Rise in communal violence under NDA rule, 111 people killed in 822 incidents in 2017

The communal harmony in India was on the brink under the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government as 111 people were killed in 822 incidents of communal violence in the country in 2017.

Union Minister Hansraj Gangaram Ahir on Wednesday told the Rajya Sabha that the incidents of communal violence increased from 751 in 2015 and 703 in 2016 to 822 in 2017.

“As many as 111 people were killed in 822 incidents of communal violence in the country in 2017. 86 people were killed in 703 incidents of communal violence in 2016 and 97 people lost their lives in 751 such incidents in 2015,” Ahir told Parliament.

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While holding the states responsible for maintaining the peace and communal harmony, the minister said that the role of Centre was only to assist the respective governments in the state and union territories.

“The responsibility of maintaining law and order, peace and communal harmony, and actions against culprits rest primarily with the state governments and Union Territories,” the minister of state for home said in his written reply.

In order to maintain communal harmony in the country, the Centre assists state governments in a variety of ways like sharing of intelligence, sending alert messages and advisories from time to time on important developments, he added.

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(With inputs from agencies)