kashmiri students simply because of their identity.”
The violence and discrimination against Muslims in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack highlight a grave failure of the state machinery to protect all its citizens, irrespective of religion or region. Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and other leaders have appealed to the central government to intervene urgently to safeguard Kashmiri students and Muslim communities across India.
Many students are now desperately trying to leave their places of study and return home to safety, fearing for their lives in what should be peaceful learning environments. “We feel abandoned,” said one student in Uttarakhand. “The country we live in has turned against us.”
This heartbreaking situation calls for urgent national reflection and action. The innocent Muslims, caught in the crossfire of communal politics and hatred, are bearing the brunt of collective punishment. They are losing livelihoods, safety, and dignity. Their voices are drowned by the noise of hate speech and the complicity of silence.
As one grieving mother in Haryana said, “My son has been beaten just for being a Muslim. How can this be justice? Where is the humanity?”
India’s strength lies in its diversity, tolerance, and commitment to secular values. The recent violence is a tragic reminder of how fragile these ideals are when hatred is allowed to flourish unchecked.
Authorities must take swift and stern action against perpetrators, ensure the protection of all communities, and foster peace and harmony, especially at this vulnerable time. The nation must stand united against all forms of hatred, protecting the helpless and vulnerable from unjust victimisation.
