On February 23, 2020, the Delhi riots erupted, claiming over 50 lives, predominantly Muslims, in a wave of communal violence. Sparked amid protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the clashes unfolded in Muslim-majority neighborhoods like Northeast Delhi. Mobs, fueled by Hindu nationalist fervor, torched homes, looted shops, and attacked residents, leaving a trail of devastation. Many attribute the unrest to underlying resentment over Muslims' overwhelming rejection of the ruling political party at the centre in the recent Delhi assembly elections, compounded by anti-CAA demonstrations that inflamed tensions.

In 2025, a riot broke out in Malda district of West Bengal, where Muslim men thrashed and killed a Hindu father and his son. Houses were ransacked and looted, and in retaliation, the Muslim neighbourhood was torched and looted; a boy had a bullet injury.

This tragedy traces its roots to the British colonial strategy of "divide and rule," which sowed seeds of Hindu-Muslim animosity to maintain control. It culminated in India's 1947 Partition, dividing the subcontinent along religious lines and displacing millions. While some Indians blamed Muslims for the split - despite many choosing secular India over the new Muslim-majority Pakistan - communal riots have haunted the nation since independence.