NEW DELHI – Tensions have escalated sharply in parts of India following the recent Pahalgam attack, with reports emerging of Hindu extremist groups issuing a two-day ultimatum demanding that Muslim shopkeepers close their businesses or face threats of violence.
According to local sources, the ultimatum was announced during a rally held under police presence, where participants reportedly chanted “Jai Shri Ram” and called for a boycott of Muslim-owned businesses. Rally speakers allegedly warned Hindu shopkeepers to terminate any Muslim employees within the same two-day timeframe, threatening “severe consequences” for those who failed to comply.
Statements made at the rally included inflammatory rhetoric such as, “No Muslim should be given a job at any shop in the future,” and calls to forcibly shut down businesses that employed Muslim staff. One speaker reportedly claimed, “If our people pick up weapons, no one will survive,” further stoking fears of potential violence.
Sources suggest that the targeting of Muslim businesses may be an attempt by extremist elements to shift attention away from the Pahalgam incident, which some critics have labeled a “false flag operation.” The threats have intensified concerns about the state of religious tolerance in the country.
Political analysts have pointed to what they describe as the increasing mainstreaming of Hindutva ideology, with accusations that such actions are being emboldened under the Modi-led BJP government. “India’s secular framework is being severely tested,” one analyst noted. “The political climate appears increasingly hostile toward the Muslim minority.”
The latest developments have prompted alarm among human rights advocates and international observers, who warn that rising communal rhetoric could further destabilize interfaith relations in India.
No official statement has yet been issued by Indian authorities regarding the rally or the threats reported.
