‘Hindus have changed’: A sleepy Indian state becomes anti-Muslim tinderbox

The northeastern state of Tripura does not have a history of inter-religious clashes. That’s changing under Modi’s BJP.

Kadamtala (Tripura), India – The last thing that Shahin Ahmed, 38, remembers of his brother, Alfeshani Ahmed, was a frantic call with him amid gunshots and screams.

At about 9pm on October 6, Alfeshani, a 36-year-old owner of a smartphone and electronic accessories shop, had just hastily shut his shop in the Kadamtala market to rush back home to Jher Jheri, a Muslim-majority village over three kilometres (about 2 miles) away in North Tripura, a district in northeast India.

A mob was running riot in the market, and Ahmed knew his shop wouldn’t be spared. “So, he left the shop, taking only the account ledger of his shop containing all his financial transactions and records,” Ahmed said.

Tension had previously flared in the early hours of the day between the local Hindus and Muslims in the area after a Muslim driver of a car refused to pay a subscription to a local Hindu club for Durga Puja, a major Hindu festival. The driver and a passenger, both Muslims, were also allegedly assaulted by the members of the club.

The Kadamtala subdivision, which includes the market as well, has a mixed population of Hindus and Muslims, with Hindus forming more than 64 percent of the population and Muslims accounting for nearly 35 perent. Muslims, the state’s largest minority group, also make up about 9 percent of Tripura’s population of 3.6 million.