A public hearing held in New Delhi on Tuesday raised concerns over what participants described as a growing number of attacks, acts of vandalism, hate speech and legal action targeting places of worship belonging to religious minority communities across India.
The hearing, organised at the Constitution Club of India by Indian Muslims for Civil Rights (IMCR) in collaboration with the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), brought together former judges, members of parliament, senior lawyers, journalists, religious leaders and civil rights activists.
Participants shared accounts of alleged damage to mosques, churches, gurdwaras and other religious sites, threats to caretakers, and disruptions of religious practices. Organisers said the hearing aimed to document grievances and draw attention to what they described as a pattern of targeting minority places of worship.
Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh alleged that attacks on religious sites were part of a wider climate of intimidation. “We must fight injustice together,” Singh said, adding that those spreading hatred did not represent the country. Referring to recent communal incidents, he questioned why religious slogans were raised outside mosques instead of within temples.
Singh also said that multiple police cases had been filed against him for speaking out and alleged that legal provisions were being misused against individuals, including elderly citizens.
Several speakers called for stricter enforcement of existing laws and greater institutional accountability. MPs from different regions alleged that institutions such as the police and judiciary had failed to act as safeguards in protecting constitutional rights.
Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, the Lok Sabha member from Srinagar, said minority communities were facing sustained pressure on their religious and cultural rights. “The question is what is the remedy and the path forward,” he said, urging people to assert their rights through lawful means.
Christian activist Minakshi Singh alleged that attacks on Christians had gone unpunished in several cases, citing incidents in Odisha where she claimed people were harassed and humiliated. She said an FIR filed by her against a member of a right-wing group had not led to an arrest.
Lakshadweep MP Muhammed Hamdulla Sayeed criticised what he described as interference by Union government appointees in the administration of the Muslim-majority islands. He alleged that several official notifications had undermined local governance structures, adding that some measures were challenged in the Kerala High Court.
Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rahman Barq referred to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which mandates the status quo of religious sites as of August 15, 1947. He warned that repeated violations of the law could have long-term consequences. “Repeated attacks on dargahs, madrasas and graveyards cannot be seen as coincidence,” he said.
Senior advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi said disputes in places such as Sambhal, Mathura and Gyanvapi reflected a broader pattern. Former Uttarakhand minister ML Zahid Raza Rizvi alleged that numerous hate speeches by political leaders had gone unchecked, while minority places of worship faced repeated scrutiny.
IMCR chairman Mohammad Adeeb criticised both the government and the opposition, alleging silence on minority issues for political reasons. “This is no longer a country of pride; it is a country of shame,” he said.
Journalist Bhasha Singh said communal narratives promoted in political discourse affected not only minorities but also women, warning that religious majoritarian rhetoric reduced women to demographic tools. She also criticised sections of the media, alleging that irresponsible reporting had normalised hostility towards minorities.
Former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung said administrative institutions had failed to act impartially, suggesting that greater public engagement with madrasas and mosques could counter what he described as false narratives.
Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde cautioned against relying solely on courts and institutions, calling it a “false hope” without broader social unity. Quoting U.S. judge Learned Hand, he said democratic values depended on public conscience as much as legal frameworks.
Former Patna High Court Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari said the greatest threat to the Constitution came from within society itself. “We are protecting the Constitution from our own people who are attacking it,” he said, stressing the need for moral courage among citizens and institutions.
Organisers said testimonies from the hearing would be compiled and submitted to relevant authorities. They also alleged that the event was disrupted by certain individuals using misinformation and intimidation, calling it part of a pattern of pressure against civil rights initiatives.
APCR said attempts to disrupt such programmes reflected a shrinking space for civil society engagement but maintained that its work would continue within constitutional and democratic frameworks.