Tracking Discrimination: Understanding and locating Hate crimes in India

At present, the world all over is seeing an unprecedented rise in hate crimes. While hate crimes may seem like a law and order problem, intolerance is the by-product of the larger socio-economic and political rubric. Penal laws can punish transgression and provide deterrence to some extent, but prejudices do not exist in a vacuum; hence correcting the prevailing insular atmosphere is a necessity. The rising intolerance and disregard for the rule of law have created strains in the vibrant, pluralistic ethos of the country. The rise of right-wing politics has been accompanied by the growth of fringe groups that propagate hate and extremism. A socio-political climate taut with parochial ideas allows for normalising hate.