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The End of Islam in India
The Perils of Weaponizing History
In recent years, India has witnessed a surge of legal disputes aimed at reclaiming historical Hindu religious sites allegedly buried beneath centuries-old mosques. These lawsuits, often spearheaded by Hindu nationalist groups, represent not just a quest for historical justice but also a broader movement to reshape India’s religious and national identity. In his article Islam on Trial in India, Shashi Tharoor warns that these efforts risk reigniting communal violence, undermining India’s pluralistic democracy, and pushing its Muslim population further to the margins.
The controversy centers around the claim that some mosques in India were built on Hindu temples destroyed during Islamic rule, which spanned roughly from the 11th to the 18th century. In a significant recent development, India’s Supreme Court consolidated 15 lawsuits filed by Hindu activists seeking to investigate whether the Shahi Eidgah mosque in Mathura — a site traditionally associated with Lord Krishna — sits atop the ruins of a Hindu temple. The Court argued that consolidation was necessary to avoid conflicting judgments and to stabilize an increasingly volatile situation.
While the move was procedural, the implications run far deeper. These lawsuits are part of a broader trend targeting prominent mosques like the Gyanvapi…
