The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India has sparked fear and prompted migration among the local Muslim community in New Delhi after threatening to kill 200,000 Muslims within 48 hours.
The threat was issued by BJP leader Karnail Singh in the Kalkaji area following the discovery of a dead calf. Singh, associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP, made the threatening remarks in a viral video on social media. He was seen confronting a police officer in Sangam Vihar, saying, “You have 48 hours to take action against them (Muslims). Otherwise, whether there are 150,000 or 200,000 Muslims here, we will kill them all.”
Local Muslim leaders have filed a complaint against Singh, demanding his immediate arrest and urging the invocation of the National Security Act (NSA) against him. However, no action has been taken against him so far.
The incident has caused panic among the Muslim community, with reports indicating that several Muslim families have already left the area. Allegedly, supporters of Hindutva ideology have been seen in the vicinity, chanting derogatory slogans against Muslims such as “Send them to Pakistan,” “Katwe” (a derogatory term), and labeling them as “terrorists.”
This alarming incident comes amid ongoing tensions and incidents of violence against Muslims across India, particularly during religious festivals like Eid al-Adha. In Uttar Pradesh, restrictions on animal sacrifice have further exacerbated the situation for Muslims celebrating the festival.
BJP and Hindu nationalist groups have actively campaigned against cow slaughter and beef consumption, issues that have occasionally led to violence targeting Muslims in the country.
