Hindu-Muslim violence flaring in Gujarat state and other areas is a reminder of how quickly simmering religious tensions can erupt in India. The current strife, which began with Muslim’s attacking a trainload of Hindus in Godhra, Gujarat after allegedly being harassed by them, has spawned reprisals of mob violence. The original incident was caused by Hindu activists pushing to build a Hindu temple on the site of a former mosque in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Some of these zealots were aboard the train that was attacked. The same issue in 1992 sparked the worst communal violence since independence, when the mosque at Ayodhya was destroyed to make way for the Hindu temple. Activists have vowed to start construction on March 15 despite government proscriptions. Travel to Ayodhya and nearby areas should be avoided.
