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Mob Lynching Meaning UPSC CSE

Mob Lynching

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Summary of Mob Lynching

Mob lynching in India has become a serious issue and causes loss of innocent lives. Mob lynching is a significant challenge and factors like cow vigilantism, caste-based discrimination, and the desire for instant justice contribute to this disturbing trend. The cause behind such incidents are political exploitation, institutional weaknesses, social issues, communal hatred, economic disputes, and misinformation through social media. Mob lynching violates human rights, challenges the state's legitimacy, disrupts society, harms the economy, and negatively impacts India's global image. Some prominent measures taken include Supreme Court guidelines, government steps, and institutional initiatives. Combating mob lynching requires understanding its severity, addressing underlying causes, and implementing comprehensive strategies. The elimination of casteism and communalism is crucial for building a better India.

Mob lynching involves collective violence where a group attacks and kills an individual or a group without a legal trial, often driven by a desire for instant justice. It is a form of collective hate crime because victims are typically targeted based on their identity, beliefs, or actions.

The Supreme Court of India issued guidelines in 2018 directing the central and state governments to take preventive, remedial, and punitive measures against mob lynching, including setting up special task forces, identifying vulnerable areas, and ensuring swift investigation and trial.

Background of Mob Lynching

The nation has experienced numerous instances of mob lynching resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives. This surge in violence has intensified in recent times, coinciding with the widespread use of social media and the dissemination of false information. Mob lynching poses a grave challenge in India and leads to the death of numerous individuals, particularly from marginalized communities. Various factors fuel this disturbing trend, including cow vigilantism, caste-based dominance, lynching based on fake news, and the desire for instant justice against alleged criminals.

Introduction of Mob Lynching

Mob lynching involves collective violence where a group attacks and kills an individual or a group without a legal trial, often driven by a desire for instant justice. It is a form of collective hate crime because victims are typically targeted based on their identity, beliefs, or actions. The Mob delivers instant justice which is based on their perception of the crime and accused. Mob lynching is the violation of Right to Life, a fundamental right under Article 21.

Causes

  • Political: The Political leaders and authorities often fail to strongly condemn lynchings, and political figures often exploit communal divisions for electoral gains.
  • Institutional Weakness: There is a lack of specific data on "lynching," which prevents effective policy formulation and previous legal provisions under IPC were unclear as it was not a separate crime. The police sometimes act in partisan manner and fail to prevent or address lynchings.
  • Social Causes: Lynchings occur when mobs perceive certain actions as a threat to their cultural identity. Injustice, inequality, or unfair treatment can also trigger mob violence. From 2010 to 2017, there were 63 incidents of violence related to cows, resulting in the deaths of 28 people.
  • Communal Hatred and Religious Intolerance: Mob lynching is often driven by communalism, fueled by rumors, fake news, or hate speech. The majority of victims, approximately 86%, belonged to the Muslim community in mob lynching incidents.
  • Economic Causes: Violent confrontations can arise from issues like land disputes, economic opportunities, and competition for resources.
  • Social Media: Platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp contribute to mob lynching by spreading misinformation, propaganda, and fake news.

Impact of Mob Lynching

  • Individual: the mob lynching violates the human rights and dignity of victims, often leaving them without justice.
  • State: Mob lynching represents a direct challenge to the state's legitimacy, undermining the rule of law and disrupting law and order. It leads to a perception of mob rule, negatively affecting India's global image.
  • Society: Mob lynching creates significant divisions in the unity and integrity of India by fueling communal hatred and violence. They instill fear and alienation within society and replace democracy with mobocracy during such incidents.
  • Economy: They directly impact foreign and domestic investment, also causing damage to public property and influencing migration patterns of people.
  • International: These incidents adversely affect the global perception of India, as noted by international bodies like the UNHRC.

Measures taken

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  • Supreme Court Guidelines:
    • SC guidelines in cases like Tehseen Poonawalla vs Union of India, 2018, emphasize strict measures to curb mob lynching.
    • State governments are mandated to appoint senior police officers in each district for prevention.
    • Every police officer is tasked with dispersing mobs as mandatory duty.
    • Provided guidelines to prevent the spread of irresponsible messages and fake news on social media.
    • State governments are required to create a uniform compensation scheme for lynching victims.
    • Designated fast-track courts for speedy trials in cases of mob lynching.
  • Government Steps
    • The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has made mob lynching punishable by life imprisonment or death.
    • Some states have passed specific laws to crackdown on mob lynching such as Manipur, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
    • Goa government offers uniform Rs 2 lakh compensation to families in case of a death due to mob violence.
    • The Centre has set up a special task force to procure intelligence reports and prevent hate crimes.
    • The centre has asked WhatsApp to find technological solutions to combat and prevent fake messages and rumours,etc
  • Institutional Steps
    • Ranchi Police conducts mass awareness drives with poster campaigns against mob lynching.
    • Aurangabad Police launches campaigns across eight districts of Marathwada to prevent mob lynching.
    • Hyderabad Police utilizes social media with hashtags like #HyderabadKillsRumors to discourage mob violence.

Conclusion for Mob Lynching

Mob lynching is a grave concern in India which results in numerous casualties and blatant human rights violations. In 2020, there were 23 reported cases of mob lynching, a significant decrease from 107 incidents in 2019. There have been various efforts taken by the government to tackle this issue as mentioned above.

To effectively combat this menace, it is crucial to comprehend its severity, pinpoint the underlying causes, and formulate a comprehensive strategy. This should include constructive initiatives such as interfaith dialogue, the implementation of robust legislation, efficient law enforcement, fostering awareness about cultural diversity, and the implementation of socio-economic programs to utilise India's bulging demographic potential. The elimination of casteism and communalism is imperative for the emergence of a "New India."

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