Manufacturing Discord: How CSSS Report Betrays Truth To Peddle False Narrative On Communal Riots

A recent report published by the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS) has sparked heated debate by claiming that India witnessed a 84% rise in communal riots in 2024, laying the blame squarely on BJP-ruled state Governments. The report, in the usual fashion, goes on to villainise Hindus for intentionally provoking riots by celebrating festivals in Muslim neighborhoods. 

However, a closer look reveals that this report is less about uncovering the truth and more about advancing an agenda. As economist Ronald H. Coase once said, “If you torture the data long enough, it will confess to anything.” This quote perfectly captures how think tanks like CSSS twist facts to propagate specific narratives.

CSSS’ Report on Communal Riots

On 22 January, the CSSS published a report “Hegemony and Demolitions: The Tale of Communal Riots in India in 2024”.^[1]

Painting a bleak picture, it claims a sharp 84% rise in communal riots—from 32 in 2023 to 59 in 2024. According to the report, most of these riots occurred in BJP-ruled states like Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.

The report puts the blame on BJP for taking “little action to deter communal violence and religious polarization” as a result of which 49 out of 59 communal riots took place in states either ruled by the party directly, or with allies. The BJP-run state governments are also blamed for using demolition as a tool to punish Muslims.

In other cases, the report alleges, Hindus instigated communal riots by deliberately carrying out religious processions in Muslim neighbourhoods. Other major triggers of communal riots alleged include contesting places of worship of Muslims, desecration of places of worship, love jihad, etc.

Interestingly, the report absolves the Muslim community of any involvement in these incidents, portraying them solely as victims. By focusing exclusively on a one-sided narrative, the CSSS paints a grim picture of communal harmony while pushing the idea that BJP-run states and Hindus are complicit in creating a hostile environment for Muslims. 

Skewed Methodology and

The report’s alarming claims fall apart under slightest scrutiny. 

Firstly, the findings are based on news reports from just the Mumbai editions of only five newspapers – The Hindu, The Times of India, The Indian Express, Shahafat and The Inquilab while excluding communal riots that either went unreported or were covered in other editions of these publications. Media reports alone cannot provide a complete picture, especially when official records like police reports or National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data are entirely excluded.

Secondly, the report also fails to provide any justification for selecting these specific news publications. Why were these five publications selected, and why only their Mumbai editions? The inclusion of two Urdu newspapers (Sahafat and Inquilab) further raises questions about potential editorial biases. By limiting its data to Mumbai editions and arbitrarily including two Urdu newspapers, the study creates a skewed and non-representative sample which disproportionately highlights incidents in Maharashtra and selectively focuses on cases where Muslims are portrayed as victims.

And thirdly, the report selectively uses data from only two years—2023 and 2024—to claim an 84% increase in communal riots. Without examining trends over a longer period, it is impossible to determine whether the reported increase is part of a broader pattern or an anomaly. 

By cherry-picking data and ignoring larger historical trends, the report seems designed to score political points rather than present an honest analysis.

The Truth about Communal Riots in India

Contrary to the narrative pushed by the flawed report, communal riots in India have seen a consistent decline under the BJP Government. 

According to NCRB data, India recorded 1,227 incidents of communal riots in 2014, affecting 2,001 victims. Over the years, these numbers have steadily decreased, with a notable exception in 2020 due to nationwide protests and the Delhi riots. By 2021, communal riot incidents had dropped to 378, with 530 victims—the lowest since 2014.^[2]

Furthermore, between 2014 and 2021, India witnessed a 12% decline in communal killings compared to the preceding eight years under the UPA regime (2006-2013). During this period, there were 190 murders with a communal motive, down from 216 in the earlier timeframe.^[3] These figures debunk the narrative pushed by the CSSS report and underscore its misleading nature.

Not an Isolated Instance

The CSSS report is a textbook example of how ideologically biased organisations manipulate data to push anti-government narratives. 

However, this is not an isolated case but part of a larger trend of attacks, both nationally and internationally, where reports with skewed methodologies and one-sided narratives are used to manufacture crises. 

Many such reports in recent years—whether from biased think tanks or international organisations—have cherry-picked data, ignored official records, and amplified selective narratives to undermine the Government of India.