Malwa-nimar region’s fault lines

Some of the incidents of communal tension, violence include the stone-pelting on the BJYM’s procession in Ujjain district on December 25, 2020.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

BHOPAL: The recent communal violence in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone and Sendhwa towns is not the lone instance of communal flare-up in the recent years. Overall, the Malwa-Nimar region, which houses the two towns, has reported 12-15 communal incidents over the last two years.

Considered the most affluent as well as the communally most sensitive region of MP, the Malwa-Nimar region has 66 of the total 230 Assembly seats. It is a stronghold of the RSS-BJP as well as the prime base of the banned SIMI faction led by Safar Nagori, who is behind bars.

Some of the incidents of communal tension, violence include the stone-pelting on the BJYM’s procession in Ujjain district on December 25, 2020. It was triggered over the raising of provocative slogans. Four days later, communal violence happened in Chandan Khedi village of Indore district following the attack on a Ram Temple construction donation procession. Twenty-five arrests were made, mostly from the minority community. Twelve houses were also razed down. Similarly, another Ram Temple construction donation collection procession also resulted in a similar case of stone-pelting and violence.

In September 2021, there was a communal tension in Indore’s minority community dominated Bombay Bazar area over the issue of burqa-hijab. A few days later, a Muslim bangle seller from UP, was attacked for allegedly molesting a minor.

The importance of Malwa-Nimar region cannot be overlooked given that the party winning this part of MP goes on to form the government. In 2013, the BJP’s 57 out of the 165 total seats came from this region. The Congress got only 9 seats. Five years on, it made a stellar comeback winning 36 seats from this region, while BJP ended with 27 seats. Three remaining seats were won by the Congress rebels, who played a key role in formation of the Kamal Nath government in the state.

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