Irfan Engineer, Neha Dabhade, Mithila Raut
26-04-2025
Introduction:
In 2024, as in previous years, communal violence has persisted in the form of structural violence, embedded within the legal and institutional framework of the state. Structural violence, as conceptualized by Johan Galtung, refers to systematic inequalities and injustices that are institutionalized within legal, political, and social structures, thereby disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. In this context, discriminatory legislation, selective implementation of existing laws, and state directives have played a crucial role in perpetuating structural violence.
The following analysis highlights two prevalent forms of structural violence: state-led demolitions of properties predominantly owned by Muslims, which serve as a mechanism of “collective punishment,” and the appropriation of religious sites, particularly mosques and dargahs, under the guise of “reclaiming” these spaces. It is noteworthy that similar incidents have occurred in 2023, suggesting a continued pattern of marginalization of the Muslim community into 2024.
