3. Anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat (2002)

In months of February and March 2002, Gujarat witnessed one of the ugliest communal riots in its history. The spark of the riots happened at Godhra Station, where a bogey of train that was returning from Ayodhya with Karsevaks was set on fire. Suspecting it to be Muslims conspiracy, large scale violence against Muslims began in many parts of Gujarat. The National Human Right Commission Criticized the Gujarat Govt's role in failing to control violence, in providing relief to the victims and prosecute the perpetrators of this violence. Gujarat riots show that the governmental machinery also becomes susceptible to sectarian passions.