Mob Violence in India: Causes, Consequences & Solutions

Q: Mob violence is emerging as a serious law and order problem in India. By giving suitable examples, analyze the causes and consequences of such violence. 
 

Answer: Law and order is a State Subject in the Indian Constitutional scheme. But, recent incidences of mob violence are not the case of simple law and order problem. It has become a complex issue with involvement of emotive public sentiment, ICT-based social media, religion and many other issues. Taking note of various example will help to analyse cause and consequence of such violence. 
 

Various example of mob violence 
 

• Jat quota agitation in February 2016
• Cauvery agitation in Bengaluru in September 2016
• Dimapur mob lynching of 2015 after breaking into prison
• 2015 Dadri mob violence case
• Various unreported cases of vigilante mob justice after petty crime or theft 
• Recent case of Panchkula violence in August 2017
• DSP lynching case of Srinagar in 2017

There are many other examples also. These examples clearly indicate that in every part of India such mob violence is going on. It is not related with just 1-2 state’s law & order problem. There are many underlying trigger points, ranging from religion to political motivation. But these visible causes are not real. Real cause lies elsewhere.
 

Causes of Mob Violence 
 

All the above-mentioned incidents and causes were the mere trigger points. The real cause lies in the criminal justice system, rule of law and public perception of it –

1. Delay in criminal justice creates a public perception that justice is denied to them. So, when they catch thief or petty criminal they try to deliver instant justice. It becomes such as emotive charge that 7000-8000 people rallied to break state prison in Dimapur (Assam) and dragged the rape suspect out and lynched to death. There was certainly as sense of delivering immediate justice due to long delays in justice system. 

2. The delay in justice delivery plays another role. Criminals and anti-social elements get emboldened because of it as they know nothing will happen to them immediately and they can afford to destroy property and indulge in violence. This was visible in Bengaluru (Cauvery agitation) and Jat quota agitation. 

3. Many a times some people and organizations purposefully instigate mob violence. As it is alleged that Panchkula violence was instigated and planned by men of one godman to show their strength and influence.

4. Communal hatred and communal politics are another big cause of mob violence. The cow vigilante groups, Dadri lynching and communal riots happen due to spread of religious hatred by vested interest group.

5. Wide connection and fake news, rumours on social media has become another cause. Where instigative information, false or true, is spread to large masses and mob violence occur.
 

Consequences of mob violence 
 

There are many legal consequences but economy and society is also affected badly.
 

[A] Legal & administrative consequences 

• Decline of faith in police and administration 
• Rule of law is compromised
• Law and order further deteriorates
• Criminalisation of common man occurs
• Criminals get emboldened 
   

[B] Economic consequences

• Direct loss of property in the violence.
• Violence and weak law & order hinders economic progress for long time.
• National and international image of the region is affected which becomes an obstacle for stable investment. Like the Cauvery agitation in Bengaluru maligned its image of IT – hub and Silicon Valley of India. This has a very long-term impact.
• Individual and private property is lost in such violence.
   

Social consequence

• Direct loss of many life in such violence.
• Social fragmentation occurs between different communities.
• Communalization of society occurs. 
• Society stands sharply divided and harmony is lost.