The Land Jihad conspiracy theory claims that Muslims systematically acquire land to gain political influence. This includes purchasing property, constructing mosques, and establishing shrines. The theory also accuses the Waqf board,8 a statutory body that manages properties that have been donated by Indian Muslims over centuries, of illegally obtaining land to enhance their political power.
Background and Context
Since 2014, coinciding with the premiership of Narendra Modi, Hindu nationalist groups have increasingly asserted that Muslims have a hidden agenda to gradually increase their presence in Hindu-majority areas through land acquisition and settlement. The conspiracy taps into anxieties about economic competition and territorial encroachment, framing Muslim neighbors as existential threats rather than fellow citizens.
The primary objective of this conspiracy is to instill a fear of Muslims and increase religious polarization by portraying ordinary real estate transactions as part of a larger conspiracy. In reality, a 2006 report conducted by the government-constituted Sachar Committee found that Muslims in India own less land than Hindus, a disparity rooted in historical marginalization, economic deprivation, and limited political representation.9 The Land Jihad theory is intertwined with laws that demand stricter regulations on Muslim buyers or restrict land sales to Muslims entirely in various BJP ruled states.10
Impact and Harm
The theory portrays Muslims as land-grabbers and promotes segregation by criminalizing property transactions between Hindus and Muslims and by denying Muslims the right to live in non-Muslim neighborhoods. It stokes fears that Muslim presence will diminish property values and Hindu demographic dominance, transforming economic anxieties into communal hostility. It legitimizes Hindu property owners’ refusal to sell or rent to Muslims. It has fueled desecration of and attacks on mosques, graveyards, and other Muslim communal spaces based on spurious claims of illegal occupation.11
Variants and Alternative Forms
लव जिहाद ज़मीन जिहाद Property Jihad
