Fascism Enables De-Humanization of a Segment of Society

Rape, Lynchings, and Persecution as Tools of Hate and Control

Overview

History shows that fascism thrives by dehumanizing sections of society, portraying them as threats, and justifying unspeakable violence in the name of purity, nationalism, or religion. Whether in Bosnia, Palestine, or India, this pattern repeats itself — where sexual violence, mob lynchings, and persecution become tools to terrorize and erase minorities.

In India, such acts have increasingly targeted Muslim, Dalit, and Adivasi communities, weaponizing gendered and communal violence under the veneer of nationalism. From the rape of an eight-year-old in Kathua to the lynching of workers and cattle herders, these crimes reveal the ideological corrosion that occurs when fascist rhetoric normalizes hate.

Rape as a Weapon of Fascism

Rape has long been used by extremist and fascist forces as an instrument of power — to humiliate, displace, and destroy communities.

Kathua Case (2018) — Rape as Ethnic Cleansing

In Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, an eight-year-old Muslim girl from the Bakarwal shepherd community was abducted, raped repeatedly in a temple, and murdered. Investigators concluded the crime was intended to drive her community out of the village.
Even more alarming was the public defense of the accused by ruling-party politicians, who marched under the banner of “justice for the accused.” The normalization of such horror mirrored fascist patterns elsewhere — such as groups rallying behind soldiers accused of war crimes.

Bilkis Bano Case (2002 Gujarat Riots)

During the Gujarat pogrom, Bilkis Bano, five months pregnant, fled her village seeking safety. She was gang-raped by eleven men; seven members of her family, including her child, were murdered.
Her long battle for justice — marked by witness intimidation and delayed prosecutions — became emblematic of state complicity and systemic impunity during communal violence.
Her case underscores how sexual violence in times of hate becomes a political message, meant to instill terror among minorities.

Lynchings as a Tool of Fear

Fascist ideologies thrive on public displays of punishment. In recent years, mob lynchings have become a chilling spectacle of dominance, with perpetrators acting under the illusion of moral authority and state backing.

Afrazul Khan (Rajasthan, 2017)

A migrant worker from Bengal, Afrazul Khan was hacked to death by a Hindutva extremist who filmed the act and spread hate videos urging “Jihadists to leave India.”
His killer’s radicalization was fueled by online propaganda and extremist networks that glorify violence in the name of “cow protection” and nationalism.

Mohammad Akhlaq (Dadri, 2015)

A 52-year-old Muslim man, Akhlaq, was dragged from his home and beaten to death by a mob accusing him of eating beef.
Instead of condemnation, several BJP politicians defended the mob, and when one of the accused later died, he was honoured with India’s national flag — transforming a murderer into a martyr.

Mazlum Ansari and Imteyaz Khan (Jharkhand, 2016)

Two Muslim cattle traders — Mazlum Ansari (35) and Imteyaz Khan (12) — were lynched and hung from a tree by members of a “cow protection” vigilante group. Their deaths, like dozens of others, were framed as religious enforcement, exposing how fascist narratives turn ordinary prejudice into public execution.

The Ideological Climate

Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014, hate rhetoric around “cow protection,” “love jihad,” and “national purity” has emboldened vigilante groups across India.
These acts, often defended or ignored by authorities, mark a deep moral collapse — where mob justice replaces law, and hate replaces humanity.

Victims are overwhelmingly Muslim, Dalit, or Adivasi — communities historically marginalized and now re-targeted under the guise of cultural nationalism.
States such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Haryana, and Karnataka have become epicenters of this violence, where impunity shields perpetrators and terrorizes the vulnerable.

Conclusion

Fascism begins by denying human dignity — and ends by normalizing cruelty.
When rape becomes a political message and lynching becomes public ritual, a society must confront not just its crimes, but its conscience.

The Canadian Council of Indian Muslims (CCIM) stands against all forms of fascism, hate, and dehumanization.
Justice, empathy, and equal protection under law must prevail over fear, violence, and division.

“When the state stays silent as mobs speak, democracy itself begins to die.”